Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC) has debuted a newly renovated visitor center in Downtown Santa Cruz, adjacent to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History in the heart of the town. The new center features a sensory-friendly space for travelers with autism that has been infused into the new visitor center design. Weighted blankets, fidget toys, tactile pillows and a quiet environment are components of the separate space to instill a low-sensory area for the benefit of neurodivergent visitors.  

Each Visit Santa Cruz County staff member received specialized training and are now Certified Autism Travel Professionals through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).  Combined with staff accreditation, the amenities featured in the new visitor center have transformed it into a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) – one of the only of its kind in northern California. 

According to a survey by Autism Travel, 87 percent of autistic families don’t take vacations due to the sensory overload involved in travel – including loud noises, dietary changes and a disruption in routine.  These stressors can cause discomfort and outbursts if not compassionately managed and addressed.    

The new visitor center provides an environment rich with a taste of what the county has to offer in terms of outdoor adventure, family-friendly experiences, field-to-fork and ag-related activities, and art, culture and creative spaces that draw inspiration from the region’s natural beauty.  

A polished concrete floor with GPS coordinates lays the foundation for the industrial-cool theme and a floor-to-ceiling map mural identical to the colorful design in the official Santa Cruz County magazine greets visitors. The daily surf report can be seen on a large screen behind the welcome desk, providing real-time weather and tidal information. 

The visitor center welcome desk is crafted from a reclaimed redwood tree, evoking the magnificent heritage forests of the San Lorenzo Valley. The single piece slab was sourced from a local sawmill near Felton, where the tree either fell naturally or was removed by a tree service and is estimated to be between 200 – 300 years old.  The front of the 14-foot desk – also sourced from local, sustainable redwood – was treated with Shou Sugi Ban, an ancient Japanese wood preservation technique that seals and protects wood, creating a beautiful black color by heavily burning the wood, then gently removing the charred material, and applying a hard wax oil to stabilize and bring out the subtle color tones; however, the natural redwood can still be seen through the burned wood, evoking the element of fire present in California.     

One of the most intriguing features of the visitor center is a separate room where a point-of-view augmented reality video will be played on three walls, portraying a variety of only-in-Santa-Cruz-County activities available to travelers. Mountain biking through demonstration forest, admiring art and wine at a local festival, surfing at Cowell’s Beach, wine tasting at a mid-county vineyard, visiting a you-pick farm, hiking a breezy trail at a state park, perusing locally-sourced produce and artisan-made products at a farmer’s market are just some examples of the immersive content that will envelop visitors, enabling them to experience the destination without leaving the visitor center. 

This newly designed space is where VSCC’s destination concierge will be able to direct visitors to countywide hotels, restaurants, attractions and parks and beaches.  

Combining wayfinding and art, the City of Capitola announces the latest enhancement to the historic Capitola Wharf. Bronze octopuses, sea stars, pelicans, sea turtles and rockfish now lead the way to seating areas, interpretive signage, vantage points and public binocular stations on the wharf, which predates the American Civil War. 

Two feet longer than San Francisco’s Transamerica Pyramid laid on its side, the Capitola Wharf reopened in 2024 following a year-long reconstruction after being partially demolished by rough waves during a winter storm in 2022. This latest embellishment of the wharf connects marine life in the Monterey Bay with visitor amenities on the 855-foot long structure. Local artist and foundry owner Sean Monaghan created the ADA-compliant designs as both instructional and artistic. Visitors to the wharf can make pencil rubbings of the bronze reliefs, which are embedded into the new pressure-treated Douglas fir planks along the length of the wharf. The overall $10.6 million construction project to rebuild and strengthen the wharf included an ornate entrance gate, interpretive panels, a new boat launch area, new restrooms, free mounted binocular stations, and interpretive signage about Monterey Bay, its wildlife and history. Nearly all of the wharf’s decking and railings were replaced and the structure was widened from 20 feet to 36 feet wide. 

Brimming with natural light streaming through giant windows and bouncing off high ceilings, Botanic + Luxe houses home goods in a stylish, modern space. Plants take center stage alongside jewelry, candles, dishtowels, greeting cards, linen robes, lychee and elderflower syrups, and other household goods displayed with a keen eye toward trendy sophistication.  Now an extension of the shop, directly across from the main store on Cooper Street in the heart of Downtown Santa Cruz caters to littles ones. 

Botanic + Luxe Littles offers organic cotton, wool and muslin clothing for children between six and 24 months old. Books, plushies, mobiles, beanies, swaddles, blankets, quilts and beanies are carefully curated to complement the look and feel of the main shop, which absorbs the community vibe of Abbott Square Market, adjacent to the store.  This community gathering spot is where locals mix effortlessly with visitors to enjoy Santa Cruz-based food vendors, local public art and evening performances.   

Brad Briske, chef and owner of popular Soquel Village eatery HOME has leveraged the popularity of his restaurant, located in a cozy former private cottage in picturesque Soquel Village by opening Home Away, a casual spot serving up sumptuous fare. 

Located steps away from HOME, Home Away – five miles south of Santa Cruz – still maintains creative dishes pared down yet highlighting the hyper-local philosophy Brad brought with him when founding HOME a decade ago. Leaving the now-shuttered La Balena in Carmel Village, Brad literally came home to his roots in Soquel, refurbishing a small house into a comfortable, welcoming spot where a lush garden provides herbs and spices for his dishes. Recognizable flavors served creatively is the foundation for Home Away, including beef cheek empanadas, shucked oysters with house-fermented hot sauce and “ocean nachos” with bottarga and topped with trout roe, crème fraîche and herbs. Menu items are featured at a lower price point than at HOME, attracting a more informal crowd seeking counter service, grab-and-go items and the collaborative feel of an open kitchen design. 

La Bahia Hotel & Spa, Santa Cruz’s first luxury property which opened in September 2025 announces that guests can experience four disparate culinary concepts on property. The La Bahia features 155 rooms including 16 suites and is located directly across from Main Beach one block from the legendary Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The property features unobstructed ocean views of the Monterey Bay, rocking a Wes-Anderson-Meets-Art-Deco esthetic. A significant amount of thought was put into the creation of the savory-meets-sweet options spanning the hotel, where everything from caviar to coffee can be found. 

Capitalizing on the hyper-local enthusiasm for nearby micro farms and boutique producers, La Bahia’s food and beverage team, headed up by executive chef Fernando Reyes, who was previously the executive chef at Carmel Valley Ranch and other luxury properties had a wealth of options when it came to creating menu items that were both elevated and accessible culinary experiences.  At sidewalk level, Low Tide Bar & Grill features casual fare across all dayparts and local roaster Cat + Cloud Coffee in addition to craft cocktails served indoors or on a breezy patio with views of the beach. High Tide serves dinner only and is described as “La Bahia’s signature destination restaurant,” offering a Pacific Rim-inspired menu.  American favorites like crab cakes are featured alongside The Umami Forest Risotto, a vegetarian dish utilizing crisp-edged roasted maitake mushrooms. 

Pearl is a lobby-based, London-inspired champagne bar with personalized libations, creative mixologists and wine and spirits. Unique bar snacks include raspberry-filled macarons and ahi tuna sashimi dotted with caviar and serrano chilis. However, the star of the show is the bar’s eponymous cocktail, The Pearl of La Bahia, made with Meyer lemon, vodka and Champagne, with a smoke-filled bubble floating on top. When it pops, a citrusy cloud wafts from the cream-colored drink. Of the eight cocktails on the menu, three can be made without alcohol and of those, the Seaweed & Sequoia is a favorite, made with alcohol-free craft bitters and nonalcoholic vermouth, imitating a woodsy and delicate experience.   

The Plunge offers poolside food and drinks. Small plates and specialty cocktails will be served from a stylish, vintage-meets-chic bites booth adjacent to the pool.  

All three bars – Low Tide, Pearl and Plunge – have their own beverage programs, with their own glassware and unique recipes.   

  

Designed with a Spanish-Mediterranean aesthetic with an elevated Art Deco interior design flair, the property encompasses one city block (225,000 square feet total) and houses 13,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, a 4,000 square foot Bahia Ballroom and 5,200 square feet of rooftop deck. A Moorish spa deriving inspiration from the rich sea life that calls the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary home rounds out the guest experience.  

Visit Santa Cruz County is livestreaming the Santa Cruz Harbor utilizing its newest webcam location for 2026. Visitors and locals can check in on weather conditions and wildlife 24/7 to prepare for boating excursions and outings at this commercial and recreational point of interest.  

For over six decades, the Santa Cruz Harbor has been a thriving attraction for wildlife viewing, dining, outdoor recreation opportunities and a home for boaters and those who enjoy sailing, kayaking and stand up paddleboarding. The UC Santa Cruz Community Boating Center hosts sailing lessons for students and members of the community, and the Santa Cruz Yacht Club offers regattas, youth sailing programs and social activities. A free summertime inner-harbor water taxi transports guests in and around the harbor at five different stops. Nearly 30 businesses and five restaurants support a robust commercial economy at the harbor. The picturesque 41-foot Walton Lighthouse at the entrance to the Small Craft Harbor on the jetty provides a navigational aid and a scenic touchpoint for this historic setting.  

Two other live webcams ensure that visitors have access to other parts of the county online. At Palm State Beach near the mouth of the Pajaro River, viewers can enjoy a northern view of the Monterey Bay as cool foggy mornings dissipate into warm sunny days. Palm State Beach is a three-mile stretch of coastline in south county, popular with beachcombers, fishermen and wildlife aficionados. Inland, views from the live webcam at Quail Hollow Ranch County Park in Felton include a pastoral lake setting that is only one of 15 habitats that are located in this small, secluded valley.  In fact, the park’s sandhills habitat – marked by the characteristic sandy soils and scattered ponderosa pine – is an ecosystem located only in Santa Cruz County and nowhere else in the world. These webcams are available year around, 24 hours a day.