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Roaring Camp Railroad – Just minutes out of Santa
Cruz, Roaring Camp is situated in the redwoods, at the site of an 1880's
logging camp. Before you board the train, kids can run around this historic
settlement with a covered bridge, train depot, old schoolhouse, general
store, and rusting old steam saw mill. There's lots of grass and picnic
tables, so bring your lunch. |
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 Steam
train ride to Bear Mountain – Ride on an authentic steam train
from the 1890's. The ride, that lasts a little over an hour, goes through
the coastal redwoods to Bear Mountain, and returns to Roaring Camp. |
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Beach
Train to Santa Cruz Boardwalk – Take a trip back in time, to 1875,
when this train transported passengers from the beach at Santa Cruz, up
to the redwoods. From Roaring Camp, ride the train down the Santa Cruz,
it ends right at the Boardwalk (one hour each way). Tip: If you're staying
in Santa Cruz, you can take the Beach Train from the Boardwalk to Roaring
Camp, get out and run around for several hours, then return on the train
to Santa Cruz. |
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There
are also seasonal trains, such as nighttime beach trains, ghost train,
holiday lights train. Click
here for the calendar. |
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Big Basin Redwoods State Park – This state park
is the oldest ones in California, founded in 1902 to preserve these magnificent
redwoods. At the entrance to the park, stop at the visitor center to pick
up trail maps. Stroll through the Giant Redwood Grove – check out the
Mother Tree, Father of the Forest and Chimney Tree. Other easy hiking trails
are the Sequoia Trail and Skyline to the Sea to Madden Cabin Site trail.
And while your hiking along, keep your eyes peeled for the bright yellow
banana slugs. |
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At the campground, there are campfire
programs, and a Junior Ranger program for kids ages 7- 12. There are also family and art programs, and hikes just for families. Tip: The campground is closed for rennovations until Jan.1, 2009. |
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Natural Bridges State Beach – This just a lovely
beach at any season, with a distinctive rock formation, the "natural
bridge." There's a lifeguard on the beach in summer, picnic tables
in the trees, and a little creek and lagoon to wade in, tidepools to explore. |
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Natural Bridges State Beach is also a monarch butterfly
nature preserve. In November to February, you can see thousands of monarch
butterflies hanging out in the eucalyptus trees. In the winter months, thousands
of butterflies migrate to the central California coast. The butterflies
shelter together in the trees, or fly about – one might even land on
your shoulder. Be sure to bring your binoculars. |
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Seymour Discovery Marine Center – Find out about
what lives in Monterey Bay. Kids can feel sea stars and sea anemones in
the touch pools, or rub their fingers on sea otter fur, harbor seals and
sea lion pelts. Aquarium tanks are filled with a luminous octopus (watch
it try to squish into a bottle), sunflower stars, leopard sharks, rockfish.
Outside is a huge skeleton of a blue whale, and telescopes to check out
Monterey Bay. |
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Swanton Berry Farm (Davenport) – Stop into the
Swanton Berry Farm to pick your own strawberries in summer. This is fun
for kids, plants are low to the ground, and there's nothing like a sun-warmed,
just-picked strawberry. |
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Ano Nuevo State Reserve – Elephant seals, the
biggest seals, definitely have the best noses, and the new pups look the
most like sausages (new pups are dark brown, bigger pups are silver-colored).
From December to March you can see northern elephant seals – cows (moms),
bulls (dads) and their pups – this is one of largest elephant seal
breeding colonies on the west coast. |
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To view the seals, it's necessary to take a guided seal walk.
Call for reservations well in advance, 650.879.2025 or book
online. |
