Top of the stairs is near corner of Cliff Ave & Grand Ave and has quite a view. Set navigation…read moresoftware for 104 cliff Abe in capitola and it'll get you to top of stairs. DONT PARK HERE though. It's permit parking only. Park around the corner

Inevitably, these stairs are:…read more What you do after a long night in the Village. What you do after a few too many cupcakes (http://www.yelp.com/biz/sprinkles-cupcakes-palo-alto#hrid:F7yevLniXvWEebiGO8gBMg) What you do when you want to escape the parking nazis. But it will cost you in burn factor every time.

For my first review of 2010, i've decided to do a review on something that holds a special meaning…read moreto everyone who has visited it. Tree 9. This majestic and gorgeous tree towers above all the other redwoods around it. once you make the hike up and enter the clearing, the branches beg you to climb it and look at the view it has to offer. The first time i visited the tree, it was in the middle of the night. But the day i saw it in broad daylight, i was blown away by its presence. The branches are smooth from the hundreds who have climbed it before. They stick out in all directions to give even the most fearful the chance to brave it and climb up. 2010 is a new year for me, and it is a new year for this tree. This tree has so far survived all who has wanted to cut it down for the purpose of expanding ucsc. The Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) has been put on hold so far, giving this tree another year to bask in the sun. Contrary to what people think about the name, whether a girl died by hitting 9 branches on the way down, that 9 people died so far, to the fact that it's located above College 9, the name comes from the fact that way back in the day, the tree was actually stop #9 on the ucsc trail tour. and so now the winter is slowly drawing away and the branches call out again to all the banana slugs. I will be back soon. and this time i'll make it to the top! If this tree falls, we will all fall with it. but keep standing tall Mr. Tree 9. another amazing thing: the tree is minutes away from the open field where full moon drum circles are held every month. *wolf howling*

Once upon a time there was a tree where the residents of ucsc could swing on and have fun. Times…read morehave changed, however, and they removed the swing set because of safety reasons or other things. Either way, it is no longer there, and for this reason I have decided that this tree in particular deserves one star out of five.

This stretch of highway is beautiful. I have done this hundreds of time but it still feels magical…read moreevery time I traverse it. There are beautiful redwoods on both sides with little towns along the way. On the one side is quaint Los Gatos and on the other side is stunning Santa Cruz. Just know that it backs up frequently since it is pretty windy and frequent crashes, which shuts down the highway. Drive safe please!

Amazing views, and an excellent scenic drive. The viewpoints at sunset especially are beautiful if…read moreyou want to take photos.

Great place to walk around and enjoy the ocean views of Santa Cruz if you aren't interested in the…read moreboardwalk. Check out the surf museum and the lighthouse and watch all the surfers in steamer lane!!

No indoor seating but it's a great cafe with a fun and eclectic menu, want to try the kimchi…read morequesadilla next time. Coffee had a great flavor and was strong. Everything is surprisingly well priced too. Plenty of benches outside and out and about around the lighthouse.

Great place for interesting and unique photo opportunities. Very colorful and fun. It exists for…read moresuch a touching and loving reason; gives one a sense of love and caring between a couple. I'm so glad the people who have this property now have kept it up.

This was such a wonderful place to finally visit, especially after all the trips we've taken to the…read morearea. First off, this eclectic house was created out of the love a husband had for his wife while she was losing her eyesight. It's a really beautiful story, and I'll include the link if you want to read more: https://www.pacificgrovebutterflyhouse.com/ Because of J's love for his wife, Sonja, this brightly colorful home covered in mirrors and butterflies still stands today. It exists for such a touching reason and really gives you a sense of the love and care they had for each other. I'm so glad the current owners have continued to maintain it. During their life together, Sonja and J supported the Blind & Visually Impaired Center of Monterey County with donations from people who came to admire the Butterfly House. You can donate as well if you feel moved to do so (blindandlowvision.org). Just keep in mind that this is a private residence. We actually saw the homeowner heading inside and waited until they were in before taking a look. I'm sure they're kind and happy to share the story, but it's also important to respect that this is someone's home and daily life. Sadly, J passed away in 2020 and Sonja in 2022.

Carmel is a great escape. It has a special charm and dramatic beach landscapes with blue waters,…read morecliffs and majestic cypress trees. It is quaint, perfect for a 1-2 stop, great to stroll on Ocean Ave. and check out the art galleries, the nice shops and enjoy a fresh seafood meal. Life stops its fast pace while here. Wear layers! I always get cold here and bring comfy shoes to explore the small, cute town! A landmark of California!

Brought family down to see Big Sur. We stopped by Carmel to get some food…read more I love that this has got to be the most dog friendly city in California. Almost all restaurants and stores are accommodating. Saw couple of people picking up after their dogs. Also saw plenty of trash cans. Also street parking is still free, if you can find a spot.

Cool ghost town visible from train - San Jose to Sacramento…read more It was so fun discovering this small ghost town in the middle of the South at wetlands. A raucous history clings to Drawbridge - hunting and maybe gambling at one time or another. Built in the 1870s and it became 'ghostly' after the last person left in 1979. I like the background of the town and how it spices up the history of the southern part of San Francisco Bay.

I found out about Drawbridge on Atlas Obsura and was fascinated. It's definitely one the better…read moreelusive urbex destinations. You technically can't go here so I won't go into detail on how to get there but it's best to find someone who's been here before to guide you as it can be tricky to find and some entrances might be blocked off. The abandoned buildings on the side of the train tracks are spread out and you can get some nice photos with the hills and marshland in the background. It's worth going but this is a production. It's about a 9-mile walk and yes you do have to watch out for the train. Most of the time it's fine but there is a small stretch when you need to cross a bridge over water and let's just say you don't want to end up like those kids on Stand By Me. If you don't want to do the walk you can take an Amtrak Train which goes through it.

I see this guy out occasionally. I have yet to be able to stop him and chat. But every time I see…read morehim riding his shark, I always see people around smile and stare. Usually I see him riding going out past Lover's Point going to Asilomar where I usually go surf or just watch the waves. I had to give him props for adding flavor to the streets of Monterey and PG.

I cannot believe you got a picture of this guy. Every time I have seen him I was sans technology…read more I am .. proud... for some reason to know this cat is swimming along the street somewhere, about to attack your sense of the mundane and apathy. There were some past and future tense issues with the grammar up there, but you know... we're talking about a land shark. "I'm just a dolphin m'am"

I remember playing here when I was a kid. Climbing on the shortest one (some of my friends managed…read moreto get on the middle but I was never able). I have so many great memories of this place. But I wish the grounds were better maintained.

Since they just repainted & restored the Hats in Three Stages of Landing artwork I had to go see it…read moresince I was already in Salinas for the National Steinbeck Center, & John Steinbeck Public Library. The artwork was made by Claes Oldenburg & his wife, his wife has since passed on, but he's still alive & was at the celebration event Sat 11/23/13 which I missed. At least I went the next day Sun 11/24/13. It's outside, behind Sherwood Hall. There's 3 giants hats that looks like that were thrown - highest, little lower, lowest. I went too late in the day so it wasn't as bright yellow as it should be. Good early in the day to see the art.

Not huge, but it's a great stop, especially when you're biking in the morning hours when the sun…read moreisn't too hot in Milpitas, CA. There aren't many cars on the roads between 10am-12noon, so it's a breeze riding a bike around and resting for a hydration stop here. Tiny public parking lot onsite off Milpitas Blvd. Hidden Lake neighborhood have peaceful homes and nice walking paths to get a glimpse of the small lake sometimes filled with ducks. You can easily walk up and down stairways or bike around the neighborhood area near the homes. Yes, there are picnic tables and families do stop to enjoy small gatherings. Hidden Lake Park is not far from retailers/restaurants/grocery stores/fast foods/etc. Convenient. Not many visitors on weekdays. It's always clean when I stop by seasonally for a morning biking routine. The clouds look great outside today, so it wasn't too hot under the sunshine. Overall, good place to chill before continuing onto Milpitas Blvd. where there's bike friendly streets now. Easy to follow the paths and navigate around town.

***the lake itself is part of a community called HIDDEN LAKE as well***…read more OVERALL: Meh. Wouldn't go out of my way to drive here to walk; therefore the 4 stars rating. Due to being part of a community, there are a ton of guest parking (especially near the gates to this park) BUT if you keep driving, the parking lot for this "park" is on the outside (you turn in with the sign "HIDDEN PARK LAKE" in green lettering/tanish brown background and there are a few spots for you to pick from). Two stairways up to other flat cement ground trails. Very quarry lake vibes but not much water. Lake itself is a smaller circular flat cement ground leveled trail. Regarding up the stairs: One way does end up at another park whereas the other way just ends up in another neighborhood/main road. Lack of shade. Lots of ducks. There's few places to sit. Few trash bins. No visible toilets.