Water meets land. Ahh. Dreamy. No wonder the vibe in Santa Cruz is so laid-back. Surfing is a local passion. Here, boarders greet the day. (Sarah Cross / Los Angeles Times)
The Penny Ice Creamery on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz serves sweet delights such as cold and hot ice cream floats. (Sarah Cross / Los Angeles Times)
Mailboxes congregate on a beachfront street lined with bungalows and cottages. (Sarah Cross / Los Angeles Times)
The George Washington Picnic Area offers the prospect of dining under the redwoods. Its Forty Thieves site, newly renovated, is used here by the Billar family. Nearby is the popular Mystery Spot, which claims to be the site of a “gravitational anomaly” that toys with eyes and minds. (Sarah Cross / Los Angeles Times)
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A surfer vibe is always on the menu at Santa Cruz hangout Paula’s restaurant. Breakfast is particularly popular. (Sarah Cross / Los Angeles Times)
A favorite seat at Paula’s is the one created inside an old surf van. Amber Morris and daughter Ediza, 5, await their breakfast there. (Sarah Cross / Los Angeles Times)
So, yes, this is Santa Cruz, not Honolulu. Still, the Hawaiian feel of Hula’s Island Grill and Tiki Room doesn’t seem at all out of place. (Sarah Cross / Los Angeles Times)
The menu at Hula’s Island Grill & Tiki Room includes spicy tofu tacos and tofu-stuffed Vietnamese spring rolls. (Sarah Cross / Los Angeles Times)
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Beachy bungalows remain plentiful in Santa Cruz. As an alternative to hotels, a traveler might check out Airbnb, an online vacation rental service, for accommodations such as this one. (Sarah Cross / Los Angeles Times)
