Santa Cruz, CA - A Day Trip

*Note :

On December 23, 2024, about 180 ft. of the southernmost end of the Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed into the ocean. It had been damaged in winter storms and was under construction when this occurred. While the wharf has since reopened, repairs are still underway on the affected portion, which remains closed to the public. The trip described in this post took place in April 2023, well before the collapse.

     

During my time in the Monterey Bay area I took a trip up the coast to Santa Cruz. The photo above is a view of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park (which I did not visit). The photo was taken from the Santa Cruz Wharf, the destination of my visit.

Driving on Beach Street

On the wharf

Woodie's Cafe was the place for lunch. Their theme is surf boards and old cars, offering good food and a scenic view. As an added bonus I came across some bargain t-shirts in the attached gift shop.

There are numerous restaurants to choose from and interesting shops to discover a special gift or just enjoy browsing.

Now for the stars of the day - the sea lions. The wharf has cut-out sections with railings and wire around them, where you can look down and spot sea lions lounging on the beams below. There were so many but my favorites were a mama and her baby. It was a treat to hear their chorus of barks echoing from below.

                                           

    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                  

                                                           

I am an animal lover so anytime I can see wildlife up close and in their natural habitat it is a thrilling experience.

In conclusion, this city on the northern end of the Monterey Bay is well worth a visit. 

           

                      

                                     

                                  

                                                         

                  

                 

               

Monterey Bay, California Part 2

Coastal Trail, Cannery Row, Old Fisherman's Wharf

In the first part of this series on Monterey Bay, the subject was the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I would like to add one more bit about the aquarium. I mentioned the sea otters that you can spot in the water of the bay from the outside deck. But there are also sea otters inside the aquarium. There is a show a few times a day where the caretakers play with the otters. It is fun to watch.

When you leave the aquarium, turn right and go a few blocks on the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail and you will come to the Harbor Seal Observation Area. There is a chain link fence and if you look down at the beach you will see many, many harbor seals lying there. It is quite a sight. As we stood there viewing them a man on a bike came by and asked if anyone had questions about the seals. They actually have a Facebook Page - The Harbor Seals of Pacific Grove. They are protected by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the City of Pacific Grove. They even have certain restrictions during pupping season. They are nocturnal creatures, sleeping on the beach during the day, making for excellent viewing opportunities. 

The coastal trail runs through Pacific Grove with some nice viewing areas and parks along the way. If you travel in the other direction from the aquarium, into Monterey, Cannery Row is along the coast and the trail actually is on the inland side of it until the end of Cannery Row. Then it is along the coast again. The trail is 18 miles long from Pacific Grove to Castroville but I did not explore the whole length. In fact I only walked through Pacific Grove and to the end of Cannery Row in Monterey. But you can't beat it if you like to be near the ocean.

  

     

If you want more than nature and the outdoors, Cannery Row has shops and restaurants. It can get very busy on weekends. It is a cool place to visit just because of it's history and location. It is on the to-do list if you visit Monterey.

Next up is Old Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey. There is a good choice of restaurants with some great seafood. There are also other shops and of course a great view. It is nice to go there for an afternoon to have a meal, walk the wharf and take in the sea breeze. Below is a photo of the delicious food we had on our visit there.

              

There is so much to see and do in this region of California. I only covered the main areas.

Next time we will venture into Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach on the Monterey Peninsula. 

View of Bay