How to Spend your Day in Santa Cruz
Lulu Carpenter’s Cafe
Found in a classic brick building built from the 1860s on the Santa Cruz main drag of Pacific Avenue, Lulu Carpenter’s coffee shop is the perfect place for a cup of coffee, a shot of espresso, or a cappuccino. A Bowl of Soul, their specialty milk infused hot tea drink, is a delicacy at Lulu’s and a definite must-have. If you happen to catch Santa Cruz on a rainy day, order an Earl Grey Bowl of Soul and enjoy it while sitting on the front patio and doing some people watching under the cover of the Lulu Carpenter’s sign.
Santa Cruz Farmers Market
Meet all the local farmers and businesses downtown Santa Cruz on any Wednesday afternoon of the year at the Farmers Market. The best way to experience the true agricultural community of SC is by stopping by and browsing the vendors on Cedar and Lincoln St. Your trip to the outdoor market isn’t complete until you’ve purchased a bushel of strawberries from Swanton Berry Farm or a sweet treat from the Santa Cruz Cookie Company.
West Cliff
Grab your friends, bike, and picnic basket and head on over to West Cliff, a local-favorite spot, for a stroll along the coast. Look to your left and you’ll see the statue dedicated to surfers of past, present, and future with a plaque that reads, “To Honor Surfing.” If you venture past the Surfer Statue, you’ll come across the historical brick lighthouse, now a Surfing Museum that showcases old surfboards and artifacts of Santa Cruz’s surfing history. The calming ocean breeze and gems found around town are enough to send you falling head over heels in love with the seaside city.
The Penny Ice Creamery
The Penny Ice Creamery is one-of-a-kind being the only ice cream shop in Santa Cruz with sustainably-made ice cream crafted from scratch. Penny’s is best known for their seasonal flavors including pumpkin pie, ginger pear, cranberry sorbet, pecan pie and their toasted marshmallow topping. After ordering a flavor of artisan ice cream, ask for the toasted marshmallow topping and your ice cream will be served with a thick, pillowy, golden mountain of fluff to enjoy.
