Camping At Santa Cruz

For the last long weekend in August, we took Penelope on a camping trip to Santa Cruz, 40 or so miles south of Menlo Park. The Santa Cruz marina has a dozen or so campsites--rather more on the European model...a place to park a self-contained rig, water and electricity...but $52 a night, decidedly not on the European model--which we nonetheless found quite pleasant, and certainly within walking distance of beaches, the boardwalk, and so on. Our four year old granddaughter is quite the trooper. We walked five miles one day, six another, and four the last, with never a complaint. Of course it helped that there were fun stops throughout...snacks, lunch, seal sightings, the great sand beach and surf, a boat ride, sunset, and so on. Plus the weather was unbeatable...warm and dry and a just a little wind on the beach. And we ate well.

P at Aldo's, just where the marina ends and the jetties begin

Thus

Captain's Plate at Aldo's; P helped with the calamari and the 
fish; and the frites; I was not willing to share the coconut 
shrimp

Everywhere you look, something to look at

Heading home after a couple hours on the beach

On the marina's nice water taxi

Looking across Monterey Bay at Saturday sunset

Sunday morning apple crepes and smoked ham for breakfast;
thanks for the apples, Maggie

Whale-riding at Santa Cruz' historical museum

In peril on the sea...the harbor is loaded with paddle-boarders,
kayakers, and first-time sailing students; plus hundreds of
bigger craft; we saw more than a few near misses, but nothing 
really serious

Great place; we'll be back