It's fathers day, we got a late start to hit up the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and parking is not…read moregoing to happen. I grew up in SC. I'm not about to circle and wait for a parking spot. I also don't plan on being there all day so I don't want to wait in line for an hour to get a spot in the expensive new parking lot. What's a dad to do. I drop my wife and kid and head downtown to get some coffee at the Santa Cruz coffee roasting company. Got rock star parking on Pacific Garden Avenue and grabbed a cup of coffee, stuff enough coin in the parking meter them jump on the trolly. So I get parking, coffee and a low stress ride to the beach. It's got great music and air conditioning. Happy father's day, I win. The family got to have a bit of fun (waiting in line without me) before I get there and I get to relax instead of looking and waiting for parking. And did I mention the AC.

If you are going to the Boardwalk your first ride of the day should be on the Trolley! The parking…read moresituation at the Boardwalk is a bad joke with overpriced parking and narrow congested streets. There is plenty of parking downtown and mostly free on Sundays. The Trolley runs daily from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend. After having lunch downtown (much better options than the Boardwalk), I boarded the trolley at the Del Mar Theatre stop. You must have exact change (just 25 cents per ride). Why so cheap? The Trolley is run by the Santa Cruz Trolley Consortium, Inc. a 501(c)4 non-profit organization. It's a short and pleasant ride down to the beach then just a hop skip and a jump to the Boardwalk fun.

My absolute ideal day in Santa Cruz would be strolling the Santa Cruz Wharf. Talk about California…read moredreaming. This is it! It feels like home to me. Years of awesome visits to the wharf. Whether it is sunny, foggy, or raining... it is always magical. Each experience offers it's own beauty and is, indeed, a memorable slice of heaven. It boasts the longest wooden pier on the West Coast. Which by the way has been seriously damaged (and fixed) during crazy storms these past few years. Wonderful choices for dining. My favorite is Jack O'neill Restaurant and Lounge which provides not only fabulous food opportunities (casual and fine dining), but affords the best view of the wharf, the famous and iconic SC Boardwalk, and the big, blue, beautiful ocean. There are many great choices on the pier itself to enjoy yummy seafood, (as well as many other menu items) and the unforgettable coastal views. Makai Island... my favorite restaurant/bar on the pier is a must visit! Family friendly and great food in the dining room. But if you do not have the kids take a spin on the revolving bar in the back and just soak in the vibes of a good, strong cocktail and the Pacific Ocean :-)! Right? Fun, tourist shopping too. I am always a "tourist" on the pier. Love spending time crusing the wharf's nice shops when I want a cool SC ball cap or sweat shirt! Like any other popular tourist destination... nothing is cheap. Whether you are Just walking and feeling the ocean breeze, hanging with the large sea lions, watching peeps fishing off the pier, and of course hoping the dedicated surfers catch a wave...it is all good! You can even rent a boat. Everyone is happy on the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. Especially with an ice cream cone in hand:). So much to explore. #EpicPhotoOpportunitiesToo!

A Walk Down Memory Lane--With Seagulls as Security Guards!…read more There's something special about walking the Municipal Wharf in Santa Cruz, especially when you grew up fishing from this very wharf. For me, this wasn't just another tourist stop--it was a little trip down memory lane. Years ago, I even went scuba diving underneath the wharf. Looking back, I'm not sure what I was thinking! I definitely would not recommend that today. Between boat traffic, fishing lines, and the possibility of getting tangled up in something that you really don't want wrapped around you, it's probably better to enjoy the view from above the water! We had a wonderful time strolling the wharf, visiting the various shops, and talking with the shop owners. Everyone we encountered was kind, friendly, and happy to engage with us. It was also encouraging to see that some areas that used to be pretty dirty have been cleaned up. There's still room for improvement, but overall, it was a pleasant day and a fun way to experience the beach. One area that kept this from being a five-star experience was the ticket booth. The woman working there seemed much more interested in her conversation on her cell phone than in engaging with the people she was serving. A little hospitality goes a long way, especially in a place that welcomes visitors from all over. The Municipal Wharf also gives you a completely different perspective of the Santa Cruz coastline and the area toward the Boardwalk. You get beautiful views of the beach, the water, and all the activity along the shoreline. And then there are the seagulls. Consider them the unofficial security team of the wharf. If you're carrying food, keep your eyes open--and your sandwich even closer! These birds have absolutely no respect for personal property, personal space, or the concept of "I paid for this." All in all, the Municipal Wharf is worth a stroll, especially if you want to see Santa Cruz from a different angle and experience a little history along the way. For me, it was even better because I got to revisit a place connected to some great memories from growing up. Just remember: walk the wharf, enjoy the view, talk to the locals, and leave the scuba gear at home! #YelpElite #SantaCruz #MunicipalWharf #SantaCruzWharf #SantaCruzCalifornia #CaliforniaCoast #BeachDay #SantaCruzBoardwalk #OceanViews #LocalHistory #FamilyMemories #YelpReview #SeagullWatch #CaliforniaAdventures

I came here on a Thursday afternoon. First time here from the bay. Parking was easy to find, it's…read moresomewhat on street parking, and then there's a small little section near the beach for parking too. It is usually a paid parking, but I think this month of December for Christmas, one of the store staff told me that it was free this month. Because I was looking for the pay station and he said for Thanksgiving and Christmas, this month is free. That's super nice of the city to do that. I also saw that there was a banner in town that this month is free for parking. Also, very surprisingly it was a very warm day today. It was like 70° for December! I'm like freezing back at home in San Francisco with 55° at 10 AM. Beach was very empty. Maybe like two groups that went surfing. Definitely recommend coming here to see the village, I've still has its colors. I was told that it faded a little bit, but still beautiful to visit.

Quality/Quantity - Not 100% sure where the village starts and/or ends. But we enjoyed all of…read moreCapitola (Village). My wife and I walked our first day here, but then ran out of time as it quickly became happy hour, lol. I hit two breweries on the first day. On our 3rd day, we took our daughter. A much more leisurely walk, no happy hour today. Well not true, we will hit a HH when we get back home. See all my pictures here and posted on "City of Capitola." Atmosphere - On my 3rd day, I finally found a "brewery"/tap room; too bad I will not be drinking until we get home. Service - Depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Price - Depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Owner Comment - So much history. Congrats on your success from over 2000 years ago. See website for more information.

These people suck. I've got nothing but terrible things to say about parking. They have broken…read moremachines and then give you a ticket for when you leave the car for more than 5 minutes. Like evil hawks waiting for you to leave ur car. The city itself is beautiful and absolutely amazing but as for parking make sure your stall works otherwise you will get a ticket it.

I've read all these reviews and they seem like user error and those expecting to be handed the…read moreworld despite rules. That being said, I have messed up a couple of times and didn't put my permit up, and when I kindly asked them at the office each time if they could dismiss it they have always done so with a smile. Approach people with a bad attitude and you're going to get a defensive person. It's not their fault the city has those policies, so be nice and you may get somewhere with them! Every experience i have had here has been just fine, and I go 3-5x a year.

First - I wanted to update the cool way Santa Cruz came up with to help out the homeless and others…read morein need of community services. The RED " Parking Meters " along the sidewalks in the downtown shopping district. Just to CLARIFY they are not for paying your parking. They are on the walking part of the sidewalk. I thought this is so great! Not sure if these are in other parts of town. It's a terrific way to donate some of your spare change without wondering what the street person will do with the money! Second - Someone else's comment mentioned this shopping area now known as the Pacific Garden Mall was in place well before the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. So I researched the now defunct Santa Cruz Sentinel that wrote an article celebrating the Pacific Garden Mall's 40 year anniversary back in 2009. YIKES~ being a kid that grew up in Santa Cruz I didn't even know it existed until after I returned from the Air Force in the 70's ...but it is certainly a local and tourist magnet these days, guess it has been for quite some time. Go check it out. great shopping and restaurants only a short distance from the beach and boardwalk!

I've lived here all my life, the Pacific Garden Mall has never been good. From overpriced shops,…read morebuildings that have been abandoned and the homeless wandering around screaming. It's just not a good place. I can't even count the amount of times I've been in a position where I could easily get hit. Don't bother coming here after dark, or really don't bother coming down here at all. Nothing good comes out of the Pacific Garden Mall.

Cool happening food hall in downtown Santa Cruz!…read more I love visiting my alma mater city and seeing the new scene- variety of cuisines inhabited the area: handcrafted pizzas, burgers, Puerto Rican, vegan options, Indian food, etc. There's a lot of seating indoor and outdoor, a stage which had a live band performing and a ton of people were dancing and enjoying themselves. It was packed on the 4th of July holiday Friday but we were able to pull together a table with ad hoc chairs for our party of 8.. Fam got pizza, which came out relatively quickly and was pretty good. I went for Belly Goats burgers, which took close to an hour! Wait was pretty long but at least there was entertainment. Cowboy burger with bacon jam and smoked cheddar and garlic fries were tasty and I inhaled them. Good addition for the area but it definitely gets busy - make sure to ask for the wait time at Belly Burgers!

Quality/Quantity - We came across the street to Laili Restaurant for dinner, see other Yelp review,…read moreand discovered this event here today. So cool. A few (9) food and drink options, also a beer tap and full bar available. See pictures. Atmosphere - Decent size public market. I really liked the outdoor space, see pictures. Open 7 days a week from 8am to 10pm or 11pm. Also check individual businesses for their hours. Plenty of paid metered parking, or paid garage parking. Not sure if they validate parking... Pet friendly, since it has a huge outdoor seating area. Free wifi which I did not use. Many events, see website. The DJ was playing salsa music, see video. I love the fact that so many people participate and dance! Again, see the video. You can also rent for private events, see website. Service - Good. Counter service. Depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Well, you can sit at the full bar. Price - Reasonable. It also depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2017. Looking forward to our next visit.

Very nice lighthouse at Santa Cruz Harbor. We didn't know there's a lighthouse here, at the end of…read moreSeabright Beach which we were visiting and enjoying. Pros: - very pretty lighthouse, there's some hang out space around. - on the day we visited, there was a group birthday party, so apparently you can have smaller parties here? (Not sure if reservation required.) - beautiful scenery, just breathtaking. - breezy, but nice as long as somewhat sunny and not too cloudy/cold. Cons: - could get crowded around the lighthouse on the weekends. - a bit dirty with some litter from inconsiderate people. All in all, a really nice and cool area to hang out at for some chill time at the ocean. No place like being in nature with the vastness of the Pacific to remind us to not sweat the small things.

Lovely location in Santa Cruz - a bit off the tourist path which makes it special…read more We were in the area as we had booked a memorial cruise with extended family. There are plenty of parking spots ($2 per hour) and bathrooms are available. Beautiful little harbor, with a lot of good animal and bird watching (harbor seals, pelicans, cormorants, et cetera). Good restaurants and coffee shops as well, with excellent beach access. Will be back!