When I was a teenager living in the Santa Clara Valley fifty miles south of San Francisco, Santa Cruz was the place to go for fun. This iconic beach town, just over forty miles away beyond the green, rolling coast range, packed with pines, ferns and redwoods, seemed like an alternate, exotic universe. Filled with surfers, hippies, intellectuals, thrill seekers, good cheap food and cool kids with cool cars, Santa Cruz was the place to be. We had no idea that Santa Cruz is a historic town, integral to the Spanish colonization of California and home of the twelfth Franciscan Mission, founded in 1791. We just wanted to go to the Boardwalk, ride the heart-stopping roller coaster, stuff ourselves on fish and chips at Stagnaro’s on the wharf and lie on the beach until the sun went down over the gorgeous Pacific Ocean.

Santa Cruz is still that kind of town. It is home to the only Beach Boardwalk on the West Coast, constructed in 1907 and still going strong. The Boardwalk boasts forty different rides as well as eateries, arcade games and giftshops. The jewel in the Boardwalk’s crown is the Giant Dipper Wooden Roller Coaster, built in 1924. This red and white marvel reaches 69 feet in height and can zip along at a dizzying 55 miles an hour, turning, twisting and dropping over the beach with stunning views of the harbor and the sea. For those who prefer a calmer ride, the lovely 1911 Looff Carousel shares National Historic Landmark status with the Giant Dipper. Hand carved by Charles Looff, one of the greatest carousel carvers of all time, this beautiful work of art also houses three historic band organs, a Ruth & Sohn and two Wurlitzers, one of which was brought over from Playland in San Francisco.

​Fun seekers can enjoy an entire day of thrills at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for a $29.95 unlimited rides wristband. The City of Santa Cruz also provides $10 parking with trolley rides from the parking lots to the Boardwalk for the convenience of the thousands of tourists who visit every summer. The Santa Cruz Beach, right next to the Boardwalk, is a favorite place for sunbathers and surfers, but be warned: the waters of the California beaches are not warm. This comes as a terrible shock to some visitors, and certainly boosts the tourism industry in Hawaii, where the waters are warm. At Santa Cruz Beach, water temperatures vary from the peak of 68-72 degrees in August to the low of 57-61 degrees in February. It is not unusual to see surfers wearing wet suits in Santa Cruz, even in the middle of the summer.

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If surfing is your passion, Cowell Beach, just west of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf Pier, is a surfing Mecca, home to world-class surfers and beginners who want to learn the basics. Cowell beach has beautiful views, convenient parking and plenty of surf shops where visitors can arrange for lessons and rent boards, wetsuits and all the other surfer equipment anyone might need. For surfers or indeed any visitors to Santa Cruz who might enjoy a little luxury, the magnificently restored West Cliff Inn (174 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz,) sits on a bluff with breathtaking views of Cowell Beach and the Boardwalk. This exquisite Victorian mansion, now a Four Sisters property, offers every comfort, including tastefully appointed rooms, an elegant breakfast buffet and afternoon wine and hors d’oeuvres.
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Nearby Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, named for the same local industrialist for whom the beach is named, is a paradise for naturalists who enjoy hiking, fishing, camping and birdwatching. The park is also home to a large stand of old growth virgin redwoods, easily visible from the walking trail. These rare, ancient and magnificent Redwood trees, scientifically named Sequoia sempervirens, grow only in a narrow coastal strip from the corner of southwestern Oregon to 150 miles south of San Francisco. Henry Cowell Park is one of the best places to experience these awe-inspiring and timeless living beings. The largest trees in the park are 285 feet tall and sixteen feet wide. Scientists estimate the age of the oldest of these trees to be 1,400 to 1,800 years. No one should ever visit California without seeing the redwood trees. They live nowhere else on earth.

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The land on which the park is now located, purchased in 1865 by Henry Cowell, was a former Mexican Hacienda, Rancho Canada del Rincon in el Rio San Lorenzo. As a historical reminder, California was a Spanish colony from 1769 to 1821, then belonged to Mexico from 1821-1848. The San Lorenzo River, referenced in the name of the hacienda, received its name in 1769 from Gaspar de Portola, leader of the first European land expedition to Alta (Northern) California. It was on this expedition that Portola claimed California as a Spanish colony.The San Lorenzo River is a twenty-nine-mile long waterway originating in the Santa Cruz mountains and flowing south through Henry Cowell Park and the city of Santa Cruz, emptying into Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The first Mission Santa Cruz was established near the San Lorenzo River in 1791 by Fr. Fermin de Lasuen, a Franciscan missionary priest. Sadly, the first two log mission churches were washed away by flood waters, and finally a permanent adobe and rock mission was built on higher ground in an area now called Mission Hill in the center of Santa Cruz.

The Mission Hill neighborhood is well worth a visit. Although the adobe mission fell into disrepair in the 1830s, the bell tower collapsed in 1840, and the entire mission church structure succumbed to earthquakes in 1857, construction of a new church, on the site of the old mission, and re-named Holy Cross (the English equivalent of Santa Cruz,) began in 1858. After various renovations, this church survives today as the beautiful pastel Holy Cross Church on High Street in Santa Cruz. A lovely granite memorial archway, still in excellent condition, was erected as an entrance gate in 1891 to celebrate the centennial of the original mission.

In 1931, a half-sized replica of the original mission church was constructed nearby at Emmett and School Streets. Some of the original furnishings of Mission Santa Cruz were incorporated into this replica. This small church is now a chapel used by Holy Cross, which is still an active parish. Plaza Park survives today on the site of the original plaza surrounding the Mission, and visitors are welcome at Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park, housed in the only surviving mission building, a former dormitory for native acolytes.

Although areas of downtown Santa Cruz were severely damaged by the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, the city has bounced back and become a destination for food lovers who appreciate the international and multi-cultural vibe. Two venerable Santa Cruz restaurants that remain ever-popular with the beach and party crowd are Stagnaro’s and the Crow’s Nest. Both are two story restaurants that offer glorious views of the ocean, the beach and the harbor. And both serve good quality American food with a strong Italian accent and plenty of well-prepared fresh seafood.

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Stagnaro’s was founded in 1937 by Giovanni Stagnaro, whose father, Matteo, immigrated from Genoa through Ellis Island and on to Santa Cruz. The climate and seaside terrain around Santa Cruz are similar to the areas surrounding Genoa, where fish and seafood form the primary components of the local cuisine. Stagnaro’s was originally a small seafood market located at 59 Municipal Wharf. While the address has not changed, Stagnaro’s has evolved into the largest fish market in Northern California and a busy restaurant that serves all the old familiar favorites, including Louie and Caesar Salads, Crab Melt Sandwiches, Cioppino, Crispy Calamari and Seafood Lasagna. Loyal customers still love the Clam Chowder at Stagnaro’s, and nine members of the Stagnaro clan still work at this popular old family -run restaurant.
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The Crow’s Nest at 2218 East Cliff Drive has celebrated more than fifty years of splendid harbor and lighthouse views while serving daily breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Crow’s Nest menu features casual American food with an emphasis on fish, pastas and plenty of wine. The Beach Market on the dock next door serves pizzas and sandwiches in a dog-friendly setting.
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The prices may have gone up over the decades since I went to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk on my first date with dreamy Wayne Higashi at the age of fifteen. Both of us were too young to drive, and Wayne manipulated my older brother, who had the teenager’s ticket to paradise, a driver’s license, to chauffer us over the wild and twisty Highway 17 to the coolest town in California. Wayne has now been my husband for fifty-six years, and counting, and we still like to hang out in Santa Cruz. Today, visitors can get a cup of Stagnaro’s famous New England Clam Chowder for $3.95, more than it used to cost, but not exorbitant. A favorite spot for a pot of truly decadent hot chocolate on a cool evening is Chocolate, an organic bistro at 1522 Pacific Avenue in Downtown Santa Cruz. Guests can relax on the cute little patio adjoining the sidewalk and people watch while nibbling on French cheeses, Vegetarian Antipasto, Chicken with Mole, good wine, and of course chocolate desserts including giant house-made Truffles or Hot Chocolate that tastes like bittersweet liquid chocolate pudding. Our favorite is Sofia, a thick dark Italian coca. Even better is the $11 Sofia Kettle, 22 ounces in a copper kettle for sweethearts to share.

Two newer Santa Cruz restaurants that offer excellent food are Laili at 101 Cooper Street and Gabriella Café at 910 Cedar Street. Laili is a vegan-friendly Middle Eastern restaurant with an emphasis on Afghan cuisine. Ask to be seated in the outdoor patio area in the back, as it is a truly lovely garden setting. Laili offers good Middle Eastern appetizers, including hummus and tabbouleh, which come with complimentary house-made pita bread. Fresh and healthy items include Moroccan Beet Salad and a Roasted Cauliflower entrée served with chickpeas, yogurt and saffron rice. A vegan version is available. The menu also includes pastas, wraps and traditional Lamb, Salmon and Chicken dishes, including a Lamb Burger and Lamb Kebob. Laili is closed on Monday and serves lunch between 11:30 and 2:30, re-opening for dinner at 5 PM.
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Established in 1992, Gabriella Café serves daily Italian style farm to table lunch, dinner and weekend brunch in an attractive and romantic setting. Recent brunch items include Roasted Vegetable and Sausage Hash, and Mexican inspired Huevos Verdes. Traditional Italian style pastas include Butternut Squash Ravioli and Porcini Gnocchi. Crispy Brussels Sprouts are a popular appetizer, and the Caesar Salad and Roasted Beet Salad are perennial favorites. Gabriela’s owner and creator, Paul Cocking, emphasizes the use of locally caught and sustainable fish and locally sourced meats. Entrée offerings include Pan Roasted Trout, Grilled Fairfield Quail, Seared Duck Breast and New York Steak.
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​In addition to the magic of Santa Cruz, there are also lovely beaches and good food in many of the nearby towns, including Aptos, Capitola and Davenport. If you are heading south on the gorgeous coastal Highway 1, toward Monterey and Carmel, be sure to stop off at the wildly popular Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria in Capitola for a picnic breakfast, lunch or dinner. Visitors can eat in or take out, choosing from a dizzying selection of first-class breakfast foods, sandwiches, Mexican, Italian and Barbecue items, pastries, pies and cakes. Just gazing at the photos of the Cakes on Gayle’s website can turn the tide of a gloomy afternoon into a timeless dreamland. The Princess Cake, available in either pink, green or lavender, is one of Gayle’s signature creations and one of the prettiest cakes I have ever seen. I am even lucky enough to have enjoyed a piece of this ethereal work of art—vanilla sponge cake topped with pastry cream and raspberry jam with a marzipan topped dome filled with vanilla whipped cream. On top of this perfectly smooth pastel dome is a fresh white rose nestled in a soft sprinkling of powdered sugar.

As in France and Japan, California’s small towns have maintained their historic integrity and culinary authenticity. Santa Cruz, once Spanish, once Mexican and now Californian, has a quirky identity all its own and has never succumbed to corporate food or mass culture. How fortunate I have been that a little bit of Santa Cruz has helped shape the person I have become. Wherever your home may be, you can live the California dream through our California Tea in the World of Tea Parties chapter in the Tea Book section of this website. Our California menu features the abundant seafood, fruits and vegetables that are fished and harvested in the fertile coastal farmlands surrounding Santa Cruz.