All of the 15,000 students at UCSC attend a campus that is nestled in the redwood forest with a bird’s eye view of the glittering Pacific Ocean. Students are affiliated with one of ten UCSC individual colleges located across the sprawling campus. While the school is home to a large, distinguished faculty, its students are also well known for participating in calls for social justice and equality.
About The City of Santa Cruz
Not many are familiar with the gorgeous, sprawling city that nestles the University of California. The city of Santa Cruz, located on the northern part of Monterey Bay, is about 70 miles from San Francisco and 30 miles from San Jose. According to Wikipedia, about ten percent of the land area of Santa Cruz County is devoted to State Parks. The average high temperature is 69 F and the average low temperature is 44 F. There is a standard of about thirty-two inches of rain per year.
Points of Interest in Santa Cruz
There are many exciting places to see in and around Santa Cruz. These include:
Santa Cruz Boardwalk: Right up against the Pacific Ocean, this arena of fun was voted Best Seaside Amusement Park in 2007. It is also home to two National Landmarks – the ride Giant Dipper, built in 1924 and seen in movies such as "Sudden Impact" and "Dangerous Minds," and the classic carousel built in 1911 which uses an old-fashioned Wurlitzer organ. The Boardwalk also houses the ride Double Shot, a 125 foot thrilling plunge to the ground, a haunted castle, a pirate ship, arcade games, children’s rides, restaurants, and miniature golf.
Natural Bridges State Beach: This is a protected area of the coast where monarch butterflies migrate yearly and congregate in droves.
Mission Santa Cruz: Established in 1791 and rebuilt through the years, this mission functions as a museum and a chapel.
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum: Established in 1986 as the first surfing museum in the world, the SC Surfing Museum exhibits worldwide surfing culture.
Pacific Avenue Mall: Home to several locally owned businesses, historic buildings, restaurants, and a movie theater, Pacific Avenue is also well known for its street performers.
Mystery Spot: Discovered in 1939 and portrayed on many shows including Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, this spot defies the usual laws of gravity and physics, and its visitors often find their sense of balance to be acutely abnormal.
UCSC Arboretum: Located on the university campus, the arboretum is home to a comprehensive collection of plants from around the Southern Hemisphere as well as Africa and Australia.
Music and Film Festivals: Santa Cruz houses several festivals, including Shakespeare Santa Cruz, a unique outdoor arena for famous plays.
Several State Beaches and Parks: Santa Cruz is well known for water sports and surfing competitions. The brand name Santa Cruz is also famous on skateboards, surfboards and bicycles.
Variety of restaurants: Several unique dining opportunities abound in Santa Cruz, including Acapulco (Mexican), Vasili’s Greek Restaurant, Charlie Hong Kong, the Falafel House, Walnut Avenue Café (marvelous breakfasts), Pizza My Heart, and several other varieties of restaurants including sushi; Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, and Italian eateries; steaks and brew houses, and vegetarian cafes.
Overall, the university town of Santa Cruz can be an adventurous place to spend one’s college years. Attending school in the height of the redwoods yet being so close to the spectacular Pacific Ocean provides an exciting contrast that never permits boredom. Students can spend their extracurricular time hiking, swimming, surfing, skateboarding, or walking around the Boardwalk with friends. The town of Santa Cruz is culturally diverse, abounding with history and alive with activities.
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