should i stay in monterey or santa cruz?

It is a really vibrant and colourful area of Santa Barbara, and it reallys really unique. This hostel has comfortable beds, modern amenities and boasts a friendly, welcoming and social atmosphere. Find quality homes and apartments for rent and property management in Santa Clara, San Jose, Monterey and elsewhere in coastal Central California. Id say Santa Cruz is aimed at a younger audience. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Both areas have a lot to do. It will make traffic difficult in that area. Right now, It's all a bit overwhelming so if anyone could help me figure out what's best I would really really appreciate it! With over 14 state parks, wineries, museums, farmer's markets, surfing, shopping, and family fun activities, there are plenty of things to do. Manresa isn't as good for swimming though. I find people to be friendly, generally. Monterey has a temperate climate, with a short, intense rainy season. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. Paso Robles, San Simeon, Morro Bay and Pismo Beach are all within an hour of each other. The town has lots of motels which can sometimes help save on cost (depends when you go as summer is still high in this area as well). Poor second cousin (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? A continental breakfast is also included in each reservation. For things to see on the Monterey Peninsula see, https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g580824-Activities-Monterey_Peninsula_California.html, Santa Cruz is focused more on the Boardwalk or to go see Henry Cowell Redwoods.it also has the ocean, surfing, and a winery section (not as nice as Carmel or Carmel Valley but enough wineries to enjoy in a ery short visit.). Mornings going north, afternoon going south. Day 1: San Francisco to Monterey Be sure to spend some time in San Fran before you leave! See the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row, visit the sandy beaches of Half Moon Bay, and take some time to explore Santa Cruz or Pebble Beach. 831-372 . Santa Cruz and its neighboring towns stretch along 6 miles at the northern edge of the Monterey Bay. Do you own an awesome hostel, hotel or apartment? Show more. Monterey or Santa Cruz. And conversely, if you choose to stay in Monterey, you can see SC on the way there. Visitors to Santa Cruz particularly seem to like the entertainment choices and beaches, which are great ways to discover the local area. Is Santa Cruz or Monterey more expensive? There is a popular surfing spot at Lighthouse Field. Thanks all! Both are stunningly beautiful, but the city beach is safer than the River beach. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-77278122', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Santa Cruz is more of a classic CA beach town with a surf culture and an eclectic downtown. All amenities are in great condition, the beach is right around the corner and the living area is perfect to gather the whole family for dinner after a long and exciting day. There are several Best Westerns in town. It's beautiful there and lots of things to see and do beyond the aquarium. Travel south from here and youll arrive in the busy and buzzing Boardwalk neighbourhood. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. 7855 Monterra Oaks Rd, Monterey, CA 93940 - MLS ML81920539 - Coldwell We are even usually warmer that Pismo Beach because our beaches face south. ISO Ocean front rental or hotel in the Monterey area. I know because I know a lot of them personally, I am always astounded when people still say that Santa Cruz has a 'hippie vibe."downtown. Don't know if your kids would be that interested in that, mine were 20 and 17 so it was different for us. The Comfort Inn hotel in Watsonville, CA is near Capitola Beach, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Monterey Bay Aquarium offering free hot breakfast & more! The Ultimate Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Planner Should we. Henry Cowell is 15 minutes away. Thanks SO much :). A great way to access transportation options in Santa Cruz is to visit www.Cruz511.org. 10:00 am start in Santa Cruz drive for about 47 minutes. The Broke Backpacker's Head of Administration, Art hails from North Florida where the elevation fails to reach even 5 meters. It is the bordering town to Monterey. Walking in Carmel reminded me of being in a European town with it's interesting storefronts, side streets and small nooks and crannies. Should I: Stay at a hotel in Santa Cruz?. This is a much nicer route than I-5, which is really boring. Compare 580 hotels in Santa Cruz using 17,179 real guest reviews. Visiting the coolest area of Santa Cruz requires staying at an even cooler place. The beach at Capitola Village is good - there are a lot of shops and restaurants just off the beach, so that can be fun. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better room in a better location than at the Wayfarer (12 E. Montecito St., 805/845-1000, dorm beds $50-90, private rooms $200-300). You also have the Boardwalk, which is a seaside amusement park - rides, including an historic wooden roller coaster, games, waffle cones. Part of the trip will include a trip up hwy 1. We stayed in Cambria overnight, it took about 4hours to get there. We watched it that morning and DS said it was his favorite gift. As a matter of fact I purchased the ProShow Gold DVD slideshow software and made a 35 min show with music and gave to my kids on Xmas. Even at its warmest, the ocean along the California coast remains cool compared to beaches in the tropics or even Florida. There are plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs nearby, and the beach is just a short walk away. Top 7 Historic Hotels In Monterey, California | Trip101 Monterey Hotel Deals; Edited to add that near Henry Cowell state park is Roaring Camp Railroad, which is a narrow gauge steam train that takes people on rides through the redwoods. It is our pick for the best neighbourhood to stay in Santa Cruz if youre visiting for the first time because it has plenty of cultural attractions; is packed with bars, restaurants and shops; and, allows for easy access throughout the city and the wider county. Email [emailprotected] to find out how. Were not sure if theyre closed for good but we hope theyll come back soon. See the ruins of the S.S. Palo Alto Concrete Ship. The Santa Cruz area includes the towns of Santa Cruz, Aptos, Capitola, and Soquel. It has 63 spacious rooms, free wifi and an outdoor pool. Th most breathtaking of Highway 1 is when you leave the Cambria area for the next 2hours. What's it like to live in Carmel or Monterey on the Pacific - Quora I will definitely check into the train ride. Should we. You can whale watch from either town. I hear the beaches there are nice so we're considering Twin Lakes State Beach & Manresa. Thank you so much for the advice, I think my kids will probably be ready for more beach and less scenery so we will stay in Santa Cruz. Rooms are equipped with A/C and also feature hair dryers, showers and ceiling fans. I can't tell you the length of time from Cambria to Santa Cruz as we stopped along the way for pics and had lunch at (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Pacific Grove is a really cute town right in between with bunches of Bed and Breakfasts. Where to Stay in Monterey or Carmel, CA: The Best Hotels Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California - Located deep in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it is California's oldest state park. Santa Cruz is just a 45-minute drive from the historic waterfront town of Monterey and is situated alongside the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of the largest marine sanctuaries in the United States.This protected ocean environment extends for 276 miles along the coastline and provides habitat for 36 . Santa Cruz seamlessly blends its relaxed beach lifestyle with a vibrant culture and some high tech industry. Founded on June 3, 1770, it was the capital of Alta California under both Spain and Mexico. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. In addition, between Monterey and Santa Cruz, you should visit Elkhorn Slough, where you can either rent kayahs or take a 'safari' boat trip out into the slough to see the vast amount of sea life. Road Trip from Santa Barbara to San Francisco - LazyTrips The aquarium is but one attraction in that area. Its kind of a funky sort of place, a bit off-beat. Monterey has more going for it than Santa Cruz in terms of things to do as one can easily do Carmel, Pacific Grove, Carmel Valley, and Big Sur from there too. Rooms come complete with A/C and include refrigerators. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-63172993', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Nepenthe. Hi - I'm traveling to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? My biggest problem is finding rooms that accommodate 6. How do I get from San Jose to Santa Cruz without a car? - 2023 Flora Vista Inn is one of our favourites in Santa Cruz, California but theyre not taking guests right now. I'd love to see that hippie vibe back in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Wake up early and enjoy the beautiful view of the sea, beach and wharf right from your window. But because it is farther out, it is great for beach combing because there aren't as many people - sometimes very few people. If youre still not sure where to stay in Santa Cruz, consider checking out these amazing treehouses in California! 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