Santa Cruz Travel Guide 2009 - (Page 13) Our beaches are just the beginning inside the park. Nearby, Natural Bridges State Beach is an ideal place for tidepool explora- tion. Bring your binoculars for seasonal visits to Natural Bridges State Park, California’s only state park butterfly preserve. Each fall marks the return of thousands of monarch butterflies that spend their winters in a protected grove Between Natural Bridges State Beach and the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, a two and a half mile scenic path overlooking the bay skirts along West Cliff Drive. The path is popular for jogging, bike rides and romantic strolls. Along the route, you’ll find the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum housed inside the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse. And be sure not to miss the surfer statue, dedicated to surfers everywhere. Just off the point from the lighthouse, fearless surfers ride the waves at Santa Cruz’s legendary surf spot, Steamer Lane. Nearby, novice surfers test their mettle at Cowell Beach. Down from the point, the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf stretches out a halfmile into the waters of the Monterey Bay. Lining the wharf are family-owned fish markets, seafood restaurants, a wine tasting room with a lounge and gift boutiques. Hop aboard a boat for a sightseeing excursion around the bay, or watch sea lions lazing in the sun at the end of the wharf. The wharf is home to a number of events throughout the year including Woodies on the Wharf and Jazz on the Wharf. Set along Santa Cruz’s Main Beach, adjacent to the wharf, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is alive with year-round excitement. Already Northern California’s favorite amusement park, the century-old Boardwalk was recently named “Best Seaside Amusement Park,” in the world by amusement industry experts. The Giant Dipper, the park’s centerpiece, is a vintage wooden roller coaster that has thrilled visitors for 85 years. Seventy-three hand-carved horses prance proudly to the music from two beautiful antiques, the park’s original 342-pipe Ruth band organ and a showy Wurlitzer 165 band organ, at the famous Looff Carousel, built in 1911. All this excitement sits on the edge of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of 14 federally protected National Marine Sanctuaries in the country. The sanctuary is a huge source of pride for Santa Cruz County residents. Chartered sailing and whale watching tours from Santa Cruz Harbor allow you to catch sight of abundant marine life. Kayak rentals are also available at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and at the harbor. Each December, the harbor waters are illuminated with festive watercraft during the Lighted Boat Parade, a wonderful way to usher in the holidays, Santa Cruz style. Public art also adorns the Harbor, including a human sundial and an artistic rendition of a “shipwreck.” Santa Cruz’s standing as the mainland’s birthplace of surfing, combined with its natural beauty, arts, energetic nightlife, and magnificent beaches have lured visitors throughout the years. Discover for yourself the diversity of this wondrous beach town. 13 “ …this California beach town makes the perfect getaway for the young, the restless and the politically relaxed.” Seattle timeS, July 20, 2008 Photo: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk www. s a n t a cr u z co u n ty. t r a v e l http://www.santacruzcounty.travel
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