Surf’s Up in Santa Cruz
The city of Santa Cruz, originally called San Lorenzo, was discovered in 1769 by the Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolà. The city continued to expand and eventually became known as Santa Cruz, meaning “Holy Cross”, after the local mission. By the 1820s, Mexico had assumed control of the area, and Americans began arriving in large numbers for the next thirty years. California became a state in 1850, and Santa Cruz County was created as one of the original twenty-seven counties.
At the turn of the century, agricultural, lumber, lime processing, and commercial fishing industries prospered in the area. Santa Cruz also became a prominent tourist community, due to its scenic beauty and mild climate, and today it is known for water sports such as surfing, rowing, sailing, diving, and swimming. It is said to be the site of the first surfing in California, when, in 1885, three Hawaiian princes, Prince David, Prince Edward and Prince Jonah Kalaniana’ole, surfed locally milled redwood boards at the mouth of the river. San Lorenzo. Santa Cruz has 11 world-class surf breaks, including point breaks on rocky bottoms near Steamer Lane and Pleasure Point, which create some of the best surf breaks in the world.
Santa Cruz also has a Surf Museum on Steamer Lane, which is still staffed by surfing pioneers like Harry Mayo and others who have surfed Santa Cruz’s waves since the 1930s. It hosts several surfing contests that attract international entrants each year. year, including the International Longboard Association contest and the O’Neill Cold Water Classic.
Santa Cruz is also famous for the Derby Skate Park, the first public skate park in the US, as well as the new Mike Fox Skate Park, which contains ramps and shallow and deep skating pools, located just along the mobile dock of San Lorenzo.
For those looking for an alternative to surfing or skating, other outdoor sports such as biking, camping, hiking, and rock climbing are also popular in the area. The Santa Cruz Pier is known for fishing, marine mammal viewing, and other recreational activities. The city offers many great opportunities for butterfly watching and ornithology. Santa Cruz is also home to the Historic Downtown Business District, which has numerous theaters, galleries, shops, and boutiques.
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is California’s oldest amusement park and a designated State Historic Landmark. It features one of the oldest wooden roller coasters still in use in the US, as well as numerous modern rides. It has been owned and operated by the Santa Cruz Seaside Company since 1915. Admission to the beach boardwalk is free, but rides are $2-$4.
Winemaking is an important part of the economic and cultural life of the municipality of Santa Cruz, from the cultivation of the grapes to their racking. The Santa Cruz Mountains are home to some of the oldest and most renowned wineries in California, producing fine Zinfandels, Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons, as well as Ports, Pinot Noirs, and other varietals and blends. Wines from Ridge Vineyards and David Bruce Winery were selected for tasting at the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting.