CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Goat yoga; agents at Regale Winery; Roaring Camp steam train; Jack London Square, Oakland; Chabot Space Science Center PICTURES: Cesar Rubio/Visit Oakland; VSCC/Walter Scriptunas; Shutterstock
hill among the tree trunks we find the Chabot Space & Science Center – a must for space geeks of any age. I love peeking through telescopes, holding bits of moon rock and clambering into a space capsule.
SANTA CRUZ Many travellers’ second stop as they head south from San Francisco is Monterey, which means they miss out on Santa Cruz – and that’s a lot to miss. This versatile county, just south of Silicon Valley and at the north end of Monterey Bay, has a lot to offer. The town itself is a charmer, centred on a famous Beach Boardwalk with old-fashioned rollercoasters and rides. If it looks familiar, you’ve probably seen it on film, most recently featuring in critically acclaimed horror movie Us.
Beyond the boardwalk, the beach is wide and sandy, and the harbour is home to California’s cutest residents, sea otters. We spot a couple of them reclining among the kelp as we paddle out with Venture Quest Kayaking. Later, we sail out into the swell with Chardonnay Sailing Charters, sipping wine on the deck of the yacht as the sun sets. Farther along the coast at Pleasure Point, we decide to
watch rather than join in with the surfers – when you see these giant breakers rolling into the beach, it’s clear this really is one for the experts. But we don’t hesitate to dive in at the nearby New Bohemia Brewing Company, where owner Dan guides us through his small-batch craft beers. Up in the hills, we move from hops to grapes with a visit to Regale Winery to taste its locally grown pinot noir
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Lucia Campanella, Designer Travel “In Santa Cruz, families can enjoy rides on the Boardwalk, kayaking in the bay, exploring the redwood forest and travelling on the steam train – plus there are plenty of stunning beaches. It would also be a great alternative to Vegas for hen parties, with wine tasting, a sunset cruise and an evening around the campfire.”
Darren Bailey, Jetset Holidays “Quirky, edgy and urban cool, Oakland far surpassed my expectations. I’d encourage customers to consider it as an alternative to San Francisco, or to hop over and spend a night on the calmer, more relaxed side of the bay.”
Adam Brinklow, Tropical Sky “Santa Cruz is a great alternative to Monterey – it’s a classic Californian beach town with impeccable surfing heritage and the iconic Beach Boardwalk where movies from Lost Boys toUshave been filmed. The proximity to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park means customers can tick off another Californian must-see.”
and chardonnay. With its Renaissance looks, formal gardens and bocce ball court, it’s easy to think you’re in Italy, until you hear the warm Californian accents. Just a few miles north of town, the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is home to a 40-acre
grove of old-growth trees. As we walk over the thick carpet of needles among the vast trunks – one so large and hollow we can climb inside it – our guide Lori explains that redwoods are the tallest trees in the world, some of the ones here towering more than 82 metres high. The Roaring Camp Railroad – a narrow gauge steam locomotive – pulls open carriages
through the ancient forest. This state park was created in the 1950s by Samuel Henry Cowell, the eccentric son of a logging magnate, whose desire to conserve the environment was then considered rather…alternative. You can see why he fitted in round here.
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