Ask a northern Californian what comes to their mind when they are asked to describe Santa Cruz in just one word. I bet it would be “surfing”. Well, with an extended coastline bursting with a big waves, the one-of-a-kind surfers museum, and even a surfers' monument all located on the long, stretched West Cliff promenade, it really clicks! Along with Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz is another surfer's Mecca.
I like to photograph these guys, but I am still kind of hesitant to catch the waves... So, saluting to the brave, I prefer a short dip into the calm waters of Natural Bridges Beach.
The Natural Bridge that gave the name to the beach and state park was, actually, part of a bigger formation, which was partially destroyed by the storms. Now, despite of its plural name we can enjoy the view of only one rock bridge.This beach is especially beautiful during sunset time.
There is a chance that during sunset you will see the folks sitting in a drumming circle and truly enjoying their time. It seems that being a university town, Santa Cruz hosts a lot of interesting personalities.
Another nice sandy beach with a fire rings and beautiful view on lighthouse is called Seabright beach. It is a long stretch of sand between Santa Cruz Boardwalk with its historic all-wooden roller coaster built in 1924 and Santa Cruz harbor.
Visiting Santa Cruz leaves a feeling of “vacationing forever”. Surfers in the ocean, drummers on the seashore, musicians and dancers on the Pacific avenue in downtown, seafood restaurants and gift shops on the pier... And of course, sea lions under the pier! A vacationer's package in one place.
Want to see a dance? Stop by a Kianti's pizza and pasta restaurant on Pacific ave. on Friday or Saturday at 7 p.m and 9 p.m. That's when all the waiters along with cooks give an enthusiastic rock'n'roll performance with pizza dough spinning. Wow! That's amazing! They even have their own five time world pizza spinning champion!
Not enough of Santa Cruz? Take a short drive or bike ride to the nearby village of Capitola. With its cute Mediterranean setting, cozy downtown and neat romantic beach it's truly worth visiting!
How to get there:
Santa Cruz is easily accessible from Bay Area: only 32 mi from San Jose by HWY 17 or 77 mi from San Francisco by scenic HWY 1.
Travel tips:
*It is useful to have some coins for metered street parking in downtown Santa Cruz or city beach and especially if you plan to visit Capitola. While most park meters are now equipped with card readers, there are still few old-fashioned ones.
*Beware of sneaking waves while on a beach! I would certainly recommend to bring some spare shoes and clothing for kids.
*If you park in Natural Bridges State Beach parking lot, there will be a day use entrance fee of $10. But you can park for free along the West Cliff drive or on Delaware ave at Natural Bridges Dr. behind the state beach fence and walk a short distance from there.
*A part of eucalyptus grove inside of Natural Bridges State Beach is a winter retreat for Monarch butterflies. Thousands of these colorful creatures can be seen on trees in Monarch Grove starting mid-October through mid-February. Visitor Center offers a small exhibition and educational films for free.
Photography tips:
*If you want to photograph sunsets from Natural Bridges beach, during winter it might look more interesting then in summer. Why? Due to the deep shape of the beach cove sun slides “into the ocean” only during winter months when days are shorter. As winter pass, the sunset point gradually moves to your right behind the high slope. And there are more pelican birds to see in winter.
*A polarizing filter comes very handy when photographing the water and sky.
*For catching surfer folks that are catching the waves, you must catch... No, I am just kidding! But for a surfer hunt bring the longest lens you have and thus avoid cropping the tiny silhouettes to make them visible.
