| If you don't happen to have time to tour the entire | | | | of memorabilia and examples of different types of |
| state of California, we found a place that almost | | | | surfboards ' some so big and heavy that one |
| seems like a microcosm of the state. You have your | | | | wonders how the original surfers ever managed to |
| beaches, your surfers, you r Redwood forests and, | | | | get these things to and from the beach. |
| just an hour away, one of the state's largest and | | | | About a five-minute drive and we were back in |
| most cosmopolitan cities. | | | | downtown Santa Cruz. Just another few blocks out |
| Give up? Try Santa Cruz. Built along some of the | | | | to the beach and we had arrived at the famed Santa |
| Golden State's most scenic coastline, this city gives | | | | Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The roller coaster, thrill rides |
| you many of the state's famous attractions in one | | | | and buildings of the Boardwalk are an indelible part of |
| easy-to-drive area. | | | | the Santa Cruz skyline and visitors enjoy the |
| We were amazed, for example, when we topped | | | | nostalgia of visiting the West Coast's only seaside |
| off a morning of beach sightseeing with a little | | | | boardwalk. The 75-year-old roller coaster is said to be |
| seven-mile drive up to the sleepy town of Felton. | | | | just as thrilling as any of the newer ones, and that |
| Almost instantly we were taken from a bustling | | | | has been augmented by a host of other, more |
| beach town to a forest so thick you could hardly see | | | | modern rides. Of course there are the bumper cars, |
| through the trees. It's no wonder that the famed | | | | the carousel, the huge arcade and, uniquely, a broad |
| "Bigfoot" was spotted in the Redwoods not too far | | | | and beautiful beach where you can sun yourself and, |
| from here, and that today there is a Bigfoot Museum | | | | in summer, enjoy a dip in the ocean. |
| beckoning both the curious and the amused. | | | | The Boardwalk area is only one of the many beaches |
| Fifteen minutes later we were back in Santa Cruz, | | | | and coastal vantage points in the Santa Cruz area. |
| enjoying the sweeping coastal views and watching as | | | | Just south of Santa Cruz, there are some scenic |
| visitors and locals basked in the winter sun while | | | | state beaches near Capitola and at La Selva Beach. |
| enjoying lunch at one of the city's many outdoor | | | | You can carve out a few hours and take a scenic |
| cafes. Most likely their menu choices included lots of | | | | drive on north on the Coastal Highway wher eyou'll |
| fresh produce ' apples, berries, spinach, squash, | | | | find many more beaches including Waddell State |
| tomatoes, etc. ' as these and other fruits and | | | | Beach. An interesting non-beach excursion takes you |
| vegetables are all grown close to Santa Cruz. In fact, | | | | north from Santa Cruz on Highway 9 to the Roaring |
| there does seem to be a lot of attention paid in | | | | Camps Railroad where you can ride a historic steam |
| Santa Cruz to diet and exercise. It's hard to be | | | | train into the Redwoods. |
| unhealthy in a place where you can easily jog along | | | | Our own drive north on Highway 9 was short but |
| spectacular ocean cliffs or hike the trails of a | | | | productive. Not only did we get a look at Henry |
| half-dozen area state parks. | | | | Cowell State Park with its towering redwoods, |
| If we were so inclined ' and we weren't on this | | | | trickling streams and recreation trails, but we also had |
| particular trip ' it would be a reasonable day trip from | | | | a chance to stop by the small, inconspicuous wood |
| Santa Cruz into the San Francisco Bay area. And | | | | building that now houses the Bigfoot Museum. Most |
| that's why you'll want to allow plenty of time for | | | | days, proprietor Mike Rugg is watching the store all |
| your visit: there is something new every direction | | | | by himself and, no doubt, will be more than willing to |
| you turn. | | | | share with you his many Bigfoot stories -- as he did |
| If you have the opportunity, we'd suggest a | | | | with us. |
| midweek visit to Santa Cruz. That's what we did and, | | | | Understand that Mike has never actually seen a |
| while it's not exactly a ghost town during the work | | | | Bigfoot ' at least not that he can say with any |
| week, there do seem to be plenty of wide-open | | | | degree of certainty. But he became convinced about |
| spaces to explore with little or no concern about | | | | the creature's authenticity when he did a college term |
| traffic. Santa Cruz motels and inns had big empty | | | | paper on the subject. While the professor gave him |
| parking lots during this January visit, and we're told all | | | | only a "C" on the report and dismissed his research |
| of that changes on weekends. | | | | as having as much ' or little ' validity as a UFO |
| Our base of operations was the Hilton Scotts Valley, | | | | sighting, Rugg was undeterred. |
| a good choice for travelers who want their lodging a | | | | Bigfoot is supposed to be a creature perhaps eight |
| little ways away from the bustle of the beach. | | | | feet tall that resembles a gorilla and is said to roam |
| Scotts Valley is only a 10-minute drive to Santa Cruz, | | | | remote mountain regions of the Pacific Northwest, |
| so it's really not at all remote. Yet this particular hotel | | | | Northern California and other locations. While little |
| offers almost double-size luxury rooms with all of the | | | | scientific evidence supports the claim, there are |
| Hilton amenities and, we might add, some of the | | | | hundreds of sightings reported and one grainy home |
| most courteous and helpful hotel employees we have | | | | movie that Rugg is convinced is the real deal. The |
| encountered. | | | | Bigfoot Museum features a six-foot-high blowup of a |
| Driving into Santa Cruz, you first wind your way | | | | frame from that movie and Rugg has numerous |
| through the downtown area where it soon becomes | | | | footprint casts and other items on display to help |
| apparent that this is a beach city in every sense of | | | | convince you he's right. Since the museum opened in |
| the term. Like many other coastal cities, Santa Cruz | | | | July, visitors have added many more sightings to his |
| does attract down-to-earth non-conformists who, for | | | | wall-size pin map showing just where Bigfoot has |
| example, don't have any hesitation using hair colors | | | | been spotted. |
| that looked like they were chosen from a box of | | | | Whether it's hairy creatures in the mountains or |
| crayons. Think about your worst fashion nightmare | | | | colorful creatures downtown, Santa Cruz offers a |
| for your teenage kids, and that's what you | | | | surprising collection of curiosities and attractions that |
| sometimes see on the streets of Santa Cruz ' which, | | | | make it a unique destination ' a truly flavorful slice of |
| of course is part of the charm. You don't travel just | | | | California. |
| to see places exactly like home. | | | | AT A GLANCE |
| Out on West Cliff Drive, where the views from | | | | WHERE: Santa Cruz is on the California coastline |
| these coastal bluffs are painting-perfect, you | | | | between San Francisco and Monterey. |
| encounter the surf crowd. On any given day, dozens | | | | WHAT: A particularly scenic area that offers many |
| of free-spirited surfers are paddling out to ride some | | | | miles of scenic beaches, coast drives, state parks |
| of Northern California's most challenging waves. Long, | | | | and several access points to Redwood forests and |
| narrow concrete stairways give the surfers easy | | | | parks. The city itself offers the West Coast's only |
| access to the water not far from where the waves | | | | beachfront boardwalk. |
| break. On the bright, sunny day we visited, maybe | | | | WHEN: Year-round, as temperatures are typically |
| half of the pedestrians along West Cliff Drive were | | | | moderate. In winter, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk |
| carrying surfboards. | | | | is open only on weekends. From Memorial Day to |
| Indeed, this part of Santa Cruz is Surf Central. There | | | | Labor Day, it is open all week. |
| is even a small but informative Surfing Museum | | | | WHY: Santa Cruz offers many different getaway |
| where we enjoyed looking at exhibits that detail the | | | | experiences and visitor attractions in an area that is |
| decade-by-decade evolution of the sport. Housed in a | | | | easy to navigate. |
| former lighthouse, the Surfing Museum includes lots | | | | |