Only been here once, a little bit after high tide, so conditions were a bit mushy. Waves were 3-5ft. Can see how it would get a little bit better if the waves were bigger, and at lower/medium tides. Skill level was pretty varied here, and it was a bit crowded. One guy with a huge orange longboard was ditching his board whenever any wave came. I was paddling out behind him (big mistake) and basically had to duck dive his loose board. Some other people yelled at him too. You shouldn't be surfing at a place where you can't hold onto your board... Getting in and out is a bit of a challenge (especially if you are used to beach breaks). Basically, you can jump off some rocks next to the cliff to get into the water. But you gotta time it right so you have time to get away from the rocks before the next wave comes. Getting in is similar. There are some ropes next to the cliff/rocks that you can grab onto to help.

This is the best pizza I've had for a long time. It was perfectly cooked and filling. It took a little while for it to be ready and they weren't busy but it was worth the wait!!!!! yummy, yummy!!!!

We eat here every time we come to Santa Cruz. The fish and chips is the tastiest I've had. The batter isn't too greasy and it's seasoned to perfection. My husband has also been happy with everything he's had there. If you are lucky enough to get a table by the windows you'll have an unimpeded view of the beach, it's gorgeous.

We have stayed here many times in it's former incarnation the Coast Hotel Santa Cruzl (which I have previously reviewed.) It has always been our favorite hotel as it's the ONLY hotel directly on the beach in Santa Cruz. Every room has an ocean view and a balcony. There is a fabulous pool and hot tub that overlooks the ocean. My favorite thing about this hotel has always been the BED!!!! Then and now it is the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in and the best pillows I have ever laid my head upon. My ONLY complaint (except for the price) is the shower. I loved it until I realized that it was impossible to shave your legs in!!! There is no shelf, not even a tiny bulge to perch my toes on. I tried to put my foot on the wall but almost fell so I had to give up. Other than that everything at this hotel is amazing. We probably won't ever get to stay here again because it is WAY more expensive now that they've remodeled. So alas, adieu Dream Inn, we loved you while we could afford it.

So, I was trying to pack for Vegas, and I came across some glasses that I bought at the Halloween store! I didn't buy them for my costume, just to wear around in Vegas! I mean, come on, it's Vegas! So as you can see I'm getting distracted by all the fun I'm going to have instead of focusing on getting my stuff together!

More to come...

On our trip to Las Vegas, to wanted to drive through several cities on the west coast.
So we chose Sacramento, San Jose, Santa Cruz, and Santa Barbara...

Santa Cruz was pretty nice... but it seemed empty and abandoned. there were barely people on the beach.
the bay area looked fascinating because of its big theme park, the game arena, beachball fields and the long peer.

i just knew santa cruz because of its skate/surf brand. as soon as we got out of our car, we could feel the heat in santa cruz. we loved it, we took off our shirts, and presented our pale body to the sun :). we started with the arcade battle at the game hall, we had a good time, because we don't really have a good game hall over here in our country. we went on to the local surf shop, but some clothes, and had lunch at a restaurant on the peer, with a nice ocean view.

i can imagine that the hotel prices aren't that high in santa cruz, if there aren't too many tourists in SC. i would surely spend one or two nights in santa cruz on my next trip to california. just to lay back, and enjoy the sounds of the waves and the seagulls. above the peer we could observe lots of surfers in the water. the shore was really beautiful.

santa cruz be aware, we'll be back pretty soon !

This bar is located in downtown Santa Cruz. The crowd changes at as it gets later. Before 9pm, the crowd is mostly 30+, and gets younger little by little, they also adjust the music playing accordingly to the crowd. Slow Jazz in the earlier hours and slightly more "hip" music later on. The menu is a bit pricey, but the food isn't half bad. Drinks are also fairly expensive, but you're probably paying for the atmosphere. The atmosphere is very relaxing, most of the seating is couches/armchairs with little coffee tables. Their beverage selection is pretty broad, from popular favorites, to local ones... Definitely a great little spot to start the evening and just relax and have a good time.

We stayed at this hotel in the spring and it was wonderful!!! It's the only hotel in Santa Cruz that is right on the beach, I mean RIGHT on the sand... nothing between you and the water!!! It's within EASY walking distance to the pier-not even a block. There are some touristy shops that aren't worth going into but some good restaurants so it's worth taking a stroll down the pier. We are planning on going back in a few weeks so I'll review the restuarant that we like. This hotel is also about 2-3 blocks from the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and Roaring Camp Railroads (which will take you up into the Santa Cruz Mountains in a great open air train!) The best part about this hotel is that every room has an ocean view and a balcony. Nothing too fancy, but it does have a few chairs and a table-the view speaks for itself. The bed was also really comfortable and the pillows simply can't be beat!!! They were more comfortable than my own from home!! All in all a great hotel and one I plan on going back to again and again! The new website is: www.keepdreaminn.com

First leg of a Pacific Coast Highway road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Planning to spend the night at Santa Cruz. No reservations made ahead of time, so I just have to poke around and find a place to spend the night. A few minutes north of Santa Cruz lies the mountain town of Felton, nestled in the majestic Redwoods. I really didn't have the time for detours, but Felton looked just so perfect on the map - 15 minutes away from both Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz, that I couldn't resist the thought of spending the night in such a peaceful setting, with multiple options for a detour early in the morning - Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach, Capitola, Davenport and all of Santa Clara Valley - All within half an hours' drive. And you dodn't even have to take a winding detour for some sightseeing. Even closer to Felton are attractions like Roaring Camp, Big Trees Railroad, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, and of course the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. So Felton it was for the first stop on the first leg of this epic journey.

After poking around a bit and asking around for a suitable place for an overnight stay, I was directed to the Felton Crest Inn B&B, which, it seems, was supposed to be the finest that Felton, CA had to offer. And it certainly lives up to the reputation. Situated in a secluded clearing sandwiched between a state park and camping grounds, and just about obscured and lost among the tall Redwoods. From the inside, it looked even more like a retreat built by a highly successful writer or artist, with a living room adorned with luxurious sofas and chairs place strategically around a Victorian fireplace. The dining area, with a seating capacity of six, looked warm and comfortable, and I was already looking forward to the next morning's breakfast. The whole place has a slightly unreal look, with the late afternoon sunlight streaming in through the large windows and the dense Redwoods in full view. It was like a place lost in time. I was already thankful I hadn't oped to stay in one of the Santa Cruz hotels.

The Sundeck room I took was equally luxurious, with a king size bed, fluffy pillows and cushions, work desk and chairs, cable TV with a VCR and a video library, wi-fi and broadband internet, a spacious bathroom with jacuzzi, tub and seperate shower. The dark wooden furnishings and the dated portrait on the wall above the bed, the spotless white linen, the vase with fresh flowers and the Redwoods still visible out of the window made it seem almost like home. This place looked less like a hotel than any place I've ever stayed in. Absolutely no noise or disturbance, and the air was so fresh, you felt like taking deep breaths over and over again. I was going to need a short walk in the trails leading out of the Inn after dinner.

Info: Felton Crest Inn - 780 El Solyo Heights Drive Felton CA 95018; (831) 335-4011

We ventured out to Santa Cruz this morning. The weather today is brilliant! I managed to get a few pictures in of today. After walking around downtown and going into our all time favorite store Logos we headed to the Boardwalk where we intended to have lunch. After getting down there and parking we walked to the pier- where we promptly decided we weren't hungry yet or in the mood for the crowds of people down there so we decided to get back in the car and head to Moss Landing for lunch. I'm going to write a review for the restaurant that we went to (The Whole Enchilada) as well as the bookstore (Logos) so check out the accompanying reviews for further details. We had an amazing day, a little shopping, a swim in the hotel pool and now relaxing with the computer and the books we bought today. I only have one complaint about the hotel: the bathroom door provides no privacy what-so-ever! It's more like an exterior door with slats in it. Also you have to step into the shower to be able to step into the bathroom and then be able to close the door. Other than that's it's a great hotel!

This bookstore/record store is one of our favorite places, period. You can buy wildly cheap records, cds, tapes and books- some new, most used. I have consistently been able to buy unusual and unique books on any topic I can think of for super cheap. For example I bought a great cookbook for $3 and it was in like new condition. I could spend hours in here and sometimes have. It's our very first stop every time we come to Santa Cruz and sometimes we come here just to go there. I highly recommend it to any bibliophile or music maniac.

If it’s a cup of joe you’re looking for, and you don’t care too much about good flavor. All you need to do is find one of the 7 million stubucks in the world and consume. However…… If its beauty, true artistry, bold international flavor, perfect Cappuccino micro bubbles, and first class service you’re looking for, Lulu Carpenters’ Octagon Café in Santa Cruz is a stop you have to make. This café located on Cooper St. along the downtowns Pacific Avenue mall, is small and would otherwise go unseen if it weren’t for the sidewalk seating on the steps leading to its vault like door. Look for the giant “M” sculpture on the corner of Front St. and Cooper Street. It’s next to the McPherson Art Museum. The Café is no more than 500 square feet and from the outside it looks very small. But inside it feels very roomy with its cavernous open ceiling and vast visual space. Even though the café is in the shape of an octagon the inside seating area is a V shape with the counter service in the middle. The client service experts (baristas) serve a full assortment of espresso drinks and American coffee. The thing I like most is the special attention given to the artistry of espresso on the foam of mochas, cappuccinos, lattés, and other fine drinks. The worst part about this café really isn’t so bad. The pastry selection on the days I’ve been in have dismal at best. They don’t suck there just ok. The bottom line is the coffee drinks are top shelf and you should go to enjoy it. They also have several bean selections to take by the pound. Being an artisan coffee house they sell roasts only for the most discriminating pallet. If you were hopping to stay connected during your java journey, they have that covered too, free wifi. However most of the patrons are students from Cabrillo College or UC Santa Cruz. Now the nitty-gritty details. Parking: Parking is wide available on the street and in two adjacent parking garages, both on Front St. one at the corner of Soquel and the other at Cooper. Pay: They accept all major credit cards and of course cash Internet Access: WiFi is available and it’s free. Plenty of power outlets available. Did I mention it’s FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! Wheelchair accesses: They do have the ADA requirements (American Disabilities Act) however it’s not the most wheelchair friendly venue. The staff will be so happy to help you out. Water Closet, Comfort Room, Lieu, Bathroom, Restroom, Toilet: Yes to all and they are very nice, clean and well kept. Seating: They have indoor and outdoor seating, both are limited, the place is small. The indoor has bench style with added chairs. Other services: They sell some food like pastries and cookies, they also sell and grind coffee beans and have some teapots and coffee accessories for sale. UPDATE**** In my previous post I failed to mention: They only use single origin coffees and they have the "Clover" vacuum press to make every cup!

By far some of the best food in Soquel village. Cool place too. some years this place got busted for running guns for the mob.

Tänään mentiin Santa Cruzeen ostoksille.

Sit poreammeessa Yalen ja Maggyn kaa. Kivaa. Sit puettiin mallinukkea ja rikottiin sen sormi ja panikoitiin, mitä Delores sanoo. Ei se kummempia. Maggy panikoi ihan kunnolla.

Molly lähti häihin.

Syötiin ja katottiin leffa: People under the stairs. Olin nähnyt sen jo aiemmin. Maggy piti musta kiinni koko leffan ajan.

Pål onkin 20 v. Se on hassu. On ollut täällä 4 vuotta sitten vuoden, eri perheessä.

Näin taas delfiinejä. PALJON. Rakastan delfiinejä.

Nyt ollaan Yaelinkin kaa ystävät.

Maggy otti mun sängyn, joten joudun nukkumaan lattialla.

Huomenaamuna jo lähden.

Santa Cruz

Downtown Santa Cruz