California Coast: Carmel-by-the-Sea to Santa Cruz Driving Tour
Interested in being your own tour guide? I have over 20 published GPS audio tours with VoiceMap (Carmel, Monterey, California Gold Country, Folsom, Tahoe, Sacramento) and over 40 tours published with GPSmyCity (Carmel, Monterey, Big Sur, Folsom, Sacramento, Pacific Grove, Cinque Terre, Kotor Montenegro, Copenhagen). Happy Adventures!
If you are interested in this driving tour as an audio tour, our companion audio tour will be available the end of February 2021 on VoiceMap. Tours are listed under Monterey Peninsula and Santa Cruz. To use VoiceMap, you will need to download the VoiceMap app from Apple Store or Google Play. This app is free, there is a charge for the audio driving tour. Happy Adventures and enjoy the tour!
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This tour, which begins in the parking lot of Mission Ranch located at 26270
Dolores Street, Carmel-By-The-Sea, is a collaboration between me and my VoiceMap
partner Dale Byrne. Dale lives in Carmel and is the founder of Carmel Cares, a non-profit dedicated to keeping Carmel beautiful, safe and inviting. We both encourage mindful behavior for locals and tourists to protect his incredible part of the world. You will find our catalog of walking and driving tours at VoiceMap.
1850's Farm House
You should be parked in the parking lot of the Mission Ranch. Back in the late 1800s this was a dairy ranch run by the Martin Family. Their ranch house was the white two-story house with the sign that reads 1850s Farm House.
During the mid 1940s the grounds and buildings were used for a recreation club and then as an Officer's Club during World War II.
In 1950, off duty from Fort Ord, twenty-one year old Clint Eastwood made his way to Mission Ranch where it was love at first sight. Thirty-six years later Clint purchased Mission Ranch, saving it from being developed into 60 plus residential units.
Bunk House
Clint Eastwood, who still owns the Mission Ranch Inn and Restaurant, renovated the resort, preserving it with the flavor and façade of the 1850s, thus keeping this historic property essentially, "locked in time." You can learn more about this inn on our Carmel Mission Area Walking Tour.
Alright it is time to get going on our driving tour. Exit the Mission Ranch parking lot and turn right on Dolores Street.
Fr. Junipero Serra (Convento Museum Carmel)
There is a charge for admission to visit the Carmel Mission Basilica or
museums. Tickets are available inside the Mission Gift Store. If you are interested in visiting the Carmel Mission, you may park along Lasuen or in the parking area in front of the Gift Store which is to the left of the mission main gate.
From the Carmel Mission, make a left after the stop sign onto Rio Road and use the left turn lane to turn left onto Santa Lucia. Continue straight on Santa Lucia for three blocks, then turn right onto Dolores Street. We are going to drive through the "Golden Rectangle" Carmel's highly desirable residential area where the typical 1,600 square foot home can sell for over $2 million dollars.
Continue straight, we will be on Dolores for nine blocks. And use caution at each intersection even if there is no stop sign.
You may have heard about Carmel’s Fairy Tale Houses built by Hugh Comstock
in the 1920s. We will be driving through
the area with the highest concentration of these houses shortly. But in two blocks on the northeast corner of
Eleventh Avenue you will have the opportunity to view Marchen Haus, this
Comstock built in 1926, it is a Tudor Fairy Tale style cottage. Look for the name Marchen Haus on the gate by the street sign.
Carmel-by-the-Sea has a rich history and you may read more about this history on my blog Carmel City (1852 to 1910) or take one of our numerous walking tours of Carmel.
Frank Devendorf and Frank Powers
After the stop sign at Eighth Street you enter the heart of Carmel's downtown
commercial district. Take note of the wide variety of commercial designs that
line the next two blocks of Dolores. Originally the buildings here housed Carmel’s Post Office,
Police Station, City Hall, and the Pine Cone newspaper. Today you find wine rooms, art galleries, and
restaurants.
Inspired by the Old World charm of Spain the buildings on the corner ahead were
built in 1928 and house the popular restaurants La Bicyclette and Little
Napoli.
Next on your right, built in 1926 by Comstock for $1,200 is Carmel's iconic landmark the Tuck Box. Along this block you will also find wine rooms, a park, art galleries, and specialty stores.
At the stop sign ahead, watch for pedestrians and carefully cross Ocean Avenue. Then turn right onto Sixth Avenue.
We will pass two restaurants, which are favorites of Carmelites, the Village
Corner and Flaherty's Seafood both owned by Ken Spilfogel.
Continue through the next intersection. Then coming up on your right is Devendorf Park, named after Carmel's co-founder, Frank Devendorf.
September 11th Memorial
Up ahead we will enter the Comstock's Historic Hill District and the largest concentration of Comstock's Fairy Tale cottages. I will point out a few.
After you pass through the intersection ahead, on your left will be Comstock's Tudor Storybook style personal residence. The cute house next door was originally his studio office.
Look to your right for the light colored one story with teal colored trim. The gate has glass panels. Honeymoon Cottage was built by Comstock in 1928.
This was built in 1939, by a former mayor of Carmel, Allen Knight for his nautical collection. Today it is a private residence.
Continue straight on Guadalupe. We will be on this street for four blocks. Our next turn is a right onto Second Avenue then a left onto Carpenter Street.
Continue straight on Carpenter, past the Vendange Carmel Inn and Carpenter Street will veer to the right. This is the route most Carmelites use to enter and exit Carmel as it avoids the traffic on Ocean Avenue. Stay on Carpenter. In 1/4 mile turn left onto Highway 1 North.
Continue straight on Highway 1 past the Highway 68 West exit sign on your right up ahead. This exit leads to Pebble Beach, the 17 Mile Drive and Pacific Grove.
Shortly you will descend Carmel Hill toward Monterey, and on a clear day the bay should come into view.
Continue straight on Highway 1 past the next exit, 399B. We are not stopping here, but this is the exit for Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row in Monterey. We have created two fun walking tours for this area; both are listed under Monterey Peninsula. In this tours you will learn about the roll Monterey played in the history of California. But here is a very short summary.
Before the Spaniards arrived, the Rumsien native peoples inhabited this area and would be the first native people to be seen and documented by the Spanish explorers in Northern California.
In 1542, Spanish explorer Juan Rodgriquez Cabrillo is credited with being the first European to visit this part of Central California. Upon entering what would become Monterey Bay, he named it Bahia de Los Pinos or Bay of the Pines.
Sixty years after Cabrillo, Sebastian Vizcaino landed here and renamed the area Puerto de Monterey and claimed the land for Spain in 1602.
In 1770 Gaspar de Portola and Franciscan priest Junipero Serra arrived at Monterey Bay. Fr. Serra established mission San Carlos de Borromeo in Monterey that year and in 1771 moved the mission, now commonly known as Carmel Mission Basilica, to its present location, which we drove by at the beginning of this tour.
Officers of Commodore Sloat raise the U.S. flag over Monterey
By 1778, Monterey had become the capital of Alta California. The Spanish would rule until 1821 when Mexico took over. On July 7, 1846 during the Battle of Monterey, Captain Sloat captured Monterey unopposed and claimed California for the United States. Four year later California became the thirty-first state of the Union.
Continue driving north on Highway 1, while I tell you about a man who would become one of Monterey County's largest land owners.
David Jacks (1822-1909)
The story goes like this. After California was admitted into the Union, land grant owners were required to authenticate their claims. This was a difficult task, many land grants ended up sold for pennies on the dollar. And David Jacks took full advantage of this opportunity.
In 1853 Delos Ashley was hired to help legalize title to 30,000 acres of land on the Monterey Peninsula. Ashley was successful, but when the City of Monterey could not pay for his services, Ashley suggested they auction the land.
Ashley and Jacks were the only two bidders, purchasing the land for around $1000 in 1859. Ten years later, Ashley sold his interest to Jacks.
By 1903 Jacks owned about 60,000 acres of Monterey County, including what are today parts of Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Pebble Beach as well as the communities you are driving through now, Del Rey Oaks, Seaside, and Fort Ord.
Ohlone (by Louis Choris)
What is now this asphalt highway at one time thousands of years ago was used as a hunting ground for the Ohlone Native Americans. In the 1770s the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition camped here. During the 1800s the area was used for cattle, dairy and farming and from 1917 to 1994 it was a U.S. Army facility.
Our next turn off is Exit 406 Lightfighter Drive. While you drive I want to take you back to April of 1917, when the War Department purchased 15,000 acres of land right here from the heirs of David Jacks. Camp Gigling, as it was called, served as a maneuver area and artillery field for Monterey Presidio regiments.
In 1933, the site was renamed Camp Ord in honor of Union Army Major General Edward Ord, and improvements began with the construction of administrative buildings, and barracks.
On July 1, 1940, the War Department activated the 7th Infantry Division here under the command of General Joseph Stilwell. The horse-drawn 76th Field Artillery became the first unit of this new division. 1,400 horses were housed in temporary corrals until fort stables were completed in 1941. A few of these buildings have been preserved and now serve as the Marina Equestrian Center.
In 1941, Camp Ord became Fort Ord and operated as a training center. During the Korean War years, television and film actors Clint Eastwood, Martin Milner, and David Janssen served their basic training here. Other Fort Ord soldiers of note include Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, musician Jerry Garcia and actor Leonard Nimoy.
During the Vietnam War Fort Ord was a major staging area for units departing for Asia, and home to basic combat and advanced infantry training for over half a million soldiers.
The base was decommissioned in 1991, and closed three years later. Between 1940 and 1975 an estimated 1.5 million soldiers trained there. And to any serviceperson who passed through this base I would just like to take this time to say, Thank you for your service.
Shortly off to your left you should see white cement bunkers buried in the sand dunes. These were part of Distance Firing Range 8 one of the 15 ranges at Fort Ord. Currently the bunkers are part of the Fort Ord State Park.
The 1.5 million soldiers who trained here over the years left an archive of bullets, artillery projectiles, rockets, hand grenades, land mines and dynamite in the soil. In 1994 the Fort Ord Reuse Authority was established to redevelop the former military installation.
And today, a quarter century later, after crews removed nearly 50,000 pounds of munitions debris many of the acres have been cleared for civilian reuse.
Some of these new uses include the campus of California State University Monterey Bay and Fort Ord Dunes State Park.
Exit to your right and continue up the off ramp. At the intersection turn right onto Lightfighter Drive. We are on our way to Fort Ord Dunes State Park.
Stay to your left and continue through the first stop signal. At the next stop signal use the left lane to turn left onto 2nd Avenue.
Stay to the left. After the first stop sign, continue past the California State Monterey Bay Otter Sports Complex and turn left onto Divarty Street.
Fort Ord Dunes State Park was created during the clean up by the Fort Ord Reuse Authority. The serenity of this oceanfront park makes it hard to believe that at one time this was a firing range and that over 719,000 pieces of spent ammunition were removed from the sand there.
Continue straight, on your right will be two-story dilapidated buildings, these are old Fort Ord army barracks.
Whereas today if you decide to visit Fort Ord State park, the only reminders of
this former artillery range and military base will be information plaques
and abandoned bunkers.
Yet this peaceful area has a somber feel, as one can’t help but think that some of the men and women who trained here on this beautiful beach bluff never returned from war, paying the ultimate price for our freedom.
8th Street
Turn left onto 8th Street and cross over Highway 1 to the entrance of Fort Ord Dunes State Park. The parking area is open from 8 am to sunset daily.
Use the left turn lane to turn left after the stop sign onto Second Avenue. Continue straight on 2nd. In 1/2 mile, it will be after you pass the shopping center, use the outer left-hand lane to turn left onto Imjin Parkway.
Continue straight and stay in the right lane and use the right lane to enter Highway 1 North.
We are on our way to Pezzini Farms in Castroville, home of the Green Globe artichoke. Native to the Mediterranean, this large thistle-like plant grown, for its edible fleshy flower head, is delicious served hot or cold, boiled or fried, with or without sauce.
In the 1920s Italian immigrant Valentino Pezzini first planted his Italian
native, Green Globe artichoke, in Half Moon Bay. Later he moved his farm to the
Odello Ranch in Carmel. In 1944 Valentino and his son Guido were ready to
branch off from the Odello's, and started their own garden of silvery-green
artichokes on 300 acres in Castroville.
In 1958, the same year that Tony Pezzini was born, his father Guido opened the families first roadside produce stand on Highway 156. This became a very popular stop for locals and visitors traveling to the Monterey Peninsula from San Jose. I know my family never passed the stand without stopping to buy a few artichokes!
Pezzini Farms Boxed Artichokes
In 1974 after Highway 1 from Santa Cruz to Monterey was completed, Guido opened a roadside stand on Nashua Road down the street from their home. Tony took over the business in 1983 and continues to run the ranch with his wife and sons. They produce and pack over 80,000 artichokes annually.
As we continue along the highway just before we get to the turn off for Pezzini's we enter the town of Salinas. It is known not only as the hometown of writer and Nobel
laureate John Steinbeck, but also as the "Salad Bowl of the World"
because of its thriving agriculture industry.
How did this land become a colorful patchwork of rich agricultural fields? Well if it had been up to Monterey County Assessor W. P. McGarvey it never would have. In 1865 Mr. McGarvey concluded that the climate, soils, landscape and proximity to water sources would prevent Monterey County from ever becoming a productive agricultural community. He couldn't have been more wrong.
Frankly, it is northern Monterey County’s proximity to the coast, its temperate climate and highly fertile soils that have unquestionably contributed to this areas proud tradition of farming and agriculture since the mid-1800s.
Monterey county utilizes two types of agricultural systems. They are called extensive and intensive.
Extensive agriculture requires a low level of labor and capital and is used mainly for cattle grazing, dairy farming and grain production.
Intensive agriculture requires more capital, higher levels of labor, and more technology, such as the use of irrigation. The first intensive crop grown on a large scale here in Monterey county were Claus Spreckels sugar beets in the late 1860s. We will hear more about him later on this tour.
Brussel Sprouts
Today Monterey county agriculture grows over 150 crops, contributes over $4 billion per year to the county’s economy and produces a large percentage of our nation’s food supply. In 2019 the top crops grown here were leaf lettuce, strawberries, head lettuce and broccoli.
Stay in the right lane and keep driving straight. You should be able to see the white building out in the middle of the fields in the distance off to your right, that's Pezzini's.
Use the right lane to exit 414A at Nashau Road if you would like to visit Pezzini's. At the stop sign turn right onto Nashau Road. Then right into Pezzini Farms parking area.
Take some time to enjoy this family run farm stand, a local favorite! There is also a public restroom here.
When you are ready, exit the parking lot and turn left back
on to Nashua Road and follow the signs for Highway 1 North. We are headed to
downtown Castroville.
Once on Highway 1, stay in the right lane and follow the signs for 156 East to Castroville. Then stay to the right for Exit 414B to Highway 156 East to Castroville and San Jose.
We are on our way to downtown Castroville and a favorite childhood roadside attraction of mine, the World's Largest Artichoke. It is one of just 195 roadside attractions across the United States that can claim to be the worlds largest! And I'm sure you'll agree when you see it that it is right up there with your states World's Largest Roadside Attraction.
At the stop signal use the left lane to turn left onto CA-183, also called Merritt Street in this location. Continue in the center lane and cross over Highway 156 into downtown Castroville.
As you cross back over the freeway, look ahead and to your right for the Giant Artichoke restaurant sign.
Alright, don't all gasp at once at its awesomeness.
Giant Artichoke April 2020 (obviously)
I am taking you down the main street in Castroville because since the highway bypassed it years ago, Merritt Street gets few visitors, and this hardworking farming town deserves more attention.
Castroville was founded in 1863 by Juan Batista Castro. Juan laid out the town of Castroville and then created a lottery to give away 100 of the town lots to any person who would clear the land and build a home. By 1875 the town had 900 residents, two hotels, two churches, and three saloons.
As you approach the next intersection, take a look at the banner overhead
proclaiming Castroville as the Artichoke Center of the World.
Today with a population of over 6,500, Castroville is largely centered around agriculture. 100 percent of all artichokes grown commercially in the United States are grown in California and three-fourths of those are grown here in Castroville.
Artichoke.org
Up until 2009, Castroville was the home to the Artichoke Festival. This popular festival, which serves up everything artichoke, includes a parade, cooking demonstrations, wine tasting, car and art show now takes place on at the Monterey County Fair Grounds each summer. A highlight includes crowning the Artichoke Queen. The first queen crowned in 1948 was Norma Jeane Mortenson, most know her as Marilyn Monroe.
Keep going straight on Merritt and shortly the town will give way to agricultural fields and the junction for Highway 1 North to Santa Cruz.
At the junction up ahead, turn right onto Highway 1 north toward Santa Cruz. As you travel along this section of Highway 1. Take a look diagonally to your right. In the distance you will see two tall cement stacks. That is the Moss Landing Power Plant.
Constructed in 1949 by Pacific Gas & Electric, not only are they landmarks to visitors traveling by land or by sea, but for nearly half a century these 500-foot twin stacks churned out enough electricity to power millions of homes and businesses. PG & E sold the plant in 1998 and there have been a few owners since. Though the latest owners, Dynegy continues to produce power through two small units that came online in 2002, they pulled the plug on the two large stacks in December 2017 due to their inefficiency.
Up ahead on your left you will pass by two farm fresh roadside stands, Thistle Hut and Barn Fresh Produce.
One-half mile after Barn Fresh Produce we will turn off the freeway at Portrero Road to visit Moss Landing.
This sleepy town is located about midway along Monterey Bay, at the mouth of the Elkhorn Slough, and the head of the Monterey Bay Submarine Canyon.
Monterey Bay Submarine Canyon
Up ahead on your left after the cemetery, you will pass the Moss Landing marine Laboratories.
Captain's Inn
This tiny little hamlet was named after Texas ship captain Charles Moss. Moss brought his family here to homestead in 1866.
Moss and his partner Portuguese whaler Cato Vierra constructed a 200 foot landing and made a good business shipping all kinds of products north to San Francisco.
Every day, whale-watching, sport fishing and Elkhorn Slough tours leave this harbor heading out to sea.
After the stop sign next to the Whole Enchilada carefully turn left onto Highway 1 going north.
The dairy sits between Elkhorn Slough and a eucalyptus grove planted in the early 1900s. The area is great for birdwatching. For this reason, the Calcagno's allow visitors. But since it is a private ranch, access could be closed at anytime. I also do not recommend driving down the ranch road after a heavy rain as you risk getting your car stuck in the mud.
There are no formal tours here, but as you drive through the ranch to the parking area you may observe some of the farming activity and you will see a lot of cows.
It is also a great place to observe large groups of migrating birds. During the fall and spring, the tops of the eucalyptus trees are filled with migrating Great Blue Heron and Great Egret, it is quite a site. Last November I came across a flock of hundreds of noisy tricolored blackbirds that filled the trees. It really depends on the season and what is passing through.
Empty nests in eucalyptus trees
In the late 1700s the Spanish would introduce cattle to these oak-covered
hills. In the mid-1800s, American
farmers turned this acreage into pastureland and in the early 1900s oyster
farms sprang up here along the slough.
By the early 1940s, the Kaiser Refractory plant would bring heavy industry to these shores, extracting magnesium from seawater for the manufacture of heat-resistant bricks. And finally in 1949 PG&E built that big power plant I already told you about.
It can be said that over the last several thousand years Elkhorn Slough has supported a number of diverse communities and a variety of business ventures.
In 1971, the Nature Conservancy purchased an area of the slough wetlands for conservation. Public and private partners continued to acquire wetland and upland areas which led to its designation in 1979 as the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.
In 2012, the Nature Conservancy transferred ownership of the majority of its holdings to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation which continues to manage the land and harbors.
Renowned for its outstanding birding, kayaking and hiking opportunities, Elkhorn Slough provides a critical habitat for more than 135 aquatic birds, 550 marine invertebrate, and over 100 fish species as well as a diverse number of plants.
Designated a Ramsar site in 2018, this intergovernmental environmental organization established by UNESCO provides for the conservation of the slough wetlands and sustainable use of their resources.
A bit further down Highway 1 you will notice two palm trees. Underneath them is a yellow
Arts and Crafts-style home with a peaked roof.
This is the historic Struve Dairy, named after Danish immigrant Hans Struve, a grain farmer who arrive here around 1860 and lived in this home.
You are about 40 miles into this driving tour.
Shortly you will cross from Monterey into Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz
was one of the original counties of California. Initially named
Branciforte, after a Spanish Pueblo, the name was later changed to Santa Cruz
which means Holy Cross in Spanish.
Santa Cruz county has over 29 miles of coastline and extends 10 miles inland to the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. We will be traveling along the coast and visit Aptos and Capitola before arriving in the city of Santa Cruz.
After you cross under the overpass for West Riverside Drive in Watsonville, watch for a dilapidated two-story Queen Anne Victorian house sitting right in the middle of an agricultural field. This is the Redman-Hirahara Farmstead.
This home was constructed for James Redman by William Weeks in 1897. Weeks, one of California’s most prolific
architects designed hundreds of buildings during his career, many of which were
high schools, banks and libraries are still in use today.
In the 1930s this home passed to the Hirahara family, one of the first Japanese-American households to own farmland in the area. After Pearl Harbor the Hirahara family was sent to an internment camp, but they were able to maintain ownership of their farm and after the war returned to their home.
Redman-Hirahara House (National Register)
In 1998 this home was added to the National Registry of Historic Places and in 2005 purchased by the Redman-Hirahara Foundation which currently farms the land around the home. When the foundation raises enough money to restore the home, they plan on transforming it into a Visitor and Cultural Education center.
Our next stop is in 2 and 1/2 miles at Clearview Orchard apple farm. This working apple farm, which grows certified organic Fuji, Honey Crisp and Mutsu apples, is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm during apple season, which runs September through October.
Clearview Fuji
If you happen to be taking this tour on a weekend during apple season, and you would like to experience picking your own apples right off the tree this detour off the highway is for you.
Use the right lane to exit Highway 1 at Exit 428 Buena Vista Drive if you want to visit Clearview Orchards farm, otherwise continue along Highway 1.
At the end of the off ramp, turn right onto Buena Vista Drive, then make an immediate left onto Lower Trabing Road, which turns into Trabing Road.
The entrance to the farm stand is about ½ mile down this road. If the gate is open the farm stand is open. Trabing Road has no outlet, so you will be coming back in this direction to get back onto Highway 1.
Look for the driveway off to your right and stop here at the Clear View Orchards Apple Barn to purchase your fresh produce or arrange to pick your own if it is apple season.
When you are finished picking apples at Clear View Orchards, turn left back onto Trabing Road. Continue straight, we are headed back the way we came to resume traveling north on Highway 1.
Claus built his first sugar refinery in 1867 and used some of the wealth he acquired from this venture to purchase the former Mexican land grant Rancho Aptos in 1872.
It was here in Aptos that he built another sugar refinery and began to experiment with growing sugar beets. In 1888 he established the Western Beet Sugar Company in Watsonville, and a few years later moved his main operation to the Salinas area where the town of Spreckels would form around his Sugar Company factory.
Between 1884 and 1924, Redwood timber harvesting became a major industry in Aptos. Most of the lumber came from what is today the Nisene Marks State Park.
Sitting on the eastern edge of the city of Aptos, this park consists of 10,000 acres of majestic old-growth coast redwood. But just a mere century ago most of the redwoods were gone, clear-cut for split stuff and tanbark.
Redwood logging actually began here around 1850 with oxen teams dragging wooden skids laden with timber down the hillsides. In 1882, the Loma Prieta Lumber Company convinced Southern Pacific Railroad to build a dedicated branch line to their lumber company and a year later this railroad line was hauling huge redwood logs to mills in the surrounding area. In 1924, after processing 140 million board feet of redwood from the forest, the Loma Prieta Mill was dismantled and closed.
In the early 1950s Monterey County rancher and real estate investor Nisene Marks purchased the holdings of the Loma Prieta Lumber company. In 1963, the Marks family deeded the land to the State for use as a public park.
Today, after years of forest regeneration and preservation efforts, about 80% of this park is again covered in magnificent coast redwood. Shortly, you will have the opportunity, if you like, to hike some of the trails near the park entrance and view these impressive trees.
Continue up the exit ramp and stay to right
for Soquel Drive. At the traffic signal turn right onto State Park Drive. Then at the next traffic signal use the right lane to turn right onto Soquel Drive.
Continue on Soquel Drive, through the first traffic signal. Then Soquel Drive will curve left ahead and cross under a railroad trestle. Continue straight under the trestle to the stop signal. There will be a colorful mural on your right.
Continue across the Aptos Creek Bridge into Aptos Village the original town site of Aptos and prepare to turn left after the auto body shops which will be ahead on your right, onto Aptos Creek Road.
You will be on Aptos Creek Road for a little under one mile as we head to the entrance to the Forest of Nisene Marks. Use caution on this narrow two-way road.
If you do want to visit the park and hike the trails through the magnificent
redwood forest, pay the parking fee, and request a map and park in the lot next to the entrance station. Keep the receipt as it will be good for entry
to Seacliff Beach which we will visit next on this driving tour.
Use your map to locate the Loop Trail off of the parking area. Just after entering the trail you will come to a fork. The trail to the right is the Waggoner Overlook Trail and leads to a overlook of the Aptos Creek below.
On the other side of the creek you may explore the Old Growth Trail and the Twisted Grove Trail. Both are quite lovely. Just use the map and the trail markers to explore the area.
When you have finished exploring this park, exit the way your arrived on Aptos Creek Road. Turn right back onto Soquel Drive and continue through Aptos Village. After you cross the Aptos Creek Bridge, turn left onto Spreckels Drive, which is named after the
sugar king Claus Spreckels.
We are on our way to Seacliff State Beach, so follow Spreckels Drive under the overpass. Then at the stop sign, turn right onto Seacliff Drive and continue straight.
Within two blocks it will curve left then fork right and become Center Avenue. Follow on to Center Avenue. Follow Center Avenue as it forks off to the right ahead and continue on Center.
The land around Seacliff beach was part of the Rancho Aptos Mexican land granted to Rafael Castro in 1833. That same year, Castro and Claus Spreckels built a wharf at the beach that would turn Seacliff into a bustling shipping port.
Almost 100 years later in the mid 1920s summer vacation homes began springing up on the bluffs overlooking the wharf and the beach. By 1931, Seacliff would become one of California’s first state beaches.
Use the left lane to turn left after the stop sign ahead onto State Park Drive and follow this to the Seacliff State Beach entrance booth. If you visited the Forest of Nisene Marks earlier today you may use this receipt to park at Seacliff State Beach. The parking area is to the left of the entrance booth. If you do not have a previous parking receipt and you want to visit this park you will have to pay a parking fee.
If you prefer not to stop at this state park just tell the Park Ranger at the entrance booth and he will let you turn around. Then exit the park via State Park Drive and follow State Park Drive about 1/4 mile to the entrance to Highway 1 North to Santa Cruz. Otherwise park here to explore the area.
Palo Alto 1920
As Camp Capitola began to prosper, Hihn saw the value in this land and in 1882 subdivided the lots for sale. Over time this grew into the vacation resort town of Capitola-by-the-Sea.
In 1919 Hihn's daughter sold the property to Henry Allen Rispin who designed the Mediterranean style Venetian Court Apartments on the edge of Soquel Creek lagoon.
Venetian Court
Welcome to the charming beach community of Capitola. At the next stop sign, use the right lane to turn right onto Capitola Avenue. Then watch for blue and white parking signs. These are for the Beach and Village Parking lot about 1/2 mile away. It's reasonably priced at .50 per hour. If you choose to park there to explore the town by foot, the downtown and beach are 1/4 mile from this parking lot.
Once you are done, turn left back onto Capitola Avenue and we will lead you through a driving tour of Capitola before we heading back to the freeway.
Capitola History Museum
To your left, the red wooden cottage built in the 1920s is the Capitola History
Museum. Across the street is the
Capitola Fire Station.
Continue straight under the Capitola Trestle built in 1874 and you are on the outskirts of downtown.
Turn right at the stop sign ahead onto Stockton Avenue.
As you cross the Stockton Avenue Bridge, look to your left. That is the Capitola Wharf and beach. The tan and multi-colored stucco buildings are the Venetian Court Hotel.
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At the end of the bridge follow the yield sign and turn right onto Wharf Road. We are going to turn around and head back into town, so pass under the overpass, drive past the colorful mural and at the next intersection turn left onto Lincoln Ave.
We are using this neighborhood to turn around. Enjoy these typical Capitola beach cottages and at the corner ahead, turn left onto Emerald Street. Then left onto Prospect. As you drive you will have a lovely view to your right back over the coast.
At the end of Prospect turn right back onto Lincoln then immediate right onto Wharf Road to complete our turn around back to town.
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Slow down a bit a turn right at the next intersection onto Esplanade. There is no stop sign, but pedestrians have the right of way.
This is Capitola's busy main street filled with restaurants and shops. Drive slowly all the way to the end of Esplanade and the parking area. Here you will have views of the beach and wharf.
At the end of the Esplanade parking area, turn left onto Monterey Avenue and
continue straight, we are on our way back to Highway 1.
After the stop sign continue straight and head up the hill. Our next turn is a left onto Bay Avenue in about 1/4 mile.
After you pass the colorful mural, veer left onto Bay Avenue.
If you are hungry for a snack we will be passing one of Capitola's best bakeries momentarily, Gayle's. In fact people come from out of town just to visit Gayle's.
We will be on Highway 1 for about 3 miles. Our next exit is 442. As you drive we will give you a brief history of Santa Cruz.
Basing their livelihood on the abundance of marine resources, the first people to inhabit this area were the Native Ohlones who settled along the coast from Marin to Monterey County.
In 1769 the Spanish Portola Expedition arrived and began to establish pueblos and missions in Alta California. Fr. Junipero Serra would found the first nine of those 21 missions. You visited one of them earlier on this tour, the Carmel Mission. After Serra’s death in 1784 Fr. Lausen took over leadership of the missionary system and established the 12th California Mission at Santa Cruz on September 25, 1791.
Santa Cruz Boardwalk 1904
In the early 1900s Swanton built the Neptune Casino complex on Santa Cruz beach. Today this National Historic Landmark is known as the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
In the mid-1960s the University of California established a Santa Cruz campus near what had been the Henry Cowell limestone quarry during the 1850s. The University has an interesting mascot, the Banana Slug.
Now over 155 years old, Santa Cruz is known for its redwood forests, moderate climate, its unique historic neighborhoods, beautiful beaches, a place to catch a good wave, and countercultural politically progressive liberal politics.
Alright we are almost to Santa Cruz. Stay to the left for Highway1 Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay. The freeway will make a large curve around and re-enter Highway 1.
Continue straight on Water Street and cross over the San Lorenzo River. After the stop signal continue straight on Water Street.
Ahead on your right is the Santa Cruz clock tower, known for being the meeting place for protests that take place in town.
The sculpture next to the clock is entitled Collateral Damage: A Reality of War. Erected in 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
After the clock, Water Street veers right and becomes Mission Street. Continue onto Mission.
At the corner, turn right onto Emmett Street. On your left, after you make this
turn, will be Mission Plaza part of the Santa Cruz Mission State Park.
Turn right onto School Street. To your left on the corner is a half-scale replica of the original Santa Cruz Mission. Continue to the end of School Street.
At the end of the street is an adobe which was home for Native American families during mission times. Today it is a museum. Next to the adobe is the entrance for the Santa Cruz Mission State Park.
If you would like to stop here, you may park on School Street where parking is available.
Here you will find Holy Cross Church, which sits on the site of the original mission church.
At the corner turn left onto Sylvar Street. Take your time as we wind our way through the streets of the Historic Mission District. Many of the Victorian homes here were built in the 1880s.
At the corner turn right on to Mission Street, and notice the 1887 blue two story Stick Eastlake Victorian on the right corner. Once on Mission you will find both sides of the street lined with Victorians.
After the stop sign, follow Center Street as it veers slightly left and continue on Center Street. We have reached Santa Cruz's downtown municipal area. On your right is the Santa Cruz City Hall, Civic Auditorium and Fire Station No. 1.
City Hall
Civic Auditorium
At the corner after the fire station, turn right onto Walnut Street. This block of Walnut, lined with London Plane trees and historic Victorians, was the first residential street in Santa Cruz. Drive slowly as you enjoy the charming homes built between 1870 and 1930.
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At the corner turn left onto Chestnut then immediately left onto Lincoln. At the corner turn left onto Lincoln. You will be on this for two blocks.
Turn right onto Center and continue straight for about one mile. We are headed to the Beach Hill Historic District. During the 1890s, ship captains built their homes here, high on the hill so as to easily see when vessels were entering the bay.
After the railroad arrived in 1875, the Beach Hill district became a resort area with hotels and large Victorian mansions.
It also has ties to the film industry. In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock found his inspiration for the Bates mansion for his movie "Psycho," in a dilapidated Victorian on Third Street. This Victorian was originally built around 1863 for Dr. Kittredge and run as the McCray Hotel from 1926 to 1943.
Hitchcock had a replica of this mansion built at his film studio, and it still stands on the Universal Studios backlot near Los Angeles.
Today Hitchcock’s inspiration for the Bates mansion has been fully restored and serves as the Sunshine Villa Assisted Living Retirement Home. I will point it out later.
Continue straight and stay to the right. To your right notice the soccer field. Just past the soccer field enter the round-about.
Pass the Public Parking and West Cliff Drive exits and take the third exit off the round-about which is Pacific Street.
Up ahead, turn left onto Second Street, then an immediate left onto Font Street.
We are going to drive by Hitchcock's inspiration for his Bates mansion.
Up the steps between the rock wall next to the sign for Sunshine Villa to your right is the wood Victorian that was the inspiration for the Bates mansion.
Continue straight along side Sunshine Villa, through the Beach Hill Historic District where ship captains built lavish homes in the 1890s.
Ahead at the corner turn right onto Main Street. The mustard yellow Victorian on your left was built in 1891. Quite the view one would have had from the crows nest of that mansion down to the beach.
We are on our way to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Though entrance to the Boardwalk is free, parking is $5. If you want to ride the 1911 Loof Carousel or 1924 Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, tickets may be purchased at the park.
If you choose to stop here it is a short walk to the Municipal Wharf where you will find restaurants and gift stores.
Turn left onto Beach Street. If you are
interested in parking in the Boardwalk parking lot which is across from
Neptune's Kingdom, stay to your left as you drive down Beach Street. If you will not be stopping here, stay to the
right.
Now this is where I will be leaving you. I hope that you have enjoyed your driving tour from Carmel-by-the-Sea to Santa Cruz and all of the stops in between.
Until next time, Happy Adventures!
On this driving tour, you will hear stories about the people,
and towns that we visit, as well as have the opportunity to visit California
State Parks, beaches, beach towns and a redwood forest.
All of the stops and hikes on this driving tour are optional. The parking fees, for parks and beaches as well as town parking lots are not included in the price of this tour.
Alright, it is time to get started.
All of the stops and hikes on this driving tour are optional. The parking fees, for parks and beaches as well as town parking lots are not included in the price of this tour.
Alright, it is time to get started.
1850's Farm House
You should be parked in the parking lot of the Mission Ranch. Back in the late 1800s this was a dairy ranch run by the Martin Family. Their ranch house was the white two-story house with the sign that reads 1850s Farm House.
During the mid 1940s the grounds and buildings were used for a recreation club and then as an Officer's Club during World War II.
In 1950, off duty from Fort Ord, twenty-one year old Clint Eastwood made his way to Mission Ranch where it was love at first sight. Thirty-six years later Clint purchased Mission Ranch, saving it from being developed into 60 plus residential units.
Clint Eastwood, who still owns the Mission Ranch Inn and Restaurant, renovated the resort, preserving it with the flavor and façade of the 1850s, thus keeping this historic property essentially, "locked in time." You can learn more about this inn on our Carmel Mission Area Walking Tour.
Alright it is time to get going on our driving tour. Exit the Mission Ranch parking lot and turn right on Dolores Street.
Follow Dolores along side the Mission Ranch Tennis Courts. Dolores veers left and becomes Lasuen Drive. Continue on Lasuen as it veers to the right in front of Crespi Hall.
Our first optional stop is the historic Carmel Mission Basilica, which was founded by Fr. Junipero Serra in
1770. Though Fr. Serra would establish
nine missions in Alta California before his death in 1784, Carmel Mission would
be his headquarters, his home and his burial place.
From the Carmel Mission, make a left after the stop sign onto Rio Road and use the left turn lane to turn left onto Santa Lucia. Continue straight on Santa Lucia for three blocks, then turn right onto Dolores Street. We are going to drive through the "Golden Rectangle" Carmel's highly desirable residential area where the typical 1,600 square foot home can sell for over $2 million dollars.
While you drive take note of the unique names on some of the cottage gates, as well as the different architectural styles. You will not find any tract homes in Carmel's residential area, or streetlights,
sidewalks, or addresses either. Homes are simply identified by their name and geographical coordinates, such as Baci Cielo is located on Dolores 2 NE of Thirteenth.
Continue straight, we will be on Dolores for nine blocks. And use caution at each intersection even if there is no stop sign.
Carmel-by-the-Sea has a rich history and you may read more about this history on my blog Carmel City (1852 to 1910) or take one of our numerous walking tours of Carmel.
But 1902 would be a turning point in the history of Carmel. That was the year that Frank Powers and Frank Devendorf established the
Carmel Development Company to develop and sell Carmel lots. A $500 cottage could be secured for a deposit
of $10. By November of 1904, the total value of lots sold in Carmel was
$63,110.
Dolores Street and Seventh Avenue
La Bicyclette
Next on your right, built in 1926 by Comstock for $1,200 is Carmel's iconic landmark the Tuck Box. Along this block you will also find wine rooms, a park, art galleries, and specialty stores.
At the stop sign ahead, watch for pedestrians and carefully cross Ocean Avenue. Then turn right onto Sixth Avenue.
Cross through the intersection ahead, and to your right you will pass the two-story flagstone Carmel Fire House which was
completed in 1937.
Carmel Fire Station 1934
Continue through the next intersection. Then coming up on your right is Devendorf Park, named after Carmel's co-founder, Frank Devendorf.
It is also home to Carmel's war memorials and September 11th Memorial.
After the stop sign, cross Junipero and pass Bruno's Deli.
Up ahead we will enter the Comstock's Historic Hill District and the largest concentration of Comstock's Fairy Tale cottages. I will point out a few.
After you pass through the intersection ahead, on your left will be Comstock's Tudor Storybook style personal residence. The cute house next door was originally his studio office.
Continue slowly up this street and cross
through the next intersection.
Look to your right for the light colored one story with teal colored trim. The gate has glass panels. Honeymoon Cottage was built by Comstock in 1928.
Next door on the corner is Comstock's Birthday House built in 1929.
Continue through the next intersection, and turn left onto Guadalupe Street. The third house on your right with the porthole windows is Ship House.
Allen Knight in Ship House
This was built in 1939, by a former mayor of Carmel, Allen Knight for his nautical collection. Today it is a private residence.
Continue straight on Guadalupe. We will be on this street for four blocks. Our next turn is a right onto Second Avenue then a left onto Carpenter Street.
Vendange Carmel
Continue straight on Carpenter, past the Vendange Carmel Inn and Carpenter Street will veer to the right. This is the route most Carmelites use to enter and exit Carmel as it avoids the traffic on Ocean Avenue. Stay on Carpenter. In 1/4 mile turn left onto Highway 1 North.
Continue straight on Highway 1 past the Highway 68 West exit sign on your right up ahead. This exit leads to Pebble Beach, the 17 Mile Drive and Pacific Grove.
Shortly you will descend Carmel Hill toward Monterey, and on a clear day the bay should come into view.
In the 1770s this area was a pine forest. What remains, of the forest, stand on each side of the highway. Fr. Junipero Serra forged a five-mile path, through these trees, as he and others travelled from Carmel to Monterey.
From 1915 to 1940 another group of Carmelites walked this hill daily, this time to go to high school.
From 1915 to 1940 another group of Carmelites walked this hill daily, this time to go to high school.
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| Carmel Hill 1908 |
Continue straight on Highway 1 past the next exit, 399B. We are not stopping here, but this is the exit for Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row in Monterey. We have created two fun walking tours for this area; both are listed under Monterey Peninsula. In this tours you will learn about the roll Monterey played in the history of California. But here is a very short summary.
A Native of the Monterey Area (Jose Cardero 1791)
Before the Spaniards arrived, the Rumsien native peoples inhabited this area and would be the first native people to be seen and documented by the Spanish explorers in Northern California.
In 1542, Spanish explorer Juan Rodgriquez Cabrillo is credited with being the first European to visit this part of Central California. Upon entering what would become Monterey Bay, he named it Bahia de Los Pinos or Bay of the Pines.
Sixty years after Cabrillo, Sebastian Vizcaino landed here and renamed the area Puerto de Monterey and claimed the land for Spain in 1602.
Gaspar de Portola Arrives in Monterey ( painting by Alexander F. Harmer)
In 1770 Gaspar de Portola and Franciscan priest Junipero Serra arrived at Monterey Bay. Fr. Serra established mission San Carlos de Borromeo in Monterey that year and in 1771 moved the mission, now commonly known as Carmel Mission Basilica, to its present location, which we drove by at the beginning of this tour.
Officers of Commodore Sloat raise the U.S. flag over Monterey
By 1778, Monterey had become the capital of Alta California. The Spanish would rule until 1821 when Mexico took over. On July 7, 1846 during the Battle of Monterey, Captain Sloat captured Monterey unopposed and claimed California for the United States. Four year later California became the thirty-first state of the Union.
Continue driving north on Highway 1, while I tell you about a man who would become one of Monterey County's largest land owners.
Scotsman David Jacks arrived in Monterey in 1850 and began purchasing land in the area. But it would be his involvement in the settlement of Mexican land claims in the new State of California that would lead to his becoming Monterey's dominant landowner.
The story goes like this. After California was admitted into the Union, land grant owners were required to authenticate their claims. This was a difficult task, many land grants ended up sold for pennies on the dollar. And David Jacks took full advantage of this opportunity.
In 1853 Delos Ashley was hired to help legalize title to 30,000 acres of land on the Monterey Peninsula. Ashley was successful, but when the City of Monterey could not pay for his services, Ashley suggested they auction the land.
Ashley and Jacks were the only two bidders, purchasing the land for around $1000 in 1859. Ten years later, Ashley sold his interest to Jacks.
By 1903 Jacks owned about 60,000 acres of Monterey County, including what are today parts of Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Pebble Beach as well as the communities you are driving through now, Del Rey Oaks, Seaside, and Fort Ord.
Ohlone (by Louis Choris)
What is now this asphalt highway at one time thousands of years ago was used as a hunting ground for the Ohlone Native Americans. In the 1770s the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition camped here. During the 1800s the area was used for cattle, dairy and farming and from 1917 to 1994 it was a U.S. Army facility.
Our next turn off is Exit 406 Lightfighter Drive. While you drive I want to take you back to April of 1917, when the War Department purchased 15,000 acres of land right here from the heirs of David Jacks. Camp Gigling, as it was called, served as a maneuver area and artillery field for Monterey Presidio regiments.
In 1933, the site was renamed Camp Ord in honor of Union Army Major General Edward Ord, and improvements began with the construction of administrative buildings, and barracks.
76th Field Artillery Battery Camp Ord
On July 1, 1940, the War Department activated the 7th Infantry Division here under the command of General Joseph Stilwell. The horse-drawn 76th Field Artillery became the first unit of this new division. 1,400 horses were housed in temporary corrals until fort stables were completed in 1941. A few of these buildings have been preserved and now serve as the Marina Equestrian Center.
In 1941, Camp Ord became Fort Ord and operated as a training center. During the Korean War years, television and film actors Clint Eastwood, Martin Milner, and David Janssen served their basic training here. Other Fort Ord soldiers of note include Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, musician Jerry Garcia and actor Leonard Nimoy.
During the Vietnam War Fort Ord was a major staging area for units departing for Asia, and home to basic combat and advanced infantry training for over half a million soldiers.
The base was decommissioned in 1991, and closed three years later. Between 1940 and 1975 an estimated 1.5 million soldiers trained there. And to any serviceperson who passed through this base I would just like to take this time to say, Thank you for your service.
Bunkers as seen from the highway
Shortly off to your left you should see white cement bunkers buried in the sand dunes. These were part of Distance Firing Range 8 one of the 15 ranges at Fort Ord. Currently the bunkers are part of the Fort Ord State Park.
The 1.5 million soldiers who trained here over the years left an archive of bullets, artillery projectiles, rockets, hand grenades, land mines and dynamite in the soil. In 1994 the Fort Ord Reuse Authority was established to redevelop the former military installation.
And today, a quarter century later, after crews removed nearly 50,000 pounds of munitions debris many of the acres have been cleared for civilian reuse.
Some of these new uses include the campus of California State University Monterey Bay and Fort Ord Dunes State Park.
Exit to your right and continue up the off ramp. At the intersection turn right onto Lightfighter Drive. We are on our way to Fort Ord Dunes State Park.
Stay to your left and continue through the first stop signal. At the next stop signal use the left lane to turn left onto 2nd Avenue.
Stay to the left. After the first stop sign, continue past the California State Monterey Bay Otter Sports Complex and turn left onto Divarty Street.
Fort Ord Dunes State Park was created during the clean up by the Fort Ord Reuse Authority. The serenity of this oceanfront park makes it hard to believe that at one time this was a firing range and that over 719,000 pieces of spent ammunition were removed from the sand there.
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| Old Fort Ord Barracks |
Continue straight, on your right will be two-story dilapidated buildings, these are old Fort Ord army barracks.
Post Card Fort Ord Barracks
They looked much different 50 years ago when sounds of artillery fire drowned out the crashing surf.
Fort Ord 1965
Fort Ord 1965
Yet this peaceful area has a somber feel, as one can’t help but think that some of the men and women who trained here on this beautiful beach bluff never returned from war, paying the ultimate price for our freedom.
At the corner turn right onto 1st Street.
Then make a left onto 8th Street and continue toward the ocean.
Turn left onto 8th Street and cross over Highway 1 to the entrance of Fort Ord Dunes State Park. The parking area is open from 8 am to sunset daily.
The map below shows where Fort Ord Dunes
State Park is along the coast.
State Park is along the coast.
Stop and park to explore the area.
At this time there is no parking fee for this state park.
At this time there is no parking fee for this state park.
Below, I have marked a number of sites on the map that you might visit if you have interest.
From the parking lot head
out along the sand path
out along the sand path
to the beach overlook.
From the beach overlook follow the sand path back to the asphalt and follow this, which parallels the parking area, to the end.
Along this path you will find a number of informational plaques which explain the history of this area.
When you come to the end of this path, turn right and follow this along the old frontage road. This will lead you past a path that you can follow out to the beach,
or just stay on the frontage road and walk past the former artillery's range out to the abandon bunkers. Then retrace your steps along the frontage road to the parking area.
Exit Fort Ord
Dunes State Park onto 8th Street. Cross over Highway 1, and continue straight
on 8th Street past the Monterey VA Outpatient Facility, which will be on your left. We are on our way back to Highway 1 North.
Stay to your right to enter roundabout.
Exit the roundabout onto 9th Street.
Use the left turn lane to turn left after the stop sign onto Second Avenue. Continue straight on 2nd. In 1/2 mile, it will be after you pass the shopping center, use the outer left-hand lane to turn left onto Imjin Parkway.
We are on our way to Pezzini Farms in Castroville, home of the Green Globe artichoke. Native to the Mediterranean, this large thistle-like plant grown, for its edible fleshy flower head, is delicious served hot or cold, boiled or fried, with or without sauce.
Pezzini artichokes
Pezzini Farms
In 1958, the same year that Tony Pezzini was born, his father Guido opened the families first roadside produce stand on Highway 156. This became a very popular stop for locals and visitors traveling to the Monterey Peninsula from San Jose. I know my family never passed the stand without stopping to buy a few artichokes!
In 1974 after Highway 1 from Santa Cruz to Monterey was completed, Guido opened a roadside stand on Nashua Road down the street from their home. Tony took over the business in 1983 and continues to run the ranch with his wife and sons. They produce and pack over 80,000 artichokes annually.
How did this land become a colorful patchwork of rich agricultural fields? Well if it had been up to Monterey County Assessor W. P. McGarvey it never would have. In 1865 Mr. McGarvey concluded that the climate, soils, landscape and proximity to water sources would prevent Monterey County from ever becoming a productive agricultural community. He couldn't have been more wrong.
Frankly, it is northern Monterey County’s proximity to the coast, its temperate climate and highly fertile soils that have unquestionably contributed to this areas proud tradition of farming and agriculture since the mid-1800s.
Monterey county utilizes two types of agricultural systems. They are called extensive and intensive.
Extensive agriculture requires a low level of labor and capital and is used mainly for cattle grazing, dairy farming and grain production.
Intensive agriculture requires more capital, higher levels of labor, and more technology, such as the use of irrigation. The first intensive crop grown on a large scale here in Monterey county were Claus Spreckels sugar beets in the late 1860s. We will hear more about him later on this tour.
Today Monterey county agriculture grows over 150 crops, contributes over $4 billion per year to the county’s economy and produces a large percentage of our nation’s food supply. In 2019 the top crops grown here were leaf lettuce, strawberries, head lettuce and broccoli.
Stay in the right lane and keep driving straight. You should be able to see the white building out in the middle of the fields in the distance off to your right, that's Pezzini's.
Use the right lane to exit 414A at Nashau Road if you would like to visit Pezzini's. At the stop sign turn right onto Nashau Road. Then right into Pezzini Farms parking area.
Take some time to enjoy this family run farm stand, a local favorite! There is also a public restroom here.
Once on Highway 1, stay in the right lane and follow the signs for 156 East to Castroville. Then stay to the right for Exit 414B to Highway 156 East to Castroville and San Jose.
We are on our way to downtown Castroville and a favorite childhood roadside attraction of mine, the World's Largest Artichoke. It is one of just 195 roadside attractions across the United States that can claim to be the worlds largest! And I'm sure you'll agree when you see it that it is right up there with your states World's Largest Roadside Attraction.
Use right lane to exit for CA-183 toward Castroville.
At the stop signal use the left lane to turn left onto CA-183, also called Merritt Street in this location. Continue in the center lane and cross over Highway 156 into downtown Castroville.
As you cross back over the freeway, look ahead and to your right for the Giant Artichoke restaurant sign.
Just after
this sign in the parking lot next to the restaurant is the World's Largest
Artichoke!
I am taking you down the main street in Castroville because since the highway bypassed it years ago, Merritt Street gets few visitors, and this hardworking farming town deserves more attention.
Castroville was founded in 1863 by Juan Batista Castro. Juan laid out the town of Castroville and then created a lottery to give away 100 of the town lots to any person who would clear the land and build a home. By 1875 the town had 900 residents, two hotels, two churches, and three saloons.
Today with a population of over 6,500, Castroville is largely centered around agriculture. 100 percent of all artichokes grown commercially in the United States are grown in California and three-fourths of those are grown here in Castroville.
Up until 2009, Castroville was the home to the Artichoke Festival. This popular festival, which serves up everything artichoke, includes a parade, cooking demonstrations, wine tasting, car and art show now takes place on at the Monterey County Fair Grounds each summer. A highlight includes crowning the Artichoke Queen. The first queen crowned in 1948 was Norma Jeane Mortenson, most know her as Marilyn Monroe.
Keep going straight on Merritt and shortly the town will give way to agricultural fields and the junction for Highway 1 North to Santa Cruz.
At the junction up ahead, turn right onto Highway 1 north toward Santa Cruz. As you travel along this section of Highway 1. Take a look diagonally to your right. In the distance you will see two tall cement stacks. That is the Moss Landing Power Plant.
Constructed in 1949 by Pacific Gas & Electric, not only are they landmarks to visitors traveling by land or by sea, but for nearly half a century these 500-foot twin stacks churned out enough electricity to power millions of homes and businesses. PG & E sold the plant in 1998 and there have been a few owners since. Though the latest owners, Dynegy continues to produce power through two small units that came online in 2002, they pulled the plug on the two large stacks in December 2017 due to their inefficiency.
Up ahead on your left you will pass by two farm fresh roadside stands, Thistle Hut and Barn Fresh Produce.
One-half mile after Barn Fresh Produce we will turn off the freeway at Portrero Road to visit Moss Landing.
This sleepy town is located about midway along Monterey Bay, at the mouth of the Elkhorn Slough, and the head of the Monterey Bay Submarine Canyon.
This
steep-sided submarine canyon, the largest along the West Coast of North America
measures a full 1 mile in height from top to bottom. It is big enough for the
Grand Canyon to fit inside, with room to spare.
This submarine canyon is also part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of only 14 federally protected marine sanctuaries in the country. Established in 1992, this sanctuary runs 360 miles along the California coast from Marin County in the north to San Luis Obispo County in the south.
Enter the left turn lane and slow to a stop. Diagonally ahead of you is the yellow building. The frontage road that parallels Highway 1 is to the right of the yellow building.
Make sure to watch for oncoming traffic. When it is safe to do so cross Highway 1 and make an immediate hard right onto the frontage road that parallels Highway 1. This is Moss Landing Road. Continue Straight on Moss Landing Road.
This submarine canyon is also part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of only 14 federally protected marine sanctuaries in the country. Established in 1992, this sanctuary runs 360 miles along the California coast from Marin County in the north to San Luis Obispo County in the south.
Enter the left turn lane and slow to a stop. Diagonally ahead of you is the yellow building. The frontage road that parallels Highway 1 is to the right of the yellow building.
Make sure to watch for oncoming traffic. When it is safe to do so cross Highway 1 and make an immediate hard right onto the frontage road that parallels Highway 1. This is Moss Landing Road. Continue Straight on Moss Landing Road.
Up ahead on your left after the cemetery, you will pass the Moss Landing marine Laboratories.
This research facility
which began in 1966 by professors from San Jose State University, now serves a
consortium of five California State University research communities with a full
time faculty and graduate program.
This tiny little hamlet was named after Texas ship captain Charles Moss. Moss brought his family here to homestead in 1866.
Moss and his partner Portuguese whaler Cato Vierra constructed a 200 foot landing and made a good business shipping all kinds of products north to San Francisco.
Continue straight through the town where
you will find a number of quirky one of a kind art pieces on display.
you will find a number of quirky one of a kind art pieces on display.
At the fork ahead, veer to your right and stay on Moss Landing Road.
To your left is the Moss Landing Harbor, considered the number one commercial fishing harbor in Monterey Bay, it is also the core of Moss Landing's economy, which is based on fishing and tourism.
Every day, whale-watching, sport fishing and Elkhorn Slough tours leave this harbor heading out to sea.
After the stop sign next to the Whole Enchilada carefully turn left onto Highway 1 going north.
We are turning right at the next intersection,
Dolan Road to visit Moonglow Dairy.
The entrance to Moonglow Dairy is on the left in about 1 mile down Dolan Road, in-between a white wooden fence. Once you see the white wooden fence you are close to the entrance to Moonglow Dairy. Slow down and watch for the sign.
Moonglow Dairy was founded by Monterey County Supervisor Louis R. Calcagno in 1957, it is a working ranch and produces hundreds of gallons of milk daily. It is an amazing optional stop if you are adventurous or interested in farming or birding. But I'm not going to sugar coat it, this ranch with numerous happy cows, smells like a farm and is dusty.
There are no formal tours here, but as you drive through the ranch to the parking area you may observe some of the farming activity and you will see a lot of cows.
It is also a great place to observe large groups of migrating birds. During the fall and spring, the tops of the eucalyptus trees are filled with migrating Great Blue Heron and Great Egret, it is quite a site. Last November I came across a flock of hundreds of noisy tricolored blackbirds that filled the trees. It really depends on the season and what is passing through.
If the gate is open, turn left and cross the railroad tracks to enter Moonglow Dairy. Proceed slowly down the dirt road about 1/2 mile. The working trucks have the right of way here so don't get in their way.
When you see a row of evenly spaced out trees behind a fence, turn left just after the trees in between the two white wooden fences and continue to the end of this dirt road.
On your right as you drive along the dirt road will be a wooden fence. After the fence will be a line of small pens where young calves are kept until they are eight weeks old.
Turn right at the end of the dirt road. The parking area is about one hundred yards ahead, next to the eucalyptus grove. This is the only place visitors are allowed to park. The cattle pens will be on your right. Do not park near the cattle pens as the cows are fed daily by a truck that drives along the fence line.
From the parking area, walk the levee that starts at the eucalyptus grove, goes around the big freshwater pond and heads to the edge of Elkhorn Slough. Keep an eye out for waterfowl.
From here turn and look back toward the eucalyptus grove. If you are here during the fall and spring take a look to the tops of the grove for the nesting Great Blue Heron, and Great Egret. During the winter and summer the empty nests are still visible high in the branches of the eucalyptus trees.
Then walk back toward the eucalyptus grove and take one of the paths through the grove if you like. For more information on Moonglow please see this site.
Once you are done exploring the area, exit the dairy parking area the way you came by
following the dirt road out to the entrance and turn right on Dolan.
When you get to the stop sign at the end of Dolan, use the right lane to turn right onto Highway 1 and you will pass right by the Moss Landing Power Plant.
This slough, a small portion of which you just viewed, is a full-time
slough, with a narrow winding wetland edged by marshy and muddy ground. It is also a part-time estuary, a protected
bay where fresh and salt water mix, or to put it more simply, Elkhorn Slough is
where a river meets the sea.
Though people have lived around here for thousands of years, the earliest evidence of civilization was left by the Ohlone Native Americans.
Excavation around the slough uncovered mounds of broken shells and bones, giving us clues that the Ohlone probably fished in its waters, feasted on its shellfish and camped in the groves of oaks along the shore.
Excavation around the slough uncovered mounds of broken shells and bones, giving us clues that the Ohlone probably fished in its waters, feasted on its shellfish and camped in the groves of oaks along the shore.
Elkhorn Slough 1870s (painting by Leon Trousset)
By the early 1940s, the Kaiser Refractory plant would bring heavy industry to these shores, extracting magnesium from seawater for the manufacture of heat-resistant bricks. And finally in 1949 PG&E built that big power plant I already told you about.
It can be said that over the last several thousand years Elkhorn Slough has supported a number of diverse communities and a variety of business ventures.
In 1971, the Nature Conservancy purchased an area of the slough wetlands for conservation. Public and private partners continued to acquire wetland and upland areas which led to its designation in 1979 as the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.
In 2012, the Nature Conservancy transferred ownership of the majority of its holdings to the Elkhorn Slough Foundation which continues to manage the land and harbors.
Renowned for its outstanding birding, kayaking and hiking opportunities, Elkhorn Slough provides a critical habitat for more than 135 aquatic birds, 550 marine invertebrate, and over 100 fish species as well as a diverse number of plants.
Designated a Ramsar site in 2018, this intergovernmental environmental organization established by UNESCO provides for the conservation of the slough wetlands and sustainable use of their resources.
This is the historic Struve Dairy, named after Danish immigrant Hans Struve, a grain farmer who arrive here around 1860 and lived in this home.
Santa Cruz county has over 29 miles of coastline and extends 10 miles inland to the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. We will be traveling along the coast and visit Aptos and Capitola before arriving in the city of Santa Cruz.
After you cross under the overpass for West Riverside Drive in Watsonville, watch for a dilapidated two-story Queen Anne Victorian house sitting right in the middle of an agricultural field. This is the Redman-Hirahara Farmstead.
James Redman (1856 - 1921)
In the 1930s this home passed to the Hirahara family, one of the first Japanese-American households to own farmland in the area. After Pearl Harbor the Hirahara family was sent to an internment camp, but they were able to maintain ownership of their farm and after the war returned to their home.
In 1998 this home was added to the National Registry of Historic Places and in 2005 purchased by the Redman-Hirahara Foundation which currently farms the land around the home. When the foundation raises enough money to restore the home, they plan on transforming it into a Visitor and Cultural Education center.
Our next stop is in 2 and 1/2 miles at Clearview Orchard apple farm. This working apple farm, which grows certified organic Fuji, Honey Crisp and Mutsu apples, is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm during apple season, which runs September through October.
Clearview Fuji
If you happen to be taking this tour on a weekend during apple season, and you would like to experience picking your own apples right off the tree this detour off the highway is for you.
Use the right lane to exit Highway 1 at Exit 428 Buena Vista Drive if you want to visit Clearview Orchards farm, otherwise continue along Highway 1.
At the end of the off ramp, turn right onto Buena Vista Drive, then make an immediate left onto Lower Trabing Road, which turns into Trabing Road.
The entrance to the farm stand is about ½ mile down this road. If the gate is open the farm stand is open. Trabing Road has no outlet, so you will be coming back in this direction to get back onto Highway 1.
Look for the driveway off to your right and stop here at the Clear View Orchards Apple Barn to purchase your fresh produce or arrange to pick your own if it is apple season.
When you are finished picking apples at Clear View Orchards, turn left back onto Trabing Road. Continue straight, we are headed back the way we came to resume traveling north on Highway 1.
After the stop sign ahead, turn right onto Buena Vista Drive and follow the sign for Highway 1 North and make a hard left turn onto the freeway
entrance for Highway 1 North.
Our next stop is in about 7 miles, the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos.
Aptos evolved from an Indian village, to a Mexican cattle rancho, to Claus Spreckels’ thoroughbred horse ranch and sugar refinery, then it became a lumber town, an apple processing center and ultimately a resort town. It also was the epicenter of the devastating 6.9 magnitude 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
Claus Spreckels was born in Germany in 1828 and immigrated to New York in 1846. In 1856 Claus, his wife and children relocated to San Francisco and began a brewery. But it would be sugar not hops where he would make his fortune.
Our next stop is in about 7 miles, the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos.
Aptos evolved from an Indian village, to a Mexican cattle rancho, to Claus Spreckels’ thoroughbred horse ranch and sugar refinery, then it became a lumber town, an apple processing center and ultimately a resort town. It also was the epicenter of the devastating 6.9 magnitude 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
Claus Spreckels was born in Germany in 1828 and immigrated to New York in 1846. In 1856 Claus, his wife and children relocated to San Francisco and began a brewery. But it would be sugar not hops where he would make his fortune.
Claus built his first sugar refinery in 1867 and used some of the wealth he acquired from this venture to purchase the former Mexican land grant Rancho Aptos in 1872.
It was here in Aptos that he built another sugar refinery and began to experiment with growing sugar beets. In 1888 he established the Western Beet Sugar Company in Watsonville, and a few years later moved his main operation to the Salinas area where the town of Spreckels would form around his Sugar Company factory.
Between 1884 and 1924, Redwood timber harvesting became a major industry in Aptos. Most of the lumber came from what is today the Nisene Marks State Park.
Sitting on the eastern edge of the city of Aptos, this park consists of 10,000 acres of majestic old-growth coast redwood. But just a mere century ago most of the redwoods were gone, clear-cut for split stuff and tanbark.
Redwood logging actually began here around 1850 with oxen teams dragging wooden skids laden with timber down the hillsides. In 1882, the Loma Prieta Lumber Company convinced Southern Pacific Railroad to build a dedicated branch line to their lumber company and a year later this railroad line was hauling huge redwood logs to mills in the surrounding area. In 1924, after processing 140 million board feet of redwood from the forest, the Loma Prieta Mill was dismantled and closed.
In the early 1950s Monterey County rancher and real estate investor Nisene Marks purchased the holdings of the Loma Prieta Lumber company. In 1963, the Marks family deeded the land to the State for use as a public park.
Today, after years of forest regeneration and preservation efforts, about 80% of this park is again covered in magnificent coast redwood. Shortly, you will have the opportunity, if you like, to hike some of the trails near the park entrance and view these impressive trees.
Continue on Soquel Drive, through the first traffic signal. Then Soquel Drive will curve left ahead and cross under a railroad trestle. Continue straight under the trestle to the stop signal. There will be a colorful mural on your right.
Continue across the Aptos Creek Bridge into Aptos Village the original town site of Aptos and prepare to turn left after the auto body shops which will be ahead on your right, onto Aptos Creek Road.
You will be on Aptos Creek Road for a little under one mile as we head to the entrance to the Forest of Nisene Marks. Use caution on this narrow two-way road.
While you drive deeper into the forest of coast redwood you will get a feel for the beauty of this park.
There is an entrance fee to park here. If you prefer not to visit this park just tell the ranger at the entrance booth that you do not plan on visiting the park but would just like to turn around. You will be allowed to do so and then head back the way you came.
There is an entrance fee to park here. If you prefer not to visit this park just tell the ranger at the entrance booth that you do not plan on visiting the park but would just like to turn around. You will be allowed to do so and then head back the way you came.
Use your map to locate the Loop Trail off of the parking area. Just after entering the trail you will come to a fork. The trail to the right is the Waggoner Overlook Trail and leads to a overlook of the Aptos Creek below.
The trail to the left is a continuation of the Loop Trail. Follow this to the Aptos Creek. From May to October there is a seasonal bridge over this creek. The rest of the year you may cross the creek by carefully maneuvering from rock to rock strategically placed across the creek.
We are on our way to Seacliff State Beach, so follow Spreckels Drive under the overpass. Then at the stop sign, turn right onto Seacliff Drive and continue straight.
Within two blocks it will curve left then fork right and become Center Avenue. Follow on to Center Avenue. Follow Center Avenue as it forks off to the right ahead and continue on Center.
The land around Seacliff beach was part of the Rancho Aptos Mexican land granted to Rafael Castro in 1833. That same year, Castro and Claus Spreckels built a wharf at the beach that would turn Seacliff into a bustling shipping port.
Almost 100 years later in the mid 1920s summer vacation homes began springing up on the bluffs overlooking the wharf and the beach. By 1931, Seacliff would become one of California’s first state beaches.
Use the left lane to turn left after the stop sign ahead onto State Park Drive and follow this to the Seacliff State Beach entrance booth. If you visited the Forest of Nisene Marks earlier today you may use this receipt to park at Seacliff State Beach. The parking area is to the left of the entrance booth. If you do not have a previous parking receipt and you want to visit this park you will have to pay a parking fee.
If you prefer not to stop at this state park just tell the Park Ranger at the entrance booth and he will let you turn around. Then exit the park via State Park Drive and follow State Park Drive about 1/4 mile to the entrance to Highway 1 North to Santa Cruz. Otherwise park here to explore the area.
Palo Alto 1920
From the parking lot you will be able to see what is left of the S. S. Palo Alto, a cement ship built during World War I.
It was purchased by Cal and Nevada Stock Company in the 1920s, towed here to Seacliff and converted into a casino. After the company went bankrupt, the ship became part of the pier.
To get to the beach, use the stairs at
the southern end of the parking lot.
the southern end of the parking lot.
When you are finished, exit the parking lot
and turn right onto State Park Drive. After the stop sign ahead continue straight on State Park Drive, follow the
signs for Highway 1 Santa Cruz. The
freeway entrance will be ahead off of State Park Drive in less than one-half
mile.
Once you are back on the highway, our next exit is for Capitola in 2 1/2 miles. Stay to your right while you drive and I will tell you bit about our next stop.
Capitola was part of Rancho Soquel the Mexican land grant deeded to Martina Castro in 1833. Years later, Frederick Hihn acquired the land and in 1869 he leased the beach area to Samuel Hall. Five years later Hall opened Camp Capitola, the first seaside resort on the Pacific Coast.
Once you are back on the highway, our next exit is for Capitola in 2 1/2 miles. Stay to your right while you drive and I will tell you bit about our next stop.
Capitola was part of Rancho Soquel the Mexican land grant deeded to Martina Castro in 1833. Years later, Frederick Hihn acquired the land and in 1869 he leased the beach area to Samuel Hall. Five years later Hall opened Camp Capitola, the first seaside resort on the Pacific Coast.
As Camp Capitola began to prosper, Hihn saw the value in this land and in 1882 subdivided the lots for sale. Over time this grew into the vacation resort town of Capitola-by-the-Sea.
In 1919 Hihn's daughter sold the property to Henry Allen Rispin who designed the Mediterranean style Venetian Court Apartments on the edge of Soquel Creek lagoon.
Venetian Court
Though the
property was foreclosed upon in 1927 the Venetian Court would survive and be
placed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of the first
condominium seaside developments in California.
Today Capitola is filled with boutique shops and charming restaurants. The best way to explore Capitola's downtown is on foot, however parking is metered and can cost anywhere from .50 to $10 depending on the parking lot. And with many of the streets being one-way, it can make navigating this town difficult. So I will lead you on a driving tour through downtown passing as many of the highlights as possible and then back to the freeway.
In case you want to try your luck at parking and walking the town, I will point out a reasonably priced parking lot that is about 1/4 mile from the beach.
Up ahead is the sign for Exit 437 to Capitola. Use the right lane to exit at Porter Street and Bay Avenue Exit 437. Exit here and turn left onto Bay Avenue.
Today Capitola is filled with boutique shops and charming restaurants. The best way to explore Capitola's downtown is on foot, however parking is metered and can cost anywhere from .50 to $10 depending on the parking lot. And with many of the streets being one-way, it can make navigating this town difficult. So I will lead you on a driving tour through downtown passing as many of the highlights as possible and then back to the freeway.
In case you want to try your luck at parking and walking the town, I will point out a reasonably priced parking lot that is about 1/4 mile from the beach.
Up ahead is the sign for Exit 437 to Capitola. Use the right lane to exit at Porter Street and Bay Avenue Exit 437. Exit here and turn left onto Bay Avenue.
Welcome to the charming beach community of Capitola. At the next stop sign, use the right lane to turn right onto Capitola Avenue. Then watch for blue and white parking signs. These are for the Beach and Village Parking lot about 1/2 mile away. It's reasonably priced at .50 per hour. If you choose to park there to explore the town by foot, the downtown and beach are 1/4 mile from this parking lot.
When you come to the stop sign next to the Avenue Café, turn left and follow the signs to the the Lower Lot of the Beach and Village Parking Lot.
This parking lot is open 8 am to 8 pm, there is an hourly cost. Pay stations accept cash in $1 or $2 bills, debit and credit cards.
The map below shows a short walk into town. Where you may view the beach, the wharf and historic Venetian
Court hotel as well as numerous restaurants and shops.
Once you are done, turn left back onto Capitola Avenue and we will lead you through a driving tour of Capitola before we heading back to the freeway.
Capitola History Museum
Continue straight under the Capitola Trestle built in 1874 and you are on the outskirts of downtown.
Turn right at the stop sign ahead onto Stockton Avenue.
As you cross the Stockton Avenue Bridge, look to your left. That is the Capitola Wharf and beach. The tan and multi-colored stucco buildings are the Venetian Court Hotel.
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After the bridge turn right.
At the end of the bridge follow the yield sign and turn right onto Wharf Road. We are going to turn around and head back into town, so pass under the overpass, drive past the colorful mural and at the next intersection turn left onto Lincoln Ave.
We are using this neighborhood to turn around. Enjoy these typical Capitola beach cottages and at the corner ahead, turn left onto Emerald Street. Then left onto Prospect. As you drive you will have a lovely view to your right back over the coast.
At the end of Prospect turn right back onto Lincoln then immediate right onto Wharf Road to complete our turn around back to town.
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At the end of the street, you will get another view of the Capitola Venetian Hotel directly in front of you.
Then turn left at the corner onto Stockton Avenue. As you cross the bridge look to your left this time for a view of the trestle and the creek.
Slow down a bit a turn right at the next intersection onto Esplanade. There is no stop sign, but pedestrians have the right of way.
This is Capitola's busy main street filled with restaurants and shops. Drive slowly all the way to the end of Esplanade and the parking area. Here you will have views of the beach and wharf.
If you have time for a light meal check out Zelda's, Britannia Arms or any place that strikes your fancy.
After the stop sign continue straight and head up the hill. Our next turn is a left onto Bay Avenue in about 1/4 mile.
After you pass the colorful mural, veer left onto Bay Avenue.
If you are hungry for a snack we will be passing one of Capitola's best bakeries momentarily, Gayle's. In fact people come from out of town just to visit Gayle's.
If you don't have time to stop at Gayle's for some deliciousness continue straight on Bay Avenue. Up ahead, traffic will start to back up for the entrance to Highway 1 North toward Santa Cruz. Stay to the left, this is the lane you will use to enter the freeway. The freeway entrance is after you pass under the overpass. Then use the left lane ahead to turn left and enter Highway 1 North toward Santa Cruz.
We will be on Highway 1 for about 3 miles. Our next exit is 442. As you drive we will give you a brief history of Santa Cruz.
Basing their livelihood on the abundance of marine resources, the first people to inhabit this area were the Native Ohlones who settled along the coast from Marin to Monterey County.
In 1769 the Spanish Portola Expedition arrived and began to establish pueblos and missions in Alta California. Fr. Junipero Serra would found the first nine of those 21 missions. You visited one of them earlier on this tour, the Carmel Mission. After Serra’s death in 1784 Fr. Lausen took over leadership of the missionary system and established the 12th California Mission at Santa Cruz on September 25, 1791.
After secularization in the 1830s, Santa Cruz gradually converted from a
Mission town to a commercial town. At the beginning of American rule in 1846,
there was a sawmill, tannery, lime kiln, and foundry in town.
The lumber industry served a dual purpose, clearing the land for agriculture, and producing building materials. In the 1850s, Santa Cruz was one of only two major suppliers of wood to San Francisco for construction.
Due to its mild climate, Santa Cruz also became a prominent resort community, with the first tourist hotels, summer cottages and bath houses constructed in the 1860s.
As the population continued to grow, Santa Cruz was incorporated in 1866. The railroad arrived in 1876 with a line from Watsonville and a second line in 1880 that connected Santa Cruz to San Francisco.
In 1903, entrepreneur Fred Swanton formed the Santa Cruz Beach Company and erected 200 tent cottages across from the beach. A year later they had been transformed into wooden vacation cottages.
The lumber industry served a dual purpose, clearing the land for agriculture, and producing building materials. In the 1850s, Santa Cruz was one of only two major suppliers of wood to San Francisco for construction.
Due to its mild climate, Santa Cruz also became a prominent resort community, with the first tourist hotels, summer cottages and bath houses constructed in the 1860s.
As the population continued to grow, Santa Cruz was incorporated in 1866. The railroad arrived in 1876 with a line from Watsonville and a second line in 1880 that connected Santa Cruz to San Francisco.
In 1903, entrepreneur Fred Swanton formed the Santa Cruz Beach Company and erected 200 tent cottages across from the beach. A year later they had been transformed into wooden vacation cottages.
In the early 1900s Swanton built the Neptune Casino complex on Santa Cruz beach. Today this National Historic Landmark is known as the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
In the mid-1960s the University of California established a Santa Cruz campus near what had been the Henry Cowell limestone quarry during the 1850s. The University has an interesting mascot, the Banana Slug.
I found this vintage video on YouTube which gives a wonderful history of Santa Cruz. It was produced in 1975.
Now over 155 years old, Santa Cruz is known for its redwood forests, moderate climate, its unique historic neighborhoods, beautiful beaches, a place to catch a good wave, and countercultural politically progressive liberal politics.
Alright we are almost to Santa Cruz. Stay to the left for Highway1 Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay. The freeway will make a large curve around and re-enter Highway 1.
Once you are back on Highway 1, carefully merge all the way
over to the two far left lanes for exit 442 and Ocean Street in Santa
Cruz. Exit the highway at 442 Ocean Street.
Welcome to Santa Cruz. After the stop signal, continue straight on Ocean Street.
There will be two more stop signals before we turn right onto Water Street. We are on our way to the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park.
This historic park sits atop Mission Hill and features the only building left of the 12th California Mission, Mission Santa Cruz, which was founded by Franciscan Father Lasuen in 1791.
At the next traffic light, use the right lane to turn right onto Water Street, as we wind our way past some of the sights of Santa Cruz before ending our driving tour from Carmel, at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Welcome to Santa Cruz. After the stop signal, continue straight on Ocean Street.
There will be two more stop signals before we turn right onto Water Street. We are on our way to the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park.
This historic park sits atop Mission Hill and features the only building left of the 12th California Mission, Mission Santa Cruz, which was founded by Franciscan Father Lasuen in 1791.
At the next traffic light, use the right lane to turn right onto Water Street, as we wind our way past some of the sights of Santa Cruz before ending our driving tour from Carmel, at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Continue straight on Water Street and cross over the San Lorenzo River. After the stop signal continue straight on Water Street.
Ahead on your right is the Santa Cruz clock tower, known for being the meeting place for protests that take place in town.
The sculpture next to the clock is entitled Collateral Damage: A Reality of War. Erected in 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
After the clock, Water Street veers right and becomes Mission Street. Continue onto Mission.
Turn right onto School Street. To your left on the corner is a half-scale replica of the original Santa Cruz Mission. Continue to the end of School Street.
At the end of the street is an adobe which was home for Native American families during mission times. Today it is a museum. Next to the adobe is the entrance for the Santa Cruz Mission State Park.
If you would like to stop here, you may park on School Street where parking is available.
When you are ready to continue turn around and head back in the direction you came, then
turn right onto Emmett Street. At the corner turn left onto High.
Here you will find Holy Cross Church, which sits on the site of the original mission church.
At the corner turn left onto Sylvar Street. Take your time as we wind our way through the streets of the Historic Mission District. Many of the Victorian homes here were built in the 1880s.
At the corner turn right on to Mission Street, and notice the 1887 blue two story Stick Eastlake Victorian on the right corner. Once on Mission you will find both sides of the street lined with Victorians.
At the corner turn left onto Green Street. At that corner on your left, the 1904 two story white Queen Anne Victorian, was the parsonage for the first Protestant church in Santa Cruz.
Coming up on your right on Green Street, is an 1850 two story yellow with green trim Italianate Victorian. Notice the carriage step in front. This served as Santa Cruz' first Protestant church.
Coming up on your right on Green Street, is an 1850 two story yellow with green trim Italianate Victorian. Notice the carriage step in front. This served as Santa Cruz' first Protestant church.
At the stop sign, turn left onto Chestnut and continue straight. Take note of the railroad tracks that head off of Chestnut to the left.
Those train tracks lead off to the left through the Mission Street tunnel, along the San Lorenzo River Gorge, through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park into Roaring Camp in Felton.
When this train route opened in 1875, the narrow gauge railroad carried lumber from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the mills and wharves on Monterey Bay. Today tourists may ride vintage locomotives from Roaring Camp to the Beach at Santa Cruz.
Those train tracks lead off to the left through the Mission Street tunnel, along the San Lorenzo River Gorge, through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park into Roaring Camp in Felton.
When this train route opened in 1875, the narrow gauge railroad carried lumber from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the mills and wharves on Monterey Bay. Today tourists may ride vintage locomotives from Roaring Camp to the Beach at Santa Cruz.
Use the right lane to turn right onto Center Street and continue straight.
To your right you will pass the Santa Cruz Art Center. In operation since 1971, the art center is home to arts-minded businesses such as dance, theater and galleries.
To your right you will pass the Santa Cruz Art Center. In operation since 1971, the art center is home to arts-minded businesses such as dance, theater and galleries.
After the stop sign, follow Center Street as it veers slightly left and continue on Center Street. We have reached Santa Cruz's downtown municipal area. On your right is the Santa Cruz City Hall, Civic Auditorium and Fire Station No. 1.
City Hall
Civic Auditorium
At the corner after the fire station, turn right onto Walnut Street. This block of Walnut, lined with London Plane trees and historic Victorians, was the first residential street in Santa Cruz. Drive slowly as you enjoy the charming homes built between 1870 and 1930.
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Turn right onto Center and continue straight for about one mile. We are headed to the Beach Hill Historic District. During the 1890s, ship captains built their homes here, high on the hill so as to easily see when vessels were entering the bay.
After the railroad arrived in 1875, the Beach Hill district became a resort area with hotels and large Victorian mansions.
It also has ties to the film industry. In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock found his inspiration for the Bates mansion for his movie "Psycho," in a dilapidated Victorian on Third Street. This Victorian was originally built around 1863 for Dr. Kittredge and run as the McCray Hotel from 1926 to 1943.
Hitchcock had a replica of this mansion built at his film studio, and it still stands on the Universal Studios backlot near Los Angeles.
Today Hitchcock’s inspiration for the Bates mansion has been fully restored and serves as the Sunshine Villa Assisted Living Retirement Home. I will point it out later.
Continue straight and stay to the right. To your right notice the soccer field. Just past the soccer field enter the round-about.
Pass the Public Parking and West Cliff Drive exits and take the third exit off the round-about which is Pacific Street.
Up ahead, turn left onto Second Street, then an immediate left onto Font Street.
We are going to drive by Hitchcock's inspiration for his Bates mansion.
Up the steps between the rock wall next to the sign for Sunshine Villa to your right is the wood Victorian that was the inspiration for the Bates mansion.
Continue straight along side Sunshine Villa, through the Beach Hill Historic District where ship captains built lavish homes in the 1890s.
Ahead at the corner turn right onto Main Street. The mustard yellow Victorian on your left was built in 1891. Quite the view one would have had from the crows nest of that mansion down to the beach.
We are on our way to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Though entrance to the Boardwalk is free, parking is $5. If you want to ride the 1911 Loof Carousel or 1924 Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster, tickets may be purchased at the park.
If you choose to stop here it is a short walk to the Municipal Wharf where you will find restaurants and gift stores.
Now this is where I will be leaving you. I hope that you have enjoyed your driving tour from Carmel-by-the-Sea to Santa Cruz and all of the stops in between.
Until next time, Happy Adventures!
____
All pictures by L. A. Momboisse unless listed below:
* Google map screen Shots
Picture of Frank Devendorf and Frank Powers in a buggy - courtesy of Jack Galante and the Jane Galante Collection.
Picture of Carmel Fire Station in 1934 (Harrison Memorial Library Local History Branch)
Black and white photograph of the Ship House from What's Doing February 1947 p.36. (Harrison Memorial Library Local History Branch)
Black and white photograph of Carmel Hill (Harrison Memorial Library Local History Branch)
Black and white photograph of Carmel Hill (Harrison Memorial Library Local History Branch)
A Native of the Monterey Area - Jose Cardero (1791) public domain
Gaspar de Portola Arrives in Monterey - Alexander F. Harmer (public domain)
Battle of Monterey – Anonymous (public domain) Officers of Commodore Sloat raise the U.S. flag over Monterey.
David Jacks (Wikipedia public domain)
Ohlone (painting by Louis Choris, Wikipedia public domain)
David Jacks (Wikipedia public domain)
Ohlone (painting by Louis Choris, Wikipedia public domain)
Black and white photo of 76th Field Artillery Battery wagon, Camp Ord (DLIFLC Archives)
Post Card Fort Ord Barracks (http://www.militarymuseum.org/FtOrd.html)
Black and white photo Fort Ord Firing Range (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/169799848434390922/)Black and white photo Fort Ord Firing Range (Monterey Herald 1965)
Three pictures of Pezzini's from Pezzini Farms website
Artichoke Field - Artichoke.org
Monterey Bay Submarine Canyon - Frontiers in Earth Science
Elkhorn Slough 1870s (painting by Leon Trousset)
Oyster Farm Elkhorn Slough - https://www.elkhornslough.org/1931-oyster-farming/
James Redman (Find a Grave )
Redman-Hirahara House (National Register)
Clearview Fuji Apple - http://clearvieworchards.com/contact/
Claus Spreckles Wikipedia
S S Palo Alto - picture from 1920 and picture at pier from 2013 - Wikipedia
The 1904 Neptune Casino with horses and trolley - Wikipedia
Bates Mansion and Bates Hotel Universal Studios (Wikipedia)
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