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Thinking about coming to Santa Cruz for the weekend? Great idea. We have sand, sun, sea, redwood-covered mountains and oak-dotted hills etched with trails—and a few ideas about getting the most out of your stay here.

First things first: you'll need to get here.
Get out of work early. This will make a big difference. There can be traffic on Highway 17 on Fridays and you'll want to miss it. Alternately, if you’re coming from San Francisco, take Highway 92 through Half Moon Bay and enjoy the ultra-scenic and relaxing drive down Highway 1. Do not take Highway 84 from Palo Alto unless you want a very long (though gorgeous) drive through the mountains.

Day 1:
Check in to Hotel Paradox. Drop bags in room. Put on swim gear. Go to pool.

Oh, look: Solaire Restaurant has an outdoor lounge area right here on the pool deck. Crafty cocktails, local wines, good beers, appetizers. Oh, my: cabanas, fire pits, friendly locals.

Eventually the evening air will cool and you’ll want to think about what comes next. Your options for fun in Santa Cruz are almost limitless, but then again Solaire is a gorgeous space, Chef Ross McKee is a master of California cuisine and it's getting easier with each passing minute to pretend you’re at a fancy resort and just chill.

If you must go out and party after dinner, Moe’s Alley is a locals’ favorite featuring an eclectic lineup of danceable live music, from salsa and samba to alt-country and blues. Blessed with a full bar and patio and dripping with funky Santa Cruz charm, it's tucked into a commercial neighborhood a few miles south of downtown, so you’ll want to take a cab.

Alternatively, you could walk downtown and check out Motiv or the legendary Catalyst, which has been drawing national acts to Santa Cruz for 40 years.

Day 2:
First: Follow this link to find out how to have a state-of-the-art bicycle delivered to you at the hotel from Bicycle Trip, “the friendliest bike shop in Santa Cruz.” (Delivery is free.) Tuck into your complimentary continental breakfast (save your appetite, though—we’re taking you someplace special), and get out the door. Bring layers! It can be cool and breezy by the ocean and hot inland—all on the same day.

Morning: Cruise through San Lorenzo Park, cross the footbridge and you'll be on the San Lorenzo Riverwalk one minute after you get rolling. Head downstream (left). When you see the trestle and the Giant Dipper (after about a mile), take the path to your right, turn right onto Beach Street, and look for the Picnic Basket at 125 Beach Street. There you'll be able to pick up a (… wait for it … ) picnic basket. Fight the urge to eat it on the spot: stick it in your pack for later. This is your lunch. You’ll thank us.

Continue north on Beach Street, through the light and up the hill. Now you're on the famous West Cliff Drive, and the nice morning is about to get nicer.

Check out this video of West Cliff Drive by our friend Michael Horn.

Cruise West Cliff past the surfer statue, past the lighthouse/Surf Museum, past the cool houses and throngs of people having fun. You could follow this road to Natural Bridges State Beach, which you should definitely visit someday. But we figure you’re about ready for breakfast.

After about 15 minutes of pedaling (two miles), you’ll arrive at Swift Street. Take a right, pedal a half-mile or so, and you have a decision to make.

Brunch Option 1 (Saturday mornings only): Back Porch taco stand; LuLu Carpenter's espresso stand and Companion Bakery, all at the Westside Farmers Market, corner of Hwy 1 and Western Drive.

This smallish market offers a quintessential Santa Cruz scene: stalls overflowing with colorful veggies, old-timey music, families wandering relaxedly. Also the best breakfast tacos ever and other Saturday morning stuff.

Brunch Option 2: Kelly’s French Bakery, 402 Ingalls St. Eggs and polenta, a grilled ham and gruyere or creamy custard-and-olallieberry Goodfellow. Good coffee, too, and an outdoor patio on which to enjoy it.

Noonish: Nourished? Good. Re-caffeinated? Excellent. Back on your bikes. The bike trail to Wilder Ranch State Park picks up at Mission Street Extension and Shaffer Road. About a mile and a half of easy pedaling past ag fields lands you at the Wilder Ranch farm complex … and another choice.

Easy, flat ride: follow the road left past the chicken coop, old horse barn and Victorian home to Coast Road. Your destination is Old Cove Landing Trail, a meandering pathway along the bluffs overlooking the Pacific. Learn more about biking the coastal section of Wilder Ranch here.

Hilly thriller: Turn right, ride through the underpass and follow the fire road past the horse corral and over the Wilder Creek bridge to Engelsmans Loop, which climbs 400 feet in about 2 miles and offers sweeping views of Monterey Bay and the surrounding mountains, with a nice swoopy singletrack section on the way back.

Either way, pick a scenic spot on the trail for your picnic and afterward, head back to downtown Santa Cruz. There’s always Verve, Lulu’s or the Cafe Delmarette for a brisk espresso drink and snack. Or you can take a nap (wink, wink) back at the hotel.

Evening: And now it’s time for dinner! Walk back to downtown for dining on Pacific Avenue, or venture forth to the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor for a dose of coastal town charm. These are three of our favorite restaurants in town:

El Palomar, 1336 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz.
This is perfect California-Mexican fare available in three settings: In a beautiful old dining room (the building was once a luxury hotel) complete with occasional roving Mariachi musicians; in a casual cantina where locals gather for happy hour; and in a super-affordable, super-casual taco bar. All menus feature fresh ingredients and hand-made tortillas. The guacamole rocks, and Jose's Special Appetizer can be a light dinner for two at $17.

Assembly, 1108 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz.
This is California rustic cuisine for the post-Chez Panisse era. Aggressively committed to local, seasonal, sustainable veggies, meats and seafood, the Assembly team is equally about tasty, inventive-yet-straightforward preparations. The wine list features some of the best Santa Cruz Mountains labels, and there's a terrific craft beer selection. And prices are much better than you might expect for this sort of thing.

Johnny's Harborside, 493 Lake Ave, Santa Cruz (at the Harbor).
A classic fish house with a Santa Cruz twist, and a locals' favorite located (yes) in the small-craft harbor, Johnny's features at least a half-dozen fresh-catch choices every day, cooked to your specs, and squeezes fresh limes for its margaritas. The preparations are interesting and consistently awesome. They also serve steaks, chops, sandwiches and killer fish tacos. The view is most pleasant.

Day 3:
A leisurely breakfast at Solaire, maybe a dip in the pool, and it’s time for more sporty fun—the redwood forest and the beach are calling. Head south down Highway 1 to State Park Drive and turn left over the freeway, then right on Soquel Drive to get to the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. Stately redwoods greet hikers and cyclists; on Aptos Rancho Trail you’ll find huge trees growing next to Aptos Creek in an exceptionally beautiful setting. Old-Growth Loop, accessible by footbridge during summer, leads past enormous, ancient redwoods.

Afterward the beach may call, and that means it’s time to visit Manresa State Beach. Remote and uncrowded yet not deserted, Manresa is a well-kept local secret. You can get a nice freshly made sandwich and a drink to go at El Patio Grocery in nearby La Selva Beach.

Or maybe you want a physical challenge. There’s always a surfing lesson with Adventure Out, kayaking at the Harbor with Kayak Connection or SUP surfing with a rental from the SUP Shack. All these can get you up close and personal with the Pacific Ocean, otters, seabirds and a sense of magic.

And there you have it: three perfect days of sun, beaches, redwood forests and fun in Santa Cruz, California. Make reservations now at Hotel Paradox or click here for Hilltromper's Santa Cruz Bike Getaway package.

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