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Santa Cruz is undoubtedly one of California’s most quintessential beach towns.

With 29 miles of pristine coastline, Santa Cruz offers some of the most beautiful beaches, world renowned surf spots and famous coastal attractions such as the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Those fortunate enough to live along the coastline will enjoy some of the most beautiful views Monterey Bay has to offer. From the humpback whale migration, sunrise to sunset, rain or shine, the Santa Cruz coastline is breathtaking year-round.

From Pajaro Dunes to West Cliff Drive, each coastal community has its own special vibe. Each with its own appeal, attractions, and flavor.

Pajaro Dunes to New Brighton Beach, you will find long runs of sandy beaches with homes right on the sand to homes nestled in small neighborhoods with the privacy of trees and sloping winding roads. These areas are scattered with local residents and vacationers. Camping and hiking are regular activities enjoyed by both locals and visitors. With the expansive beach area, you can find your own quiet tranquil place to enjoy a bonfire, body surf or just chill... Read more...

Capitola by the Sea is on the coast just south of Santa Cruz. It’s one of the oldest vacation retreats on the Pacific Coast. In 1856 the Capitola Wharf was built and the 1,882 lots which made up the city of Capitola were subdivided into vacation cabins, a hotel (The Venetian), a theater and a Bandstand. This was the beginning of this desirable town with a resort lifestyle. Today, Capitola is a quaint seaside village welcoming visitors from around the world to its beautiful beach, shops and dining.

During the summer, the town is alive with beach goers and vacationers enjoying the incredible Mediterranean climate. Sunny days and mild evenings are the norm. Enjoy an outdoor movie, live music, a walk on the beach or wharf and a fabulous meal at a different restaurant every night of the week. Although the summer is an exciting and busy time, winter is welcomed by the locals as the visitors make their way back home.

An eclectic selection of local businesses line the streets of the village. Clothing & jewelry shops, art studios, boutiques and some of the finest dining establishments in the Monterey Bay Area. Don’t forget to visit the famous Gayle’s Bakery and Shadowbrook Restaurant... Read more...

Soquel was founded in 1853. The name “Soquel” might be the native word for village or it might be the name of the village. No one is certain. “Soquel” is pronounced as “so-KELL.”

Ask people why they live in Soquel, and they’ll mention the friendly residents, the fresh air, and the little hometown neighborhoods sprinkled among the piney woods. There’s even a white-steeple church on the corner, and don’t miss the antique shops and emporiums where historical treasures can be found.

Just inland from Capitola by the Sea, Soquel has some of the most beautiful weather in Santa Cruz County. It’s set back from the coast beyond the fog belt and when some of the coastal communities are fogged in, come to Soquel for the sunshine. Take Old San Jose Road into Soquel and you will find a rural community just minutes away from town and all the amenities. Old San Jose Road eventually connects to HWY 17 if you’d like to take the back roads to San Jose and Silicon Valley... Read more...

The ” Westside” of town begins to the North side of the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. The Westside is home to a variety of notable Santa Cruz icons.

The Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor is home to some world-renowned sailors, sailboats and yacht builders. From Wednesday Night Sailboat Races, whale watching on the O’Neill Catamaran or Chardonnay Sailing Charters to going on a fishing expedition on one of the many vessels in the harbor, you will find a friendly and adventurous vibe here.

One of its most notable and prestigious icons is the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC). Located above the city amongst the redwoods, it’s known to be one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. UCSC is the largest employer in SC County and one of the most respected institutions of learning in California... Read more...

The Eastside of the city stretches from Capitola to Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. This area includes Opal Cliffs, East Cliff Drive, Pleasure Point, the Avenues from 26th to 1st, Twin Lakes, and Seabright and Live Oak, often referred to as “Midtown”.

An abundance of sunshine can be found here and most days there’s an afternoon breeze, especially liked by those who love to sail. If you are a beach or water enthusiast, Pleasure Point and the coastline boast some of the best surfing and sandy beaches in California.

Santa Cruz is home to an avid sailing community with Santa Cruz Yacht Club members being some of the best sailors in the world. The Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor is home to over 1,000 moored vessels for commercial, residential, recreational and research opportunities. This area also has some of the most well-known restaurants, such as the Crow’s Nest and Aldo’s. On either side of the harbor entrance are some of the most popular and accessible beaches in town... Read more...

Pasatiempo lies on a narrow coastal plain at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Positioned in-between Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, it possesses its own unique Mediterranean microclimate. Above the fog line, sunshine is enjoyed year-round. Pasatiempo is a popular community for those who like quick access to HWY 17 for commutes to Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. This is a family-oriented community, with top ranked schools and quality dining. If you are a golfer at any level, this is the place you will want to be. Pasatiempo Golf Club is rated one of the top 100 in the world.

A BIT OF HISTORY…..
Marion Hollins purchased what used to be the Santa Cruz polo grounds back in the early 1920s. Her dream was to build a prestigious golf course and a golf community with custom homes. She employed Alastair McKenzie to design and build Pasatiempo Golf Course. McKenzie had already designed and built several golf courses including the legendary Augusta National in Georgia. Then she hired William Wurster, the designer and architect of the California ranch style home to build several custom homes along the course for herself and her family, and the landscape architect on the project, the renowned Thomas Church. The results of Marion Hollins’ efforts are known today in the prestigious and tight knit community of Pasatiempo... Read more...

The City of Scotts Valley was established in 1966. It was a former logging town and home to Santa’s Village Amusement Park in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Today, Scotts Valley boasts a thriving local economy and one of the county’s most successfully performing school districts.

This community is nestled at the foot of the Santa Cruz mountains along HWY 17 inland from the City of Santa Cruz just beyond the fog belt. The summers are sunny and hot, and winters are nice and chilly.

The city continues to experience great growth because of the family-oriented neighborhoods and fantastic school system. Scotts Valley is also very popular for those working and commuting to Silicon Valley with easy accessibility to the highway. In fact, luxury buses from Apple, Amazon and Facebook take their employees free of charge every day to work.Vine Hill and Brook Knoll Schools continue to be the top performing schools in the County. Scotts Valley Middle School is in the middle of a multi-million-dollar remodel and Scotts Valley High is a California Distinguished School offering International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) options... Read more...

The name Aptos is Ohlone, meaning “the people”. Aptos was traditionally inhabited by the Ohlone Awaswas people. The name is one of only three native words that have survived (in Hispanicized form) as place names in Santa Cruz County.

In 1878 Augustia Castro, daughter of Rafael Castro, and her husband Jose Arano built the Victorian, Bayview Hotel in Aptos village. This hotel is a Santa Cruz County landmark and is the county’s oldest operating hotel. It has been a State Historic Monument since 1974 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1993.

Located in southern Santa Cruz County, Aptos is an unincorporated area that stretches from La Selva Beach to the south, Corralitos to the east and includes the areas at the coast of Seascape, Rio Del Mar and Seacliff Beach. Like much of Santa Cruz County, Aptos offers a variety of residential neighborhoods and offers a mix of residential coastal communities, rural homesteads on various sized acreage, planned developments of single-family residences, condominiums, townhouses and Mobile Home Parks... Read more...

San Lorenzo Valley is located in the Santa Cruz mountains. This area is home to a huge redwood tree population and was once a logging center for much of California, especially after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The towns in the area follow the San Lorenzo River, which flows from Boulder Creek to the city of Santa Cruz and provides much of the drinking water for Santa Cruz County. Many of the residents live in homes along Highway 9, which extends from Santa Cruz to Saratoga to Santa Clara County.

Bonny Doon, one of the many unique country communities of San Lorenzo Valley and was founded in the 1850s as a logging camp. The current name can be traced back to 1902. John Burns, a Scotsman living in Santa Cruz, named Bonny Doon after a line in the Robert Burns’ song “The Banks O’Doon”. Bonny Doon offers a selection of wineries to visit along the Santa Cruz Mountains Winery trail. The area is home to artists and artisans, who proudly live and play in this scenic, charismatic settlement in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

San Lorenzo Valley High School is the community hub and meeting place for activities and social events. In the summer, an Arts and Crafts Bazaar is celebrated through the streets of Boulder Creek. Many people flock to the popular Roaring Camp for the annual Civil War enactment or for a ride through the redwoods on the steam powered locomotive... Read more...