Plan a road trip through coastal forests and scenic towns.
A road trip through coastal forests and scenic towns
In many ways, experiencing the real Santa Cruz requires getting out of town: driving up the coast to where ranchers first settled; getting out into the redwoods where one of the region’s biggest industries, logging, once thrived; and visiting vineyards that were planted surprisingly long ago.
We’ve planned a driving loop that allows you to venture into the Santa Cruz area’s rural past while enjoying the fruits of its hip, culinarily savvy and decidedly laid-back present.
Above all, it’s a beautiful drive, yet one that doesn’t require a lot of seat time. Our suggested route goes in a clockwise direction, but you could just as well travel the other way — especially given Santa Cruz’s counterculture predilections.
Start
1. Wilder Ranch State Park. You’re just a stone’s throw from Santa Cruz’s city limits, yet the drive along a short stretch of Highway 1 feels like going back in time. Keep an eye out for the Wilder Ranch sign; this wellpreserved historical site lies shrouded in trees down below the highway and is easy to miss. Originally a swath of pastureland serving the needs of Mission Santa Cruz, Wilder Ranch gained its name in 1871, when Delos D. Wilder and a partner bought the land, with Wilder turning his eventual share into a prosperous dairy farm. The Wilder family ran the farm until 1969. Proposals for a housing development soon emerged, but Santa Cruz County citizens voted to turn the farm into an open-space preserve; it became a state park in 1974. In addition to the original Wilder house — a large, attractive Victorian built in 1897 — the park includes adobe buildings from the 1850s, when the property still was part of Rancho Refugio. These historic buildings, as well as livestock-filled barns, lush gardens and inviting picnic benches, make Wilder Ranch a pleasant destination for a brief visit, especially for families with young children — the sheep are usually a big hit. Those wanting to stay longer can access 34 miles of hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trails that wind through the park’s 7,000 acres. Wilder Ranch State Park, Open 8 a.m. to sunset daily. 1401 Old Coast Road, Santa Cruz; (831) 423-9703.
Davenport
About 6 miles north of Wilder Ranch, up a green corridor of unpopulated coastline, sometimes referred to as the Cabrillo Highway, you’ll come to the village founded by whaler John Davenport in 1867. Here you’ll find a great lunch spot, a tasting room and a cool place to hang out and breathe in the ocean air — all along Highway 1. Cross the road and gaze at the pristine white sands of Davenport Beach.
2. Davenport Roadhouse: In 1906, a general store was erected at 1 Davenport Ave. Referred to as the Cash Store, it served as the town’s meeting place until it burned down in 1953. Another building was erected on the site in 1977. After a renovation in 2006, it became the Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant and Inn. Owner John Fritz sees his establishment — which features a bar, a cafe, a restaurant, a store and a 12-room inn — as serving the same purpose it did more than a century ago. “It is a hub for the local area,” he says. Pastry chef Joseph Moorehead, who trained at the French Culinary Institute, fills the cafe counter with breakfast and dessert items. Ready-made sandwiches are also on offer, as well a full assortment of coffee drinks. For a more substantial lunch, the restaurant features what Fritz calls “California coastal cuisine,” from breaded Monterey Bay calamari to wood-fired pizza to fisherman’s stew. You’ll also find wine and beers from the area. There is live music on Tuesday and Saturday nights, as well as a full-service bar; it is a roadhouse, after all. 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tues.-Sun. until 3 p.m. Mon. 1 Davenport Ave., Davenport; (831) 426-8801. www.davenportroadhouse.com. 3. Bonny Doon Vineyard Tasting Room: The sign outside the attractive white building at 450 Highway 1 in Davenport reads: “Dances, early motion pictures, and social affairs took place in the hall.” Today, people drink wine. For much of the 20th century, Davenport residents congregated at Foresters Hall. It burned down in 1997. Though a facsimile was built using historical records, the building was reimagined as an art gallery with a residential loft space. Art remains on its walls, but Foresters Gallery is home to the Bonny Doon Vineyard Tasting Room. The simple, white exterior doesn’t prepare you for the riot of colors on the inside. Resplendent in bright reds and vibrant yellows, the original artwork from Bonny Doon Vineyard’s irreverent wine labels cover the green walls, lending the space an art gallery look. It is an inviting place to sample a few of the 40 wines on offer. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun. 450 Hwy. 1, Davenport; (831) 471-8031. www.bonnydoonvineyard.com.
4. Slowcoast: A vintage Airstream trailer along with a large sign emblazoned with the word “Slowcoast” sit on the grass-covered plot between the Davenport Roadhouse and the Bonny Doon Vineyard Tasting Room. The sign advertises a movement committed to the enjoyment and celebration of the 50-mile stretch of coast between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. It was was founded by Wallace J. Nichols, a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences and author of “Blue Mind,” a best-selling exploration of the health benefits of water immersion. In addition to serving as Slowcoast’s headquarters, the Airstream site is a spot to relax at tables, on couches or on hay bales. Inside the Airstream is the coolest little gift shop you’ll ever see. No purchase is necessary to enjoy the ambience. Visitors are encouraged to grab a bottle of wine at Bonny Doon Vineyard or a coffee and some food from the Davenport Roadhouse and just hang out. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.–Sun. 450 Hwy. 1, Davenport; (831) 252-0338. www.slowcoast.org.
Bonny Doon
Backtrack just a bit south on Highway 1, then proceed east on Bonny Doon Road. This is a memorable stretch of curvy road, one for driving aficionados to savor. Lined with majestic redwood trees, it quickly transports you into an environment far removed from the coastal plain below. Given the inevitable reverie this forest setting induces, it’s easy to drive through Bonny Doon without noticing it. The folks that live here (fewer than 3,000) like it that way. No wonder the place attracts artists, writers and iconoclasts of all persuasions.
5. Beauregard Vineyards: About 4½ miles up Bonny Doon Road, where it intersects with Pine Flat Road, you’ll see a large wood cabin on your right. Constructed more than a century ago, this handsome building is a historic landmark that started out as a general store and then, more famously, became the Lost Weekend Bar. Today it is home to Beauregard Vineyards. The Beauregards have been growing grapes in the area since 1945; today, they have 63 acres of planted vines, most in the Ben Lomond Mountain American Viticultural Area. “It is the smallest and most undiscovered AVA in California,” explains winemaker Ryan Beauregard. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Winery tours Sat. and Sun. by appointment. 10 Pine Flat Road, Bonny Doon; (831) 425-7777. www.beauregardvineyards.com.
6. Leeds Gallery: Look for a sign on the east side of Empire Grade Road just past Ice Cream Grade Road, then follow a gravel
driveway to Leeds Gallery. Open the gate and get ready to be blown away. Mattie Leeds has created a sculpture garden with a fanciful array of pieces ensconced in dense vegetation. It stands testament to his fervent creativity and voluminous productivity. The garden is positively teeming with ceramic pieces, many of them gigantic, giving the place a surrealist feel. Behold the Great Wall of Chop Suey, a crazily mixed assortment of broken pottery, glass, rocks and various found objects, including the tailgate off an old Ford pickup. In the studio, Leeds throws, fires and paints all his own work. Visitors are welcome to stop by during business hours and on the weekends, but Leeds encourages folks to call or e-mail ahead to make sure he’s there. As for purchasing his work, Leeds says, “If it isn’t cemented down, it’s for sale.” 7258 Empire Grade, Santa Cruz; (831) 429-8123. www.mattieleeds.com. 7. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park: On the drive over to Felton from Bonny Doon, you would be remiss if you didn’t stop for at least a short hike in the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park — these giant trees define so much of the rural Santa Cruz experience. A parking lot for the Fall Creek Unit of the park is on the north side of Felton Empire Road, not far past the intersection with Empire Grade Road, which takes you down from Bonny Doon. There is no charge to park in this dirt lot. A quick jaunt along one of the fern-lined trails is enough to give you a sense of the place — and see a banana slug or two. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (Fall Creek Unit), open dawn to dusk daily, 1400 Felton Empire Road, Felton; (831) 335-4598. www.parks.ca.gov.
Felton
Founded by former Oakland Mayor John B. Felton, Felton has its roots in logging. It served as the end point for a log flume from nearby Boulder Creek. Today, it’s best known as the terminus of the Roaring Camp Railroad, a steam-powered railroad line that travels from Santa Cruz to a reconstructed logging camp just south of downtown Felton. But Felton has other things going for it. Well preserved, the downtown area is a great place to take a stroll, and Covered Bridge County Park is delightful. Felton can also be considered a culinary destination, thanks to the White Raven cafe and the newly opened Cremer House.
8. The White Raven: Where the Felton Empire Road ends, civilization begins. Fortunately, civilization has its rewards, coffee being one of them (along with cell reception). Just south of this juncture, in an old building full of character, the White Raven claims to be first coffeehouse in the San Lorenzo Valley and “the best little pourhouse in Felton.” A blend of hippie funkiness and artsy sophistication, the White Raven is the archetypal Santa Cruz cafe. You’ll find UC Santa Cruz students mingling with locals and visiting spiritual healers. Fortunately, the White Raven is serious about its coffee preparation. The White Raven, 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.Sun. 253 Hwy. 9, Felton; (831) 335-3611. www.awhiteraven.com.
9. The Cremer House: Constructed by Thomas Cremer in 1874, the Cremer House is the oldest building in downtown Felton. For many decades it was known as the Grand Central Hotel, featuring a restaurant, a bar and boarding house run by Cremer and his wife, Margaret. Current owners Bob Locatelli and Emily Thomas spent 21⁄2 years restoring the building, setting the stage for what they call “an American Restaurant & Alehouse.” Photos of the building in its Grand Central Hotel lend a distinctly historical bent to the place. But the first thing you notice is the enormous 25-tap copper draft kettle in the bar. In addition to a wide variety of local beers, many of them from Locatelli’s Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing label, ciders and wines are on offer, as are homemade sodas. The Cremer House leverages Thomas’ experience with nearby New Leaf Market, resulting in a menu of hearty American classics with an emphasis on local, organic produce and sustainably harvested meats. Depending on when you arrive, you could opt for the tasting menu or dinner. Either way, the fried chicken looks irresistible. Lunch Wed.-Sun., tasting menu 3-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun., dinner nightly. 6256 Hwy. 9, Felton; (831) 335-3976. www.cremerhouse.com.