Shannon’s guidebook

Shannon
Shannon’s guidebook

Food scene

Here are some of our favorite places to dine and enjoy the community.
Great food and cocktails
70 locals recommend
Oswald Restaurant
121 Soquel Ave
70 locals recommend
Great food and cocktails
Amazing happy hour with $1.50 oysters and cocktails. Higher end steak house with great ambience. This is one of our favorite happy hour places. Make reservations.
11 locals recommend
Alderwood Santa Cruz
155 Walnut Ave
11 locals recommend
Amazing happy hour with $1.50 oysters and cocktails. Higher end steak house with great ambience. This is one of our favorite happy hour places. Make reservations.
Good food & cocktails.
59 locals recommend
Süda
3910 Portola Dr
59 locals recommend
Good food & cocktails.
Amazing breakfast - be prepared to wait or get there early.
102 locals recommend
Harbor Café
535 7th Ave
102 locals recommend
Amazing breakfast - be prepared to wait or get there early.
Great local farmer's market every Sunday from 9:00am to 1:00pm. The crepe's are amazing! You can walk from our house.
29 locals recommend
Live Oak Farmer's Market
21400 E Cliff Dr
29 locals recommend
Great local farmer's market every Sunday from 9:00am to 1:00pm. The crepe's are amazing! You can walk from our house.
Amazing local bakery. They are also at the Live Oak Farmer's Market on Sundays, which you can walk to from the house.
64 locals recommend
Companion Bakeshop Westside Santa Cruz
2341 Mission St
64 locals recommend
Amazing local bakery. They are also at the Live Oak Farmer's Market on Sundays, which you can walk to from the house.
Great pizza and small bites.
94 locals recommend
Bantam
1010 Fair Ave
94 locals recommend
Great pizza and small bites.
Great wine bar and food.
55 locals recommend
Soif
105 Walnut Ave
55 locals recommend
Great wine bar and food.
Great Italian food
62 locals recommend
La Posta
538 Seabright Ave
62 locals recommend
Great Italian food
Great Italian food.
125 locals recommend
Lillian's Italian Kitchen
1148 Soquel Ave
125 locals recommend
Great Italian food.
This is awesome little market just up the street from us. They have misc. beach supplies, food, some prepared foods, Marianne's ice cream, and shakes.
8 locals recommend
Black Point Market
21400 E Cliff Dr
8 locals recommend
This is awesome little market just up the street from us. They have misc. beach supplies, food, some prepared foods, Marianne's ice cream, and shakes.
Great coffee shop!
220 locals recommend
Verve Coffee Roasters
816 41st Ave
220 locals recommend
Great coffee shop!
yet another great coffee shop!
71 locals recommend
Cat & Cloud Coffee
3600 Portola Dr
71 locals recommend
yet another great coffee shop!
And yet another great coffee shop close to our house!
44 locals recommend
Coffeetopia
3701 Portola Dr
44 locals recommend
And yet another great coffee shop close to our house!
Great casual Mediterranean food - walk up and order. This is our go to place to eat after a long day at the beach. Giros, hamburgers, kids menu. Great for the whole family.
19 locals recommend
Zameen At The Point
851 41st Ave
19 locals recommend
Great casual Mediterranean food - walk up and order. This is our go to place to eat after a long day at the beach. Giros, hamburgers, kids menu. Great for the whole family.
Amazingly crafted ice cream with unique flavors. Try the marshmello topping!
45 locals recommend
The Penny Ice Creamery Pleasure Point
820 41st Ave
45 locals recommend
Amazingly crafted ice cream with unique flavors. Try the marshmello topping!
Yummy noodle house. A great go to place for warm noodle soup! The pork bone broth is amazing. They also have Sushi.
11 locals recommend
KAITO
11 locals recommend
Yummy noodle house. A great go to place for warm noodle soup! The pork bone broth is amazing. They also have Sushi.
Great food, beer and wine. Great hamburgers, bao buns. The salads are amazing (and huge!).
32 locals recommend
East End Gastropub
1501 41st Ave
32 locals recommend
Great food, beer and wine. Great hamburgers, bao buns. The salads are amazing (and huge!).
Great ambiance, beer, pizzas and wine.
125 locals recommend
West End Tap and Kitchen
334 Ingalls St
125 locals recommend
Great ambiance, beer, pizzas and wine.
Ocean front restaurant next the Harbor. Great location. The upstairs is the bar with bar eats and the downstairs full dining.
276 locals recommend
Crow's Nest Restaurant
2218 E Cliff Dr
276 locals recommend
Ocean front restaurant next the Harbor. Great location. The upstairs is the bar with bar eats and the downstairs full dining.
Fun local bar.
12 locals recommend
Brady's Yacht Club
413 Seabright Ave
12 locals recommend
Fun local bar.
Amazing indoor-outdoor market area with a variety of food and beverage vendors. Check website for entertainment schedule. Right next door to the MAH.
32 locals recommend
Abbott Square
118 Cooper St
32 locals recommend
Amazing indoor-outdoor market area with a variety of food and beverage vendors. Check website for entertainment schedule. Right next door to the MAH.
Amazing craft beer! Award winning. They have a cult following.
15 locals recommend
Sante Adairius Santa Cruz Portal
1315 Water St
15 locals recommend
Amazing craft beer! Award winning. They have a cult following.
Known as Nubo. Amazing beer - great for the whole family.
42 locals recommend
New Bohemia Brewing Co.
1030 41st Ave
42 locals recommend
Known as Nubo. Amazing beer - great for the whole family.
Our favorite BBQ place. Amazing brisket!
95 locals recommend
Aptos St. BBQ
8059 Aptos St
95 locals recommend
Our favorite BBQ place. Amazing brisket!

Sightseeing & Activities

Hiking, visiting the redwoods
335 locals recommend
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
101 N Big Trees Park Rd
335 locals recommend
Hiking, visiting the redwoods
Great hiking along the river - beautiful Lime Kilns approx. 2 mile hike up.
36 locals recommend
Fall Creek Unit Trailhead
Felton Empire Road
36 locals recommend
Great hiking along the river - beautiful Lime Kilns approx. 2 mile hike up.
Great local museum. Check their calendar for events.
133 locals recommend
Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
705 Front St
133 locals recommend
Great local museum. Check their calendar for events.
Great hot tubs, massages and saunas.
26 locals recommend
Well Within Spa
417 Cedar St
26 locals recommend
Great hot tubs, massages and saunas.
Amazing entertainment for the whole family. Rides, concerts, food stands.
745 locals recommend
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park
400 Beach St
745 locals recommend
Amazing entertainment for the whole family. Rides, concerts, food stands.
Downtown Santa Cruz Info Kiosk
1130 Pacific Ave
28 locals recommend
Great aquarium!
668 locals recommend
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
668 locals recommend
Great aquarium!
Joseph M. Long Marine Laboratory
115 McAllister Way
10 locals recommend
Colligan Theater at the Tannery Arts Center
1010 River St
52 locals recommend
Rio Theatre
1205 Soquel Ave
52 locals recommend
354 locals recommend
Carmel by the sea
San Antonio Avenue
354 locals recommend
208 locals recommend
The Mystery Spot
465 Mystery Spot Rd
208 locals recommend
219 locals recommend
Wilder Ranch State Park
1401 Coast Rd
219 locals recommend

Beaches

Great Beach for Boogie Boarding, local restaurants, and coffee shop.
65 locals recommend
Twin Lakes Beach
995 Live Oak Avenue
65 locals recommend
Great Beach for Boogie Boarding, local restaurants, and coffee shop.
This is the beach across the street from our house. Great for boogie boarding and sandy beach walks
Santa Maria Beach
This is the beach across the street from our house. Great for boogie boarding and sandy beach walks
Great beginning Surf spot, close to the Boardwalk and Wharf
40 locals recommend
Cowell Beach
Front St
40 locals recommend
Great beginning Surf spot, close to the Boardwalk and Wharf
This is a beautiful little cove just a couple blocks away. On lower tides you can walk from our beach to Sunny Cove along the bluff. There are some great tide pools along the walk.
33 locals recommend
Sunny Cove
33 locals recommend
This is a beautiful little cove just a couple blocks away. On lower tides you can walk from our beach to Sunny Cove along the bluff. There are some great tide pools along the walk.
Beautiful nearby beach that is great for boogie boarding and swimming.
15 locals recommend
Blacks Beach
180 14th Ave
15 locals recommend
Beautiful nearby beach that is great for boogie boarding and swimming.
261 locals recommend
Natural Bridges State Beach
2531 W Cliff Dr
261 locals recommend
World class surf spot
81 locals recommend
Steamer Lane
700 W Cliff Dr
81 locals recommend
World class surf spot

Essentials

Here are a few close by grocery stores and drug stores for the essentials. I've even included some liquor stores...
Grocery Store for the Health Minded.
248 locals recommend
New Leaf Community Markets
1101 Fair Ave
248 locals recommend
Grocery Store for the Health Minded.
Grocery Store
157 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
911 Soquel Ave
157 locals recommend
Grocery Store
In case you need a drug store
18 locals recommend
Rite Aid
80 Rancho Del Mar
18 locals recommend
In case you need a drug store
Drug store close by....
17 locals recommend
CVS
1750 41st Ave
17 locals recommend
Drug store close by....
Groceries and essentials
82 locals recommend
Safeway
2720 41st Ave
82 locals recommend
Groceries and essentials
This is a great local place to find excellent wines, beers, ciders, and alcohol.
Pleasure Point Wine & Spirits
3750 Portola Dr
This is a great local place to find excellent wines, beers, ciders, and alcohol.

Shopping

Amazing shoes, belts and bags in downtown Santa Cruz.
Shoe Fetish
1360 Pacific Ave
Amazing shoes, belts and bags in downtown Santa Cruz.

Night Life

Great place to see live music.
83 locals recommend
Moe's Alley
1535 Commercial Way
83 locals recommend
Great place to see live music.
Great spot for live music.
81 locals recommend
The Catalyst
1011 Pacific Ave
81 locals recommend
Great spot for live music.
A place to see amazing musicians in a cozy venue.
52 locals recommend
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
320-2 Cedar St
52 locals recommend
A place to see amazing musicians in a cozy venue.