The Peninsula
Roll up your shirtsleeves and harvest fruit at this organic pick-your-own farm. It’s a union outfit (operated by Cesar Chavez’s United Farm Workers), with seasonal berries and even kiwis. The adorable farm stand (8 miles south) sells what's in season plus pies and jams on an honor system. There's indoor and outdoor seating, bluegrass music on the stereo and hot drinks.
The berry farm is about 23 miles south of Pescadero.
11.98 MILES
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been an Americana classic like few others for over a century. Now as in 1907 when the amusement park first opened, the…
7.86 MILES
Just over a dozen miles southeast of Pescadero State Beach, Año Nuevo State Natural Reserve is home base for one of the world's largest mainland breeding…
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
10.16 MILES
This educational center is part of UCSC’s Long Marine Laboratory. Interactive natural-science exhibits include tidal touch pools and aquariums, while…
24.01 MILES
Definitely the most interesting tech visitor center in the area. You'll be met by an army of Geniuses in red shirts offering information from how to use…
24.66 MILES
This ridiculous yet fascinating Victorian mansion is filled with 160 mostly non-utilitarian rooms with dead-end hallways and a staircase that runs up to a…
University of California, Santa Cruz
9.39 MILES
Check it: the school mascot is a banana slug! Established in 1965 in the hills above town, UCSC is known for its creative, liberal bent. The rural campus…
11.91 MILES
A kitschy, old-fashioned tourist trap, Santa Cruz's Mystery Spot has scarcely changed since it opened in 1940. On a steeply sloping hillside, compasses…
10.49 MILES
Great for sunsets, this sandy beach fronted by a natural sandstone bridge is a family favorite and tops for wildlife viewing. Scan the bay for whales,…
1. Bonnie Doon Vineyard Tasting Room
1.88 MILES
In the sleepy village of Davenport, round out your palate with a wine flight in the friendly roadside tasting room of Randall Grahm's acclaimed winery,…
2. Rancho del Oso Nature and History Center
5.53 MILES
Just inland from Waddell Beach, Rancho Del Oso Nature and History Center has two kid-friendly nature trails, both open daily, through the marshlands.
7.86 MILES
Just over a dozen miles southeast of Pescadero State Beach, Año Nuevo State Natural Reserve is home base for one of the world's largest mainland breeding…
8.04 MILES
Fascinating and compact museum detailing the story of Bigfoot in the surrounding Californian wilderness.
5. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
8.37 MILES
The Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park has miles of hiking trails through old-growth redwood groves along the San Lorenzo River and campsites.
8.79 MILES
Hit the brakes for this roadside farm stand in a wooden barn to pick up fresh produce, eggs and coffee, plus amazing fruit pies (which sell out fast). The…
9.3 MILES
Amble around this peaceful arboretum and picturesquely decaying 19th-century structures from Cowell Ranch, upon which the UCSC campus was built.
8. University of California, Santa Cruz
9.39 MILES
Check it: the school mascot is a banana slug! Established in 1965 in the hills above town, UCSC is known for its creative, liberal bent. The rural campus…