SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Santa Cruz County offers the classic California vacation. With a combination of 29 miles of coastline, ancient redwood forests, and a unique combination of hidden gems and off-the-beaten path experiences, visitors can explore a wealth of new options to enhance their vacation in this unique seaside town. 

Here are some new things to check out this season in Santa Cruz, California: 

Single-Varietal Cider House Debuts in Co-Share Space  

On Santa Cruz's westside, in a spirited courtyard housing a coffee shop, boutiques, a bespoke butcher shop, and a few local favorite spots to nosh, a new spot for hard cider has opened in a shared space with Sones Cellars, a local, family-owned winery producing small lots of fine quality, distinctive wines. While single-variety wines are common, Tanuki Cider produces a single-varietal cider made from local apples. 

Tanuki's dry farmhouse ciders are grown, pressed, fermented and bottled in Santa Cruz County and made from Newtown pippins sourced at Five Mile Orchards in the mid-county town of Corralitos. Cider-maker Robby Honda has been crafting this unique brew for a decade, resulting in a cider that is bubbly, light amber in color, medium body with a dry finish.  

Seymour Marine Discovery Center Debuts Landlocked Blue Whale Using Techology  

While a massive Blue Whale skeleton exhibit is being restored, augmented reality (AR) is providing visitors to Santa Cruz's Seymour Marine Discovery Center with a lifelike view of this graceful creature. Employing the latest technology, visual effects studio Halon Entertainment used laser technology to create a three-dimensional scan of Ms. Blue's skeleton and then created a digital 3-D model of the skeleton and body, seen in the AR experience. Halon Entertainment created computer graphics for films such as “Avatar,” “Jurassic World” and several in the Star Wars series. 

By downloading an app and scanning a symbol posted near the skeleton, the whale comes to life on screen, as a three-dimensional representation of Ms. Blue's full body appears just as it would have been when she was alive, as well as her skeleton. This technology-driven exhibit takes the places of the actual skeleton as the bones are being refurbished.  

The 87-foot-long skeleton has greeted visitors for a quarter century at the entrance of the museum. Nicknamed “Ms. Blue,” the 87-foot-long-skeleton washed ashore on Pescadero State Beach an hour north of Santa Cruz in 1979. The bones were preserved, then cleaned, refurbished, reassembled and mounted outside the aquatic museum. Ms. Blue soon became the center's mascot, providing a preview to those entering the marine lab of its exhibits: displays of sharks, sea stars, anemones, hermit crabs and other creatures that call the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary which the center over looks, home. 

New Mural Graces the Mountain Town of Boulder Creek  

While Santa Cruz County has an abundance of public murals featuring everything from sea life in honor of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to crate label murals paying tribute to the agricultural region of south county, a unique piece has become a cornerstone of Boulder Creek in the San Lorenzo Valley. Home to old-growth coastal redwood trees, this mountain town has an unofficial mascot: Albert the white peacock.  

At over 1,000 feet, the mural covers the side of a prominent building on Highway 9 through town, Albert is featured standing prominently among redwood trees bathed in sunlight. Albert became a symbol of Boulder Creek and resiliency, in particular following the CZU Fire in August 2020 when the San Lorenzo Valley was decimated by the destructive blaze. This albino peacock lived in a quiet residential neighborhood where locals kept an eye on his welfare as he made his way around the streets for what locals estimate was three decades. 

Kitchen Corner Opens in Felton  

Felton-based Chef Jessica Yarr from The Grove Cafe and Bakery has opened a new retail shop adjacent to her popular eatery on Highway 9 in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Featuring new and vintage Pyrex dishware, ravioli presses, and cooking tools hand selected by Chef Yarr, Kitchen Corner has the charm of a private home while maintaining a cozy retail vibe.  

This boutique culinary store features dishware used at The Grove as well as knives, cutting boards made from food grade recycled plastic, cookbooks and other kitchen tools hand selected by Chef Yarr. Perfect for both novice and serious cooks, The Kitchen Corner also offers cooking and baking classes. 

 Historic Santa Cruz Hostel Completes Renovations  

Following a $750,000 renovation, the historic Santa Cruz Hostel on Beach Hill is ready to welcome seasonal visitors. The hostel is located two blocks from Santa Cruz's Main Beach and four blocks from downtown and is comprised of a series of cottages dating back to the 1800s and a heritage rose garden.  

The complex includes six principal structures – the Carmelita Cottages - which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The two front cottages, constructed circa 1872, are among the oldest surviving buildings on Beach Hill. The grounds sit on more than a half-acre and the board and bat cottages feature gables and stained-glass windows, surrounded by trees and flowers. The renovations took six months to complete and include restoration of the rose garden, the addition of the new ADA-accessible Cyclery Cottage and an expansion which enables the hostel to host up to 51 guests in dorms, private rooms and private cottages. A small onsite museum is dedicated to the history of the Carmelita Cottages. 

The property is technically a public park, and the hostel hosts potluck dinners inviting the community to dine with guests every Wednesday night. 

For more information, contact Visit Santa Cruz County at +1.831.425.1234 or visit Santacruz.org  

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Getting There:    

Located along the Central Coast, Santa Cruz County, California, is approximately 70 miles/113 km south of San Francisco and 349 miles/562 km from Los Angeles. Many visitors choose to take scenic Highway 1 along the California coastline to Santa Cruz or Highway 17 through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Visitors can also choose to fly into San Francisco International Airport or San Jose Mineta International Airport.    

Press Contact:   

Christina Glynn, Director of Communications   

Visit Santa Cruz County    

Phone:  +1.831.429.7281 ext. 111

Email:  cglynn@santacruz.org.   

Mail:  303 Water Street, #100, Santa Cruz, CA  95060   

About VSCC: A private, non-profit corporation, Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC) exists to enhance tourism and the economy by positioning Santa Cruz County as a visitor, conference, and film destination. For more information, contact VSCC at +1.831.425.1234 or visit VSCC's website at SantaCruz.org.