Santa Cruz

someone forgot something…

If you know me, or anything about me, then posting about Santa Cruz obviously doesn’t count as “travel”.  I lived there for the better part of 10 years and know it inside and out.  As we returned to the small town we once called home, we painfully realized that we have outgrown it in the last year.  However, it is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and if you haven’t been, you should give it a visit!  Here are some photos from my most recent visit.  Enjoy!

Stop by the local bookshop for a good browse, and public bathrooms!

LuLu’s Coffee Shop

People watching on Pacific!

A walk on West Cliff is always amazing.

Unwelcome change: Segway Tours!

Paddle Boarders at work

Chicken Pesto Sandwich from Zoccoli’s Deli! Best Sandwiches in town!

There are tons of farmers markets in the areas.  The Wednesday one downtown has grown quite large!

Artichokes! 

Tomatoes!

 Oyster Shooters are fresh, salty and delicious!

this pretty much sums up Santa Cruz for me.  Visit someday, you’ll love it.  If you like the beach, hippies, the forest, fresh food and amazing views!

Places to eat/drink

• Zoccoli’s Deli

Delicious italian sandwiches hot and cold.  My favorites are chicken pesto, italian club, meatloaf, chicken parmesan, etc.  You get the idea.

• 515 Kitchen and Cocktails

Mostly cocktails.  Champagne cocktails, elderflower wine cocktails, mojitos, y mas!  The fries are also good.  I wouldn’t order the fish, as it always smells a little fishy which is never a good sign.

• Cafe Gratitude

A little over priced and condescending, but extremely filling guilt free vegan fare.  Dessert was to die for.

There’s plenty of other places to go but these are where I went on this trip that really stood out.  Anywhere with a patio and happy hour is a winner in my book!

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Hike/Run Henry Cowell State Park

If you need any more reason than the above photo to start hiking/running TODAY, I don’t know how to help you! I am making an effort to stay active on our week long vacay, so I wanted to go on a run this a.m. I’m so happy my  boyfriend wanted to go on a run with me.   I was going to drive all the way into Santa Cruz, but he informed me that there was a fairly flat hiking trail only 5 minutes away that we could run!

Running on the trails is way different from running on asphalt or even sand.  It’s hard in some spots, and super silty in others.  There are rocks and tree roots hiding under the path waiting to grab your ankle and twist it!  But it is a really great way to challenge yourself.  Sure, we walked quite a bit.  But it was a great work out and we felt awesome jogging through the shady forest, next to a calm beautiful creek.  Way better than the crowded beach run I had planned!

Running with someone else is a challenge in itself.  Especially when that someone likes to run circles around you, leap and bound like a gazelle, and generally show off at how much better at running he is than you.  It’s very motivating to try and keep up!    When I was running, I ran much faster than I usually do.  When I wanted to turn around, we kept going.  When I wanted to walk the rest of the way, I had to keep running so I wouldn’t get left in the dust!

If you want to run/walk at Henry Cowell State Park, off the Hwy 9 in Santa Cruz, you can park outside of the entrance for free.  Walk in and go right on the first trail after the bridge.  You can stay on the trail next to the creek or go on the asphalt that runs alongside.  Even today on a really nice Sunday, it wasn’t too crowded!  Highly suggest it!  There are other great hikes in Santa Cruz but this one is easy to get to, easy to find, and fairly flat for the first few miles (a plus in my beginner runner’s book).