Resort town offers hidden getaway for locals and visitors
alike
When someone visits me from out of state, I always try to
incorporate a day near the ocean into the trip. So when my friend
Angie, the one person who probably made it possible for me to tough
out graduate school, planned to visit me for a few days this summer
I knew we would head to the coast
– but I wasn’t sure where. She had been to San Francisco before
and we had hit Monterey on her last visit.
Resort town offers hidden getaway for locals and visitors alike
When someone visits me from out of state, I always try to incorporate a day near the ocean into the trip. So when my friend Angie, the one person who probably made it possible for me to tough out graduate school, planned to visit me for a few days this summer I knew we would head to the coast – but I wasn’t sure where. She had been to San Francisco before and we had hit Monterey on her last visit.
Then I remembered Capitola. For the last couple of years I’ve listened to a coworker talk up Capitola, where his family owns what he refers to as a beach “shack.” “Via” magazine had just done an article on the small enclave south of Santa Cruz, too. I thought we should see what the little resort town had to offer.
We set out from Gilroy across Hecker Pass with just a few goals in mind – a nice lunch outdoors, an hour or two in the sun at the beach and maybe a late afternoon treat of ice cream. As we set out, we talked about our tentative game plan. We would hang out on the beach for a while, then grab lunch and do some window shopping around town. We threw caution to the wind and set out without a map or addresses for places that had been recommended to us.
There are several exits for Capitola and we took the first one – Park Avenue – and followed the road into the Village. The street dead ends into a parking lot behind Capitola City Hall. At 50 cents an hour, the meters offered the best deal in town. For those who wish to do less walking, other meters are available closer to the shops and shore – but beware of the “Quad Squad,” parking officers in wheelchairs who take their job seriously.
We were pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to navigate the town. We just headed down Capitola Avenue in the direction of the beach and quickly found many of the places my coworkers had mentioned.
Capitola has a long history as a resort town. The Esplanade – the stretch of road closest to the beach – used to be dotted with burger joints, pinball arcades and a merry-go-round. In the last few decades, upscale wine bars, art galleries and restaurants have taken their place. But the city retains some of its old-time charm with such icons as the Venetian Court. The stucco apartments – claimed to be the first condominiums in California – have a perfect view of the beachfront and are painted in bright salt water taffy colors that evoke a Mediterranean feel.
When we first arrived at 10:30 a.m., my friend was skeptical that we would get any sun the day of our trip, as the air grew chillier the closer we got to the sea. I assured her we shouldn’t give up hope until after noon as sometimes the fog burns off late into the day in this little enclave. We opted to stop in a few shops and browse – though many of the places have the same bric-a-brac that is often found around tourist destinations. How many magnets does one really need?
Angie found a conch shell at a little shop in the Capitola Mercantile indoor mall. As an English teacher, she thought her students would appreciate seeing a real conch shell when they read “Lord of the Flies.” I picked up colorful sea glass beads to use in a vase at home.
Around 11 a.m., we looked for a place to lunch and discovered most of the restaurants only served breakfast until noon. A friend had recommended Paradise Beach Grille, 215 Espalande, so since they started serving lunch at 11:30 a.m., we opted to eat there. Most of the restaurants have outdoor seating, which is a nice option for warmer days. The lunch menu for Paradise has a wide selection of options, including a few daily specials. I opted for a mozzarella po’ boy sandwich that combined fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil on a sourdough roll while my friend opted for the special, a buffalo-style chicken sandwich. The entrees weren’t cheap, but at $12 each they were worth the price.
There are plenty of other eating options for those with a tighter budget, such as Pizza My Heart, 209 Esplanade, which sells pieces by the slice. They have no seating and it’s perfect for grabbing a bite to eat on the beach. In addition, there is Gayle’s Bakery, 504 Bay Ave. – which I sadly missed on my trip. The shop moves more than 1,000 danishes on Sundays and the bakery sells its bread to many of the local restaurants. The shop offers expensive cookies, pastries and cakes, but has a decently-priced offering of lunch and dinner entrees.
My friend and I opted to spend our remaining time after lunch splayed out on the beach with a magazine and a book. For those who want the sun without the sand, the Capitola Wharf offers a nice place to watch people. Benches spot the wooden deck and Capitola Bait and Tackle offers snacks and an odd mix of souvenirs. The other option for low cost fun is a park at the end of the Esplanade that provides public restrooms and showers (my friend and I made use of the very clean restrooms at City Hall during our treks to and from the car). During the summer, free concerts are held Wednesdays in the park.
A little trek up the hill using public stairs next to the now-closed Capitola Theater offers great views of the bay and village. Benches provide a resting place for hikers along the steps.
My friend and I opted to skip the hike and instead had some ice cream before heading inland for the evening. We stopped at the first ice cream shop we saw, Polar Bear Ice Cream, 104 Stockton Ave, which shares a storefront with Cafe Violette. With more than 40 flavors to choose from, we couldn’t resist a double scoop. I chose butter brickle, a favorite from when I was a kid, and lemon custard, while Angie went for pink lemonade and mocha.
By the end of the day, we left a little more tan and drowsy from the sun, but relaxed from our trip.
