The Scenic Route – August 2026

    Pack the car on a Friday afternoon, point it south on 680, and by the time you’ve merged onto Highway 17 and started climbing into the Santa Cruz Mountains, you’ll feel the shift.
    The redwoods close in on either side, the road curves and dips, and then, just like that, the Pacific opens up below you. From Orinda, Santa Cruz is roughly two hours door-to-beach. It’s far enough to feel like a real escape, yet close enough to visit for a long weekend, or even a day.
    Santa Cruz is one of California’s most original beach towns. Surfers paddle out at Steamer Lane, street musicians play Pacific Avenue and tie-dye still appears in shop windows without a hint of irony. Santa Cruz has always known exactly what and who it is, and it has never been particularly interested in changing.

Start at West Cliff Drive
    Before you do anything else, walk West Cliff Drive. The paved path runs along the bluffs above the ocean, and on a clear morning it’s one of the best free things you can do in California. Watch the surfers and seabirds drop into the waves. Bring coffee, or grab a cup near the Boardwalk before you set out.

The Boardwalk
    The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been anchoring this stretch of coast for more than a century. The famed Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster built in 1924, still rattles along its white lattice track with genuine, old-school thrills. Arcade games blink with neon, carousel music floats through the salt air, and families line up for saltwater taffy at Marini’s Candies, a Boardwalk fixture since 1915. It’s unabashedly nostalgic.

Eat Like a Local
    For breakfast or brunch, check out The Midway. Chef-owner Katherine Stern started it as a farmers’ market pop-up and still sources almost exclusively from the market. The food is simple and local, with dishes like sour cream pancakes with rhubarb compote and carrot-coconut soup. For seafood, Hook & Line is a love letter to the California coast. The menu is shaped by local fishermen, farmers and artisans, with offerings that change to reflect what’s fresh and in season. And no visit is complete without a stop at Marianne’s Ice Cream, a true Santa Cruz institution beloved for its classic flavors and generous scoops.

Where to Stay
    Dream Inn sits directly on Cowell’s Beach and is the quintessential Santa Cruz surf hotel. Ocean blues, surfboard murals and 165 balconied rooms face the waves. The hotel occupies the site where wetsuit pioneer Jack O’Neill once ran his original surf shop, and that heritage is worn proudly. Onsite, Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge serves locally sourced California cooking. In the morning, grab a Verve coffee in the lobby before your walk.
    For a more polished stay, La Bahia Hotel & Spa is the region’s first real luxe hotel. It delivers Spanish-inspired architecture, a rooftop pool and a full-service spa just steps from the Boardwalk. High Tide, the hotel’s signature restaurant, leans on fresh seafood and local produce; the more casual Low Tide is where you’ll want to settle in over a Cat & Cloud coffee.

Bonus: Warriors’ Basketball
    From late fall through spring, you can catch NBA G League action at Kaiser Permanente Arena, home of the Santa Cruz Warriors, the affiliate of Golden State. Unlike a packed NBA venue, G League games put you within feet of elite prospects and future pros refining their craft in an atmosphere that feels more like a community gym. It’s one of the Bay Area’s best-kept sports secrets.

The Long Way Home
    One last tip: if you have time on the way home, take Highway 9 back instead of 17. It winds north through the redwoods past Felton and Boulder Creek. It’s a bit quieter and slower and worth every extra minute. You’ll arrive back in Orinda feeling like you’ve explored and covered real ground.