Winters in the Pacific Northwest are getting colder by the year, and though summer is the traditional time for vacations, the milder weather of Santa Cruz, California, makes it an attractive getaway for any season — though on this particular week, one should wait for the storms to abate and the floods to recede.
Santa Cruz is a popular tourist spot (to some locals' annoyance), and there are plenty of articles about what to see and do there. Most of them, however, aren't written by a born-and-raised Santa Cruzan. I don't pretend to know all the city's secrets, but I do know what left a lasting impression.
The Queer scene
Santa Cruz doesn't have a very cohesive LGBTQ scene, but that's not out of hostility. I considered myself straight when I lived there, but even now, I continue to get the sense that being Queer just isn't considered a "big deal" by the locals. That can be refreshing.
And besides, it's a small ecosystem, economically, and its property prices are some of the highest in the country, so its lack of dedicated Gay and Lesbian bars, for example, could be a matter of low demand and high cost.
Still, if you're looking for Queer spaces, you have some options. In downtown Santa Cruz, the Blue Lagoon nightclub on Pacific Avenue is often referred to as the city's closest thing to a Gay bar. It's a venue for comedy, punk bands, goth nights, and drag shows.
Down the street from that, the Catalyst Club hosts live music three days a week, and a block off Pacific, the two-story Red Room is popular with college students from the notoriously Queer-friendly UC Santa Cruz.
Speaking of which, there are few spaces more Queer than theater and the fine arts, and the UC puts on shows year-round. There are regular comedy shows and other performances at the Barn Theater at the base of campus. And if you want to experience the next generation of cutting-edge digital art, check out the events page of the Digital Arts and New Media Department. Some of the exhibitions there involve augmented and virtual reality technology.
It should be noted that another surge in COVID-19 cases would put a dent in any indoor gatherings, and as of this article's writing, the UC is keeping most exhibitions digital. Local theater troupe Shakespeare Santa Cruz has held a few of its performances outside for pandemic reasons, which could be a novel experience on its own.
Looking downtown again, the Museum of Art and History (MAH) is one of the most prominent galleries in the Santa Cruz arts scene, with a mix of local history and international works.
Historical hikes and outdoor excursions
It's hard to compete with the scenic trails of Washington state, but in Santa Cruz, Seattle hikers (and mountain bikers) should feel right at home. The woods around the UC have some lovely hikes, from short loops to longer treks that lead up into Henry Cowell State Park, where some astounding specimens of the iconic coastal redwood can be admired.
These trees are the tallest in the world, and may be some of the oldest living organisms. They inspired four activists in 2007 to live high up in a few of the trees' branches, in shifts, for over a year, when a UC development project threatened to topple them.
History hides in the shade of those ancient branches. Along the Pogonip Trail, named for the defunct clubhouse at its trailhead, lie abandoned lime kilns from the 1850s, overgrown with ferns and moss. Not far from Pogonip, the Spring Box Trail features two old concrete basins fed by Redwood Creek, one of which is occupied by colorful koi fish. Whatever trail you take, it's hard to go wrong. Just make sure to keep children close in case of mountain lions, and watch out for poison oak.
Other features around the UC include a renegade rock garden, where one can write thoughts or confessions to leave behind, and beautiful graffiti on metal tanks that once held fuel or water.
Adjacent to Henry Cowell State Park is Roaring Camp, a tourist area with old-timey shops and a slew of events, the most famous of which involve its trains. On weekends January through March, the hundred-year-old steam train carries visitors a little over three miles up Bear Mountain and back down again, with a tour guide for historical and ecological trivia.
Some of the more urban walks can be scenic as well. Westcliff Drive runs from the beachside Dream Inn all the way to Natural Bridges State Park, which itself isn't far from the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, an aquarium and science facility where you can touch real otter fur, handle some marine life (gently), and pet sleeping sharks.
Taquerias and other eats
If I were a more adventurous eater, I could make a whole spreadsheet of which taqueria has the best of each particular Mexican dish. For now, I'll just supply a few go-tos.
Vallarta has some of the best tacos al pastor (sliced pork shoulder) I've tasted, short of street tacos in Guanajuato. Los Pericos has fantastic portions for its prices, especially in the case of its "super burrito." And De la Hacienda's carnitas (shredded pork) is tough to beat.
If you're not feeling like Mexican food, try the family-owned Thai place Sabieng on Mission Street, or cross the parking lot to Golden City for some Chinese fare.
The West Side neighborhood has a few upscale places, like Bantam, which serves organic pizzas and Mediterranean food, and the West End Tap and Kitchen gastropub.