Santa Cruz

Downtown Santa Cruz, was badly damaged in the 1989 earthquake, but a newly revived Pacific Avenue exhibits all the laid-back charm the town is noted for, with outdoor cafés, a variety of shops and galleries, and numerous street performers. Years ago this busy seaside town, with its bustling boardwalk and amusement park bordering a broad stretch of white-sand beach, was a popular day trip for workers in San Francisco. The rides include a heart-stopping wooden roller coaster and a wonderful old-fashioned carousel. If you enjoy riding trains, you can take the old-fashioned diesel that departs from the boardwalk twice a day during the summer months for the 60-minute ride to Felton. Here you board an old steam train of the Roaring Camp Railroad, a train that winds up into a redwood forest. The train leaves several times a day from its main station in Felton (except on Christmas) along narrow-gauge tracks built to carry lumber out of the forest. The conductor tells stories of the old days as the train circles up through the trees, making a brief stop at the “cathedral,” a beautiful ring of redwoods that form a natural outdoor church, before heading back to the depot. It is possible to take a picnic with you, alight at the top, and take the next train back. Call for schedules and directions: 831-335-4400.