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If you’re planning a California beach vacation, your first instinct might be to visit during the summer. Locals often do just the opposite. Ask longtime Santa Cruz residents about their favorite season, and you’ll hear the same answer again and again: Fall in Santa Cruz From September through October—and often well into November—the coast enters what has long been known as Indian summer. While some people today simply call it “late summer” or “fall warm weather,” the experien

When people search for the “best beaches” in Santa Cruz, they usually land on the familiar names—Boardwalk, Natural Bridges, maybe Twin Lakes. Those are great, but they’re also exactly what you’d expect: busy, well-known, and often crowded. Then there’s 26th Avenue Beach , known locally as “Two-Six.” It rarely shows up on top-10 lists, and that’s precisely why it stands out. A True Local’s Beach 26th Avenue Beach isn’t designed for tourism—it’s part of the rhythm of the neigh

Escape to Santa Cruz in winter: epic sunsets over Monterey Bay, gray-whale season, hiking in redwoods, seafood, and cozy storm-watching from ocean-view rooms. Winter at A Great Beach House in Santa Cruz: the “secret season” on Monterey Bay If you’ve only thought of Santa Cruz as a summer destination, winter will surprise you—in the best way. Fewer crowds. Crisp coastal air. Some of the year’s most vivid sunsets over Monterey Bay. And a front-row seat to everything the ocean