Back in the SF Bay Area after a whirlwind road trip to Southern California and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, we filled our time with trips to the beach town of Santa Cruz.
Sunrise surf check Santa Cruz, California
Located about 30 miles south of Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz is physically separated from the rest of the Bay Area by a string of redwood-covered mountains. Positioned on the northern tip of Monterey Bay, the town actually faces south. This positioning allows the town’s multiple surf breaks to directly pick up small south swells, and plenty of energy from big northwest swells also makes it through.
Angie making her way back along the base of the cliff after surfing at The Hook
The result is the best surf on California’s central coast. Despite the cold water, Santa Cruz is a surfers paradise. Famous breaks include The Hook, Pleasure Point, and Steamer Lane, and multiple lesser-known spots can also provide very good waves.
Board shopping
While the water is cold and there are occasional shark attacks, the main downside of the place is that it’s not a secret. It seems like nearly everyone who lives in town surfs, and the breaks are also filled with folks like us who drive over the mountains for the day. We fully admit to being part of the problem!
Our first sailboat was a Hobie 18 that we kept on this beach in Santa Cruz and sailed out on Monterey Bay
