Santa Cruz is full of amazing restaurants offering countless types of cuisine and all dining atmospheres from drive-thrus to cafes, to fine dining establishments with dress codes. If you are a fan of Mexican food and are relocating or have just moved to Santa Cruz you may be wondering where Santa Cruz's best Mexican restaurants are. While the true best Mexican restaurant is all subject to personal preference, we can help steer you toward the most popular Mexican restaurants to help you find your favorite.
Santa Cruz's Most Popular Mexican Restaurants
Taqueria Los Pericos
This just might be THE most popular Mexican restaurant in Santa Cruz. Located in downtown Santa Cruz just steps from the Santa Cruz Riverwalk. This is a top-rated Santa Cruz restaurant by tourists, but also by locals. When it is beloved by locals who come over and over again, you know it's good. The venue is smaller but features some great authentic Mexican favorites.
Taqueria Los Pericos is popular and the limited space can make it feel a bit overcrowded at times. If you are not a fan of crowds grabbing some food to go is well worth the maze of people, trust me. The favorite entrees here include the breakfast burritos, chips and salsa, Fish Tacos, and Camarones al Mojo de Ajo.
Taqueria Santa Cruz
If you are looking for Mexican food favorites that give a comfort food vibe this is the place to go. ...
West Cliff Drive is one of the most popular roads in Santa Cruz County. Over the last year, the city has been gathering feedback about plans for the road from people living in Santa Cruz. The city has just released a new potential plan for West Cliff Drive.
About Santa Cruz's West Cliff Drive
West Cliff Drive spans 3 miles along the Pacific Ocean coast in Santa Cruz providing the most amazing views of Monterey Bay. The road begins at Santa Cruz municipal wharf and takes travelers past the Santa Cruz Dream Inn, West Cliff Inn, Sea and Sand, the Seaway Inn, and into a residential neighborhood. West Cliff is popular with a mix of bikers, runners, people walking their dogs, surfers headed to Steamer Lane, tourists, and motor vehicle drivers. It is the most beautiful drive in Santa Cruz. It is a popular spot to snap a selfie and take in the views of the wharf and the Boardwalk below. You can also watch the surfers at Cowell Beach.
Some popular spots for walkers that utilize the trail along the side of West Cliff include the lighthouse point grassy area and the surfer statue near Steamer Lane. Steamer Lane is a world-renowned surf break and an amazing spot to watch the most talented surfers in the area. The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum is also within walking distance of the Mark Abbet Memorial Lighthouse and shares information about how surfing came to Santa Cruz by way of Hawaiian royalty. Santa Cruz is recognized as the birthplace of surfing in California. Mitchell's Cove and Offleash dog area is popular with locals it is also a great place to spectate whales and dolphins....
Santa Cruz is a premier destination in California. It draws several tourists every year for its location on Monterey Bay and its amazing temperate weather all year long. Santa Cruz is also a very popular city in California to move. For this reason, many people considering moving to Santa Cruz California, and one of the most asked questions in search engines is if Santa Cruz is a nice place to live. So let's answer this question.
Is Santa Cruz nice to live in?
According to the website niche.com Santa Cruz is regarded as one of the best places to live in the state of California. Let's take a look into all of the major pros and cons of living in Santa Cruz so that you can form your own opinion about one of our favorite places to live in California.
Pros of living in Santa Cruz
The Weather
The City of Santa Cruz has 250 days of sunshine per year on average, there could be more or less. The average amount of sunny days for the state of California is just 46 making this one of California's rays of sunshine. There is great weather all year in Santa Cruz. The temperature can drop to around 40° in fall but it is never too cold to enjoy the outdoors here. Being able to enjoy the outdoors earlier is one of the biggest perks of Santa Cruz.
The Landscape
Speaking of enjoying the outdoors there are several ways to enjoy the outdoors in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has it all when it comes to enjoying nature. There are mountains, there are towering forests, and then of course there...
Santa Cruz is one of the most special places to live on the coast of California. There's just so much that is unique and special about Santa Cruz and one of the most unique things is celebrating the holidays. If you have just moved to Santa Cruz or are considering a move you may be wondering how to celebrate upcoming holidays in the area. If you are lost as to where to go for Saint Patrick's Day in Santa Cruz let us share with you some upcoming St. Patrick's Day events in the area.
St. Patrick's Day Celebrations in Santa Cruz
If you love camping you can celebrate this fun holiday weekend at the KOA campground in Watsonville. Get out all of your green things and all of your camping gear. The campsite hosts a family costume contest, a fun run, shamrock tie-dye crafting, beers and bratz, a bike parade, train rides, and much more. It is a very fun family celebration that begins on March 15 and lasts the entire Saint Patrick's weekend through Saint Patrick's Day on March 17.
Search for gold through Santa Cruz on March 16 beginning at 1 PM. This is another bar crawl event put on by pubcrawls.com. Check-in is from 1 to 4 PM and you will need to purchase a ticket to receive a wristband as your magical pass for a day of fun surprises. Enjoy a collection of...
If you are new to Santa Cruz or are considering a move to the Santa Cruz area you are probably looking to learn more about Santa Cruz to help you settle in and feel at home. Once you find what you love to do in Santa Cruz we believe you will quickly fall in love with the area and begin to make it your home. If you love the performing arts let us help you get acquainted with the many different opportunities to catch a live performance in Santa Cruz County.
Performing Arts Venues in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz
Barn Theater at UC Santa Cruz
The first theater on the campus of the University of California Santa Cruz. The theater was once an actual working barn located on the Cowell Ranch in 1968. It is a 140-seat theater. Today it is a home stage for the student-run Barnstorm Production Company. Find out more about upcoming performances on the Barnstorm Theater Company website.
Kuumba Jazz Center in Downtown
If you are a fan of live jazz music you need to check out the Kuumba Jazz Center. It has been a hub of live music in Santa Cruz since 1975. The venue holds over 130 concerts a year. They also offer educational opportunities to learn jazz skills. Check out the performance lineup on their website.
Rio Theater in Midtown
Rio started as a premier venue to watch movies. Today it is a venue that offers a mix of performing...
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is the most recognized landmark in the city of Santa Cruz California. With time those who live here may consider it only a spot to keep tourists happy but several local people love a good stroll around the boardwalk on any day to take in the views of the ocean and people watch. It might be a place that tourists are drawn to but it is also home to substantial Santa Cruz history and nostalgic culture that Santa Cruz brings to the world.
If you are just moving to Santa Cruz you are probably excited to check out the boardwalk and might be interested in learning a little bit about what there is to do there. You may decide you want to visit it on an afternoon with your family and might like some insider tips on the best food to fuel your crowd as you soak up the sunshine, salt air, and classic nostalgic Santa Cruz scenery. It can be tough when you have your family in tow or even if you are just overly hungry yourself to go wandering down the boardwalk aimlessly looking for something at amusement park prices that won't be disappointing to eat. So here's a guide to help you out and choose some of the best dishes that won't disappoint when you visit the boardwalk.
Santa Cruz Boardwalk's best food
The Açai Bowls and Crepes at Crouzon Crepes
If you are looking for something fresh and light on a hot day the acai bowls at Cruzin' Crepes are incredibly popular. They provide something refreshing on a hot day but also something that is actually nutrient-packed and good for you. Who would have ever thought you could get actual...
The city of Santa Cruz has many amazing condo properties. If you are trying to decide between purchasing a condo or a single-family home in Santa Cruz here are a few reasons why you might lean more toward purchasing the condo.
Availability
If you are hoping to live right inside the Santa Cruz city limits then finding a condo may be just a little bit easier than a single-family property. Often in convenient walkable locations, there are more multifamily properties as compared to single-family properties. If you have not ruled out a condo and you want a walkable home then you may have an easier time finding a condo.
Price tag
Condo properties often come with a lower price tag as compared to a single-family home. Some would say this is because the square footage is much smaller than what is available on a single-family property. But you may be surprised to find that some condos have as much square footage as a single-family home. While larger condos do come at a steeper price higher than the more abundant smaller ones it is a possibility to find a condo with a very roomy floor plan.
Maintenance
A condo property is like a step between renting and single-family living. Owning a home puts a lot of responsibility on the owner's plate to make sure the property is running well, safe, and retains its good condition. Every single aspect of the property is the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain. This along with the price tag of a single-family home is a big extra cost and a large time requirement.
With a condo property, you are solely responsible for the property...
Capitola California is most famously known for the waterfront Capitola Village. It is a popular spot with tourists and is very beloved by residents. It is a unique spot in Santa Cruz County that offers something special all year long. The summer and the winter seasons are very different but each holds its unique appeal. Let us describe what each season is like in Capitola and why it is a great place to settle into year-round.
Capitola Winters
Since it is still technically winter, though Spring is on the horizon, let us start with what winter is like in the beautiful small town of Capitola.
The hustle and bustle of summer tourists and beachfront activities begin to slow and quiet after Labor Day every year in Capitola. Capitola becomes a charming laid-back beach town. Though the weather is cooler and the activities are not as frequent, the weather is still enjoyable and the sunsets, even though they come earlier are just as breathtaking.
September and October free up the popular beaches and allow those who live here year-round to enjoy the sand and surf with a little more elbow room. It's like that feeling of your family coming for a visit. You love it and it is full of laughter and energy and fun times, but when they go back home, you can get back to a more relaxed way of living on a daily basis and enjoying your favorite space on more relaxed terms.
The "off-season" allows for shorter wait times to get into the most iconic Capitola restaurants on any day of your choosing. The parking...
Downtown Santa Cruz is easily one of the most popular areas to settle in the city for its Walkability within one of Central Coastal California's most loved cities. Santa Cruz is dynamic and upbeat with countless things to do from amazing restaurants to great entertainment and all different kinds of shopping. It is easy to be at the beach one minute and in a museum, the next, or experience locally made ice cream and walk just a few blocks away to get the best cup of coffee you have ever tasted.
But Santa Cruz is also known as an area with highly desirable real estate that comes with an expected increase in the market value of homes. Though it is a dream to live right in downtown Santa Cruz and be right in all of the action, there are some great affordable neighborhoods just outside of downtown that you could fall in love with just as easily if you are searching for a home at a lower price point. There are many reasons to consider neighborhoods just beyond the downtown Santa Cruz limits.
Quieter neighborhoods
One of the biggest benefits of choosing to live outside of downtown Santa Cruz is that it affords you a quieter atmosphere as compared to living within the downtown limits. Santa Cruz is a vibrant fun city but it is also a busy bustling city and with this comes the noise of the hustle and bustle. This is why more and more young families moving to Santa Cruz have found that neighborhoods just outside of downtown or even a bit further removed are ideal for everyday enjoyment.
The busyness of downtown especially during tourist season can become overwhelming and can take a toll on other aspects of life beyond peace and quiet,...
If you have listed your Santa Cruz home for sale and the home listing has expired it is understandable that you may be frustrated, disappointed, or confused as to why your home isn't selling. Especially during a seller's market with low inventory. Here are some questions to ask about your home selling experience to help you decide what actions to take next with your Santa Cruz home.
Was the Home marketed well?
A first impression in many scenarios is incredibly important and the first impression of your home to buyers matters significantly. You want to make sure that your home is ready to show at its best and that it has been presented to as many Santa Cruz homebuyers as possible. It is hard for buyers to be interested in a home and make an offer on it if they are not aware is for sale or if there's something about it that seems offputting in listing photos.
When a home is for sale you want to do your best to make it stand out and have it catch the eye of a buyer. But you can't catch a buyer's eye if a buyer isn't seeing the home. You want to make sure you are hiring the right local professional help that will get the word out that your home is available for sale and you want to get your home freshened up and ready to show at its best.
A great real estate agent will help you to prepare your home to be seen both inside and out and will help you to make the online listing look enticing and place it where it is easily seen to attract a buyer's eye and attract as many buyers as possible.
Is the home priced well?
One of the biggest setbacks to selling a home within a fair amount of time is making...
As you make improvements around your Santa Cruz home you may find that there are extra materials left over from those projects. Sometimes you will want to retain some extra materials in case you need to repair but in some cases, you may not need as much material as is left over.
What can you do with these leftover materials? Some may fit into the garbage, some may not, and some may be allowed to go into your regular garbage but some may require special actions to unload the product. Here are some helpful tips for getting rid of scraps from home improvements in your Santa Cruz home.
Wood Scraps
Several different projects require the use of wood and the scraps can pile up quickly as often projects using wood materials require cutting wood down into custom shapes and sizes to fit your project. If you don't have a use for them and they are taking up a lot of space you can unload wood scraps in many different ways.
For larger pieces that might be reused for other projects, you could consider selling them on social media and other reselling groups such as Offer Up. You could also consider donating scraps to salvage yards and charities like Habitat for Humanity. You can also offer the scraps for free on a social media site or in a buy-nothing group. If a wood scrap is small enough it can be added to a compost pile.
Tile
Tile is a great material to retain scraps for repairs in your home. If you have a significant amount of tile scraps or have removed tile from an old...
Some Santa Cruz homebuyers are looking for brand-new homes that they can move right into and not need to plan to fix anything for a few years. When it comes to purchasing a new construction home there are different options to consider. This can include a spec home, a track home, or a custom home. Let's look at the details of each one to help you determine which new construction home could be right for you.
Spec home
A spec home is a new construction home that was built without a specific style of buyer in mind. This type of home is not built within a plant community but is built on property that a developer may have already purchased but has not been developed along with land surrounding it. It could also be a plot of land that has been sitting unsold in a planned community that a developer decides to pick up and place a home on to make a bit of profit. It is a one-and-done home built simply to put a home on the lot and continue doing business.
Sometimes a spec home might be something built from a previous catalog of floorplans the builder has used in the past or it could be that the builder is unique and doesn't work with large community builds but rather works on a smaller scale to build a home here or there. It is a home in which the buyer does not pick out the overall floor plan design but may have a hand in picking out some of the finish elements if they put a purchase offer on the home before construction is complete.
Tract home
This is the most commonly thought about type of new construction home. This is a home that...
If you are considering buying or selling a home in Santa Cruz soon you may be wondering how the real estate market is doing currently and where it is expected to go in the next few months and over the next year. Here are some current real estate market numbers and predictions for where the market is headed in the near future.
What the Santa Cruz real estate market is doing right now
Numbers from Redfin reported in October 2023 showed that Santa Cruz home prices were staying relatively stable with very small changes. Numbers compared to October 2022 showed a very small change in home prices of 0.05% from year to year. Santa Cruz's median home sale price was $1.4 million in October. This shows that properties are holding their value and the market is strong.
Market analysis has shown that the competition for real estate has been high and homes have been selling at a swift pace. The average number of days on the market for a Santa Cruz home is 28. Several homes are seeing multiple offers and some offers are including waived contingencies. It is not uncommon for Santa Cruz homes to sell above the list price. The average Santa Cruz home has been selling at about 1% above the listed market price.
Another number showing the strong market in Santa Cruz is the sale-to-list price ratio which is currently at 100.2% for 2023. This number shows that the average Santa Cruz home is selling just above the list price. This is an indication that the market is staying competitive and buyers are bringing strong offers to win out over...
If you have been searching for a home in Santa Cruz County your search may have felt challenging and at times even frustrating as inventory remains lower than it has been in several years. But with the right shopping strategy, there is a way to find a home in Santa Cruz that you will love for a price that you can afford to pay. Read on to discover tips for finding a home when inventory is low.
Working with local professionals
The first and best bit of advice we can give you is to work with a local real estate agent to help you find the perfect home that meets all of your needs and wants. Shopping for a home right now in Santa Cruz can feel like trying to purchase the most popular item of clothing in a store when they are having a 90% off sale. Even though homes are not at huge discounted prices there are still more buyers looking for homes than there are homes available for sale and sometimes buyers end up battling for the same home. But one trick to getting ahead of the game is to work with an agent who knows the area like the back of their hand.
A local agent has time to search for homes because it is their job. It is what they are paid to do. They can take the time to search and sometimes they don't even need to dig or go hunting for your ideal home. Sometimes they just know when a home is coming on the market or if there has been at home getting little attention that meets what you were looking for. This is because they are well-versed in the area and have formed relationships and make it their focus to be an expert in their local real estate market.
Not working with a local agent...
If you have just moved to Santa Cruz County or are considering a move to Santa Cruz County you may be wondering what there is to do at this time of year. Getting to know an area and getting acquainted with it to help you get comfortable in your new home or learn about the area to decide if you want to move is important. One way to get to know the culture of an area is to discover what events are happening. Here is a list of 2023 holiday events in Santa Cruz County to help you get to know the area.
Winter Wonderland on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
It wouldn't be a list of Santa Cruz events without highlighting what is going on at the iconic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The boardwalk has been around for many decades and is a center of activity in the city of Santa Cruz. Get acquainted with the boardwalk and with the culture of the beach area in Santa Cruz by checking out the holiday festival that happens every year on the boardwalk. This year the festival will run between November 23 and December 31 on special days.
Different festive activities include photos with Santa, delicious seasonal treats, fire pit rentals and s'mores making, and a special winter wonderland package which includes special seasonal fun happening at the boardwalk. You don't want to miss the mini Nutcracker performances on the colonnade stage on December 2 and 3. The roaming carolers are also a lot of fun and they will be on the boardwalk on December 10 and 11th.
Holiday Lights at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds
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If you are relocating to Santa Cruz you are probably trying to find out everything you can about the city to help you determine if this is ultimately the move that you would like to make. When it comes to the city of Santa Cruz there is a lot to love and people who have lived here their whole life find new things to fall in love with every day. If you are someone that enjoys breakfast as your favorite meal of the day and really likes to get out for a special breakfast once in a while there are plenty of places to get a good breakfast in Santa Cruz.
Let us hope you find your new favorite breakfast spot in your new home. Whether you like to discover a new place every time or you want to find that new comforting spot that you frequent once a week or a couple of times a month here is a list of the best breakfast places in Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz's best breakfast spots
The Buttery
OK let's just start off with the name alone who doesn't like butter? The name itself offers us something promising. If you are someone who loves a good comforting sweeter side to breakfast this is the place to stop. The Buttery is a long-running bakery and Café in the Seabright area of Santa Cruz. They have been here since 1984. This is not just an amazing place for breakfast but a great place to stop anytime you need a sweet homemade-style baked good. In addition to sweet treats or sandwiches, coffees and teas, and savory breakfast options. Give your breakfast experience a boost by choosing to dine outside on the patio.
Harbor Café...
Santa Cruz is a popular town on the Monterey Bay coastline in central California. It is well-liked for many reasons and well-known for several attributes. Besides the surfing culture, it is known as a town with a friendly atmosphere and a great arts scene. What makes Santa Cruz calm and creative? Science says it could be the water.
Living Near the Water Can Make a Person Calm and Creative
From the earliest recorded history, humans have attributed healing properties to natural bodies of water. For example, the early Romans looked at bathing as highly important and made a relaxing bath part of the cultural norms. Romans took a soak not only alone but with others as a form of relaxation and a good way to take time to connect with others in a calm setting.
Using water to restore the mind body and soul was not just used in Roman culture it was also a huge part of care in Chinese medicine, Indian medicine, and many others. Water symbolized a sacred space, a place of rebirth, and a source of spiritual cleansing and salvation.
In today's culture, the water holds an equal level of popularity. Homes on the water are highly desirable, vacations to an island oasis are seen as the ultimate dream getaway, and water sports never seem to lose their popularity. Need to relax? Many people picture a soak in the hot tub or a nice warm bath.
Water gives the mind rest from overstimulation
In today's technology-driven age, humans are bombarded in every different direction by stimuli and can easily become overstimulated. The human brain needs to experience downtime and peace and being around...
Both Santa Cruz and Monterey counties have some amazing historic properties. The town of Carmel by the Sea is well known for its amazing historic properties. Historic homes offer something unique that you can't find anymore. Ornate little details that took time and thought that today's builders don't have outside of custom builds. A historic home seems to hold the magic and mystery of who once roamed the hallways and made the building a home.
If you are searching for one of Santa Cruz or Monterey's amazing historic properties there are some things to be aware of that are different in your home-buying process from searching for a traditional home. The more you know about purchasing a historic home the better the buying process will go. It will also help you to determine if a historic home is truly the home you are dreaming of.
Know the Maintenance, Remodeling, and Upgrade Guidelines for the Property
If a home has been officially recognized as historic there will be specific guidelines on making improvements and adjustments to the original integrity of the structure in the home. Historic homes that have been registered as such will not allow you to alter the exterior of the home in any way. If something is damaged and needs replaced this will require best efforts and using the original materials to the home to get them back to their original state. Some properties will not allow homeowners to add onto the home or make upgrades to the home that would cause it to lose its original historic charm and reason for being placed on the list of historic homes.
Additionally, if you owned a historic home in an area like Carmel the local government...
Santa Cruz is full of some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the country and this is part of the reason why it continues to be such a desirable place to live. If you are trying to learn more about Santa Cruz while you are considering a move here, you need to check out some of the best places in the city to enjoy the outdoors and natural beauty of Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz's Best Outdoor Viewpoints
West Cliff Drive
When people think of a scenic California coastal drive the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) often comes to mind. But this is probably because they have not taken a drive down West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz. It is the best place to experience sea cliffs high above the bay. The road winds from Natural Bridges State Park to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum two more great spots to help you experience and fall in love with Santa Cruz.
You can experience West Cliff Drive by car or on foot. There are many pathways that line the cliffs and walking is the popular activity here. It is a great way to take your time here and drink in all the beauty of the shoreline. It's especially amazing at sunset.
Lookout Trail in Pogonip Park
When people think of a scenic viewpoint they often picture a spot at a high elevation that allows them to see as far as the eye can see. One of...
If you are getting ready to sell a home in Santa Cruz you may be wondering if selling your home in the fall is a good plan and what you might need to do to get your home ready to sell. Any time of year can be a great time to sell a home, especially in Santa Cruz County, one of California's most desirable places to live.
Tips for Selling Your Santa Cruz Home in the Fall
Get your home ready
When you sell anything you own you want it to look its best so it will be appealing to buyers and sell quickly. Just like you would make sure your car is clean and pristine if you were to sell it, you want to do the same thing with your Santa Cruz home. You want to start your home selling plans by getting your home ready to be seen by buyers and making it appealing to them. In the same manner that you would get your home cleaned up and ready to go for a holiday party you want to make sure you are cleaning from top to bottom and getting rid of unnecessary clutter.
In addition to having it extremely clean and tidy, you want to remove personal items and make the home look like it is on display rather than someone comfortably living in the property and loving it with no plans to leave. Allowing a buyer to be able to visualize themselves living in the home instead of visualizing how you have lived in the home is a key to helping get your home sold as quickly as possible. This is the practice of staging your home. If you need some helpful advice in staging your home a local real estate agent can do wonders to help advise you on getting your home ready to be seen by potential buyers.
Use seasonal elements to help you stage...