A Girlfriend Getaway to Santa Cruz
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view of the ocean from santa cruz arcade.. Photo by jeff nissen from unsplash
The air in Northern California feels like a soft kiss on the cheek. Not hot and drippy like the East, or steamy like the South. Just enough humidity to hydrate, and COMPLETELY unlike the dry, dry air in my home state of Colorado, where we bathe in lotion daily.
This sweet kiss of lovely weather kicked off my recent excursion to the East Bay area to visit my longtime friend of (ahem) years. We like to do overnight trips to places like the Wine Country, or the Monterey/Carmel area. This time we decided to venture to Santa Cruz for a change. Famed as the location of the 1987 vampire movie “The Lost Boys,” its got that funky beach town vibe, diverse population, and great tacos.
The Spa
This trip we were more interested in dusting off the stress of 2019, and some self care. So we found good deal at the Chaminade Resort and Spa, just inland from Santa Cruz, and nestled on a hill overlooking the Monterey Bay.
When we arrived, we immediately checked into the Spa for our “Antioxidant Wrap and Massage.” We wrapped in cozy robes, and drank tea in the Zen-like lounge while waiting for our massages.
My treatment began with a pumpkin body scrub, after which I was wrapped up like a burrito in warm towels and blankets. Topped off with a heavenly massage, I could barely ooze my jello-like state back to the room.
We were so relaxed, we lost interest in checking out the trendy dining scene in Santa Cruz. We opted for the hotel restaurant, which much to our delight, was on a beautiful patio overlooking the hills and on to the Bay. And just when I didn’t think the day could get any better, we discovered it was happy hour!
We dined on appetizers, wine, appetizers and more wine for hours. Then we topped it off with an entree, because, why not? All the food was delicious and the night was still young. We watched tiny sailboats racing in the harbor, as our server regaled us with stories of crewing the sailboat races in her youth. As the sun sank into the ocean, the patio came alive with table top fire pits and twinkly lights. So of course, we had to stay for dessert.
The Wharf
No trip to Santa Cruz is complete without visiting the boardwalk and wharf. We entered through the autumn graveyard of the famous Santa Cruz arcade. In October, kids had returned to school and parents to work. The games and rides now rested quietly, but still vibrated with echoes of summers past. It’s hard to imagine that this ocean front amusement park has been in operation since 1907.
A walk along the beach to the pier brought back my teenage memories of long days at the beach, driving home tired, sandy, and wet in my sister’s convertible MG. I’d forgotten how much I love California beaches where, unlike the East coast, the Ocean is not on the wrong side.
Seals serenaded our walk down the pier, barking from their shady hiding places under the pylons. The clear day highlighted the historic neighborhood to the North with its impeccably restored Victorian homes, ready to be the next location for a cozy mystery novel or a period movie.
We chose lunch at Stagnaro Bros., a family run fish market/restaurant that’s called the pier home since 1937. Founded by Italian immigrants, this place has amazing clam chowder and fish and chips, with coffee served old school in those thick diner style mugs. There are many restaurants to choose from, and lots of shops to satisfy your touristy itch for t-shirts and local crafts.
The Wine
Heading North on US 1, the Cabrillo Highway, I was surprised to see the coast lined with crops. Such precious real estate is usually reserved for wealthy homeowners. An easy to miss left turn on Bonny Doon Road took us up into the Santa Cruz Mountains where we discovered – wineries!
The Bonny Doon region, named after a poem by the Scottish poet, Robert Burns, began as a logging camp in the 1850s. The clearing of so many trees left open land, so someone had the brilliant idea to plant grapes! We visited Beauregard Vineyards tasting room, in a tiny old house on the side of the road.
Steeped in history, the building originally housed a general store for loggers, and later became the infamous 1950s pub called Lost Weekend. A beautiful garden and patio out back, sun shining through giant Redwoods, creates a beautiful setting for tastings. The wines weren’t bad either.
And so, with wine in trunk (and four boxes of Pumpkin Joe Joe’s from Trader Joe’s), we drove off into the sunset. A perfect ending to a perfect trip. Or maybe the perfect ending was drinking all the wine and eating all the cookies when we got home. They paired nicely with the Chardonnay.
