When people from out of town think of Santa Cruz, the first things that come to their minds are The Beach Boardwalk, The Mystery Spot, and The Capitola Village just to name a few.  For the locals, how many times per year do you visit each of these places, honestly?  I am not bagging on these landmarks at all, but how many times can you do these things without getting burnt out on them?  Instead, we’ve all got our favorite “go-to” beaches, hole-in-the-wall diners and pubs, and hidden gems that we’ve discovered over the years.  The cool thing about all of these secret little places is that they don’t charge the normal “tourist-trap” type fares, and they are also devoid of large crowds.

Generally speaking, I try to keep these places to myself.  The only way I can describe my thought process on this is by referencing the bumper sticker I see all over town – “Surfing sucks, don’t try it.”  We all know what that means.  Same goes for the places that I just love to visit regularly; but in all fairness, I can’t hide them from people forever; and if I did, that wouldn’t make me a very nice person now would it.

When funds are low (or even high for that matter) my go-to spot is unquestionably Gizdich Ranch in Watsonville.  It’s a little bit out in the cuts, but it’s no more than twenty minutes from SC.  As you approach the eighty-five acre ranch, you’ll see gorgeous fields of olallieberries (the scrumptious hybrid between a blackberry and a raspberry, native only to northern California).  Drive a little further and you’ll discover orchards of apples and fields of strawberries.  Depending on the season, the farm operates on a “pick them yourself” basis charging by weight; (truthfully, I think they’d benefit by charging children by the amount of berry juice on their clothes and their faces).  During summer, there is really nothing more delicious than a fresh strawberry warmed to perfection by the sunshine.  Whatever you do, don’t miss the big red barn.  The friendly and talented chef’s work tirelessly throughout the day, baking pies made to order.  You can choose a slice from about twenty different types of pie (always warm from the oven), and I personally never leave without a strawberry rhubarb pie!  Adjacent to the barn is a large area for kids to run around and work off all of those natural sugars, and a great place for adults to sit under a shade tree to relax.  We’ve held a couple of birthday parties here, and without question, they were the best ever.

Another great place to visit is Long Marine Lab on the Westside.  In a nutshell, it’s a miniature Monterey Bay Aquarium that sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean.  With many touch-pools, educational and hands-on activities, and huge tanks full of sea life we don’t normally get to see, this is a great afternoon trip.  I hear that on occasion the dolphins enjoy a gentle pet, although I’ve never had the opportunity to experience it myself.  The Monterey Bay Aquarium is great for sure, but it’s a much longer drive, the congestion of the crowd is a lot to handle, and for a family of four be prepared to shell out a hundred bucks for admission alone.  Long Marine Lab on the other hand will cost a family of four only twenty bucks total for admission.  The docents at Long Marine Lab are generally oceanography students from the University and are always happy to answer any questions you may have with genuine zeal.  It’s a really fun place and offers LOADS of great information too.

Quick and easy: Glaum Egg Ranch in Watsonville (although I always thought it was in Aptos before doing my research).  This may sound neither fun nor exciting, but the savings you get from driving out there are flat out ridiculous.  Glaum keeps their chickens cage free on a fully sustainable farm, and are available in organic.  At some of the supermarkets in our area, be prepared to spend over $6 for a carton of cage-free eggs.  When you take the beautiful drive to their farm, you only pay $2.59 per dozen, $4.10 for twenty eggs, and $5.76 for thirty eggs!  What makes it fun for the whole family: THE DANCING CHICKENS of course!!!  Setting and costumes are changed monthly, and the display is really hilarious!

Maybe you’ve been to these spots, and maybe you haven’t; but next time you are at a loss for what to do on the weekend or that Monday holiday, check these places out and I promise you won’t be disappointed.  I love adventures that I wouldn’t normally think of doing, that are affordable, and that support our local community!

I’ll get to Part Two of this article in the near future, but feel free to share your hidden gems in the comment box below; I’m always looking for a new adventure... especially those on roads less traveled!