food

Day Trips and Sips: Hiking Aptos, From Redwoods to Restaurants

Enjoying a redwood needle shadow "tattoo" in Nisene Marks. Credit: Mike Kahn

Enjoy a day trip to Aptos, California, with hiking through the redwoods of The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, breakfast at Cat & Cloud Coffee, and lunch or dinner with local beers at the Parish Publick House.

Day Trips and Sips: Explore Big Basin as it Rebuilds

Big Basin Redwoods State Park welcomes visitors after the CZU Lightning Complex Fires in 2020. Credit: Naomi Friedland

Big Basin and the surrounding Santa Cruz Mountains area have a lot to offer, from hikes showcasing the resiliency of redwoods after the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire to rustic wineries and well-loved dining establishments.

Beyond Santa Cruz: Explore Portola Valley for hiking, food, and wine tasting

Sunrise from Windy Hill overlooking San Francisco Bay, copyright Eleanor Raab.