Santa Cruz advice

[2underpar]

My wife and I are going to Santa Cruz in a couple of weeks. I've done some research, but does anyone have any suggestions about local bars/restaurants/music venues that are must-visits. And, yes, I'm playing Pasatiempo Golf Club. That will be the highlight, for sure.

 

[HanSenSE]

Downtown along Pacific Ave. is lively. It's made a heck of a comeback after the earthquake in '89.

It's the busy time of year at the Boardwalk, but a ride on the Big Dipper is almost mandatory.

There's always the ocean, of course, but there's lots of lush redwood forests as well up Highway 9 and around UC Santa Cruz (home of those Fightin' Banana Slugs).

Be prepared for any type of weather. The fog can hug the coast all day, but it'll be bright and sunny a few miles inland.

 

[trifectarich]

My wife and I are going to Santa Cruz in a couple of weeks. I've done some research, but does anyone have any suggestions about local bars/restaurants/music venues that are must-visits. And, yes, I'm playing Pasatiempo Golf Club. That will be the highlight, for sure.

I think it's the 17th green . . . wait until you see that thing! The property on which the back nine was built is fabulous; have a great time!

 

[DanOregon]

Many family vacations in Rio del Mar in Aptos. Better beach. And yeah the Dipper is mandatory. You also might want to rewatch Sudden Impact before you go to get fired up.

 

[LongTimeListener]

--Agree with Dan on Rio Del Mar. Or Seacliff State Beach. Less crowded than Boardwalk area.

--Boardwalk has good deals on Monday and Thursday nights after 5 p.m. On Monday it's each ride for a dollar, and on Thursday it's an unlimited ride wristband for like 10 bucks if you bring a Pepsi can. Bring your warm-weather clothes as you would anywhere in Santa Cruz at night, because it gets cold!

--Don't plan on getting to the beach before about noon, it's too cold in the morning.

--Capitola is the best town for hanging out and killing a day with drinks on the beach.

--You're an hour away from downtown Carmel, and that's worth it for a great walk-around day downtown plus another great beach right across from Pebble Beach. Jack London's is the place that's always wall-to-wall during the golf tournament.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Let me know if you see this guy...

 

[Buck]

--You're an hour away from downtown Carmel, and that's worth it for a great walk-around day downtown plus another great beach right across from Pebble Beach. Jack London's is the place that's always wall-to-wall during the golf tournament.

Carmel is a double-edged sword:
Beautiful spot and all-year nice weather.
But it also put the 'pre,' the 'ten' and the 'shus' in 'pretenshus.'

 

[OTD]

Lots of good restaurants downtown. The seafood restaurants on the pier are just so-so, but there's a nice wine bar on the second floor of the pier--good place to relax in the late afternoon.

If you're staying at the University Hotel, change your reservation unless you like the ambiance of a college dorm.

Be sure you head up to the campus--it's beautiful to walk around, although it's quite hilly.

The Rio theater often has good acts. I saw Dave Brubeck there once. Robert Earl Keen played there earlier this week, I believe.

If you're coming down from San Jose, be sure to keep your eyes on the road as you drive down Highway 17. It can get exciting.

 

[2underpar]

Flying into San Francisco and driving down. We're actually staying in Capitola. We'll probably do a day trip to Carmel/Monterey, then spend the rest of the trip in and around Santa Cruz.
Any obvious places we need to avoid?

 

[OTD]

Monterey's nice, but the "Cannery Row" area is really just a bunch of tourist traps. The aquarium's great.

The Monterey pier also has many seafood restaurants, and most offer you a sample of their clam chowder as you walk past.

In general, the area's a great place to chill out. Stop in Moss Landing on your way from Santa Cruz to Monterey.

 

[Football_Bat]

I met some fine folks from the Sentinel a few years ago. That's all I got.