Attractions:
Beaches, and so much more...

Certainly the main draw to the Central Coast are the beaches, and we've some of the best in the world. We're just a short drive away from Sunset State Beach which Sunset Magazine recently described as "the best beach you've never been to". Head south on Highway 1 and visit beautiful stretches of coastline in Marina, Monterey and Pacific Grove. Take a drive along the world famous 17 Mile Drive through Pebble Beach. Want someplace a little more rugged and wild? Visit Point Lobos and continue on into the Big Sur. Prefer your piece of sand next to restaurants and some unique shops? Capitola's your destination.

What's more California and surfing? Don't forget - Santa Cruz is the "real surf city". Contact one of the many surf schools and take a lesson, you're "guaranteed" to stand up on your first lesson. Once you've mastered the "art of wave riding" you can rent wetsuits, surfboards and boogie boards at any of the local surf shops (and get that mandatory souvenir t-shirt).

Whatever you do, don't forget to set aside time to go whale watching. You'll see them here like no place else. If you want to discover what's under the ocean, you can get your fill of fish (and mammals) at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Let's get dried off and see what's to do on dry land. Go birdwatching at the Elkhorn Slough or the Watsonville Wetlands, hiking at Nisene Marks or Wilder Ranch. Maybe just take a brisk walk along West Cliff, check out the surfing at Steamer Lane and end up at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for a ride on the Giant Dipper. Up on two wheels? Join the road riders down Freedom Blvd. or mountain bike at the Demonstration Forest.

If you're looking for something a little more sedate, there's plenty of opportunities to help out the local economy by looking for treasures at the Flea Market, visiting the shops in downtown Santa Cruz, the art galleries in Carmel and the antique shops in Soquel.

Don't forget that the Santa Cruz Mountain area is world renowned for its vineyards and varietals. Contact us for information on the local wineries and let us be your designated driver for an afternoon tour of the area, especially the Corralitos Wine Trail.

Aside from the fun there's also an important historical side to our area, one that's uniquely California. Visit the missions in Carmel, Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista. Learn more about John Steinbeck who wrote about a California of long ago by visiting the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. Head out to Big Basin State Park, take along a picnic lunch and hike through the majestic redwoods.

We could go on and on about the places we live and love but you'll need to find those perfect places that will be yours forever. Here's some informative websites to help you plan your perfect Central Coast visit:

Santa Cruz County Visitors Bureau

Local Santa Cruz County newspaper

Local Santa Cruz entertainment

Monterey County Visitors Bureau

Local Monterey County newspaper

Local Monterey entertainment

Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association

Corralitos Wine Trail

National Steinbeck Center

Monterey Bay Aquarium