Santa Cruz Travel Guide 2011 - (Page 60)
Davenport Explore the beauty of the North Coast Northern Santa Cruz County’s rugged coastline overlooks windswept, solitary beaches. This unpolished terrain is a diamond-in-the-rough for the many visitors seeking a picturesque destination, where translucent waves crash against the rustic California ledge. After the Civil War, Captain John Davenport established his whaling business at Davenport Landing, the original center of this small coastal town. Today, visitors prefer to admire cherished sea life from an off-shore vantage point. Migrating gray and humpback whales pass by every year, while sea otters, dolphins, blue whales, porpoises, sea lions, and a variety of ocean birds can also be spotted. Nine miles north of Santa Cruz, Davenport’s coastline is carpeted with strawberry and artichoke fields and includes sweeping vistas of the Pacific Ocean. Perhaps the natural beauty of the area inspires Davenport’s artistic community. Lundberg Studios houses several talented glass blowers and artists who create vases, lamps and paperweights of colorful, iridescent glass. Purchase a Lundberg masterpiece in the gallery or browse the discounted “seconds.” The Davenport Jail, built in 1914, is now a museum, housing permanent exhibits of North Coast history and environment. The St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church is beautifully maintained and a popular subject for artists. At u-pick farms along the coastline, you can harvest your own strawberries, ollalieberries and kiwi fruit. The North Coast provides easy access to miles of trails and exposed beaches. As a result of a recent restoration project at Wilder Ranch State Park, wetland and riparian habitats thrive, attracting birds to what was once agricultural land. Thirty-four miles of trails offer hiking along the ocean bluffs or up grassy terraces, challenging mountain biking routes, and vast expanses of beaches. The park’s historic Meder farmhouse has been restored to its early 1900s grandeur with appropriate replica furnishings and interpretive supplies. At Rancho del Oso State Park, watch kiteboarders catch air off the waves at Waddell Beach, walk along a rare coastal freshwater marsh, or hike or ride inland along forested canyons. Between Wilder Ranch and Rancho del Oso, hidden sea arches and rock formations are nestled along the coast. Smaller, lesser-known sun spots like Hole in the Wall and Panther Beach — which rise out of nowhere when the fog lifts — are havens where surfers, whale watchers, swimmers, and sunbathers all share the sun and sand. Let Davenport’s natural beauty and fresh ocean air inspire you as you travel along the North Coast. Photo: Jim Patterson 60 perhaps the natural beauty oF the area inspires davenport’s artistic community 2 0 1 1 O f f i c i a l S a n ta c r u z c O u n t y t r aV e l e r ’ S G u i d e
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