Top of the stairs is near corner of Cliff Ave & Grand Ave and has quite a view. Set navigation…read moresoftware for 104 cliff Abe in capitola and it'll get you to top of stairs. DONT PARK HERE though. It's permit parking only. Park around the corner

Inevitably, these stairs are:…read more What you do after a long night in the Village. What you do after a few too many cupcakes (http://www.yelp.com/biz/sprinkles-cupcakes-palo-alto#hrid:F7yevLniXvWEebiGO8gBMg) What you do when you want to escape the parking nazis. But it will cost you in burn factor every time.

Rispin Mansion Capitola CA Sat 10/30/21…read more The Rispin Mansion in Capitola California is a historic mansion, registered on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. I've been at this site countless times over the years, oh how I regret not to have posted my previously taken photos, lost in the mists of time (and annals of my old laptops somewhere)! Wish I had a review written back in a day. And I'll tell you why, in a second. Around 75% of the Rispin Mansion had been destroyed by fire about 10 years ago. It was soon after the Capitola City Council approved a 55-year lease that would repair the grounds and turn it into a 25-room boutique hotel, back in May of 2009. The project was billed at $14 million, however, just before the construction started, a fire broke out. And now you know the rest of the story! So the grounds are fenced with the chicken wire and abandoned on the day of my today's visit on Saturday October 30, 2021. The building was constructed in 1921 by San Franciscan Henry Allen Rispin. It was built with four stories, 22 rooms, and over 7,100 square feet, on the grounds of what was called "Camp Capitola". Described as being "cursed," Rispin Mansion was first used as a real-estate showroom, and then, at various times, as a residence, a nunnery, a SWAT practice ground, and even as a ghost hunting site! Why is it on the National Register, what's historic about it? Well, I'm glad that you asked. It's because Henry Allen Rispin was one of the founding fathers of Capitola. He saw its large potential as a vacation spot and tourist attraction. Rispin owned or controlled most of the land in the new city of Capitola. During the Great Depression, he lost his fortune and had to sell the mansion. It went to his business partner Robert Hays Smith through foreclose, then got sold to the Oblates of St. Joseph and became a convent, until 1959. For many decades thereafter, Rispin Mansion stayed unoccupied, neglected, vandalized with graffiti, ghosted. That is until the city purchased the property in 1985 for mere $1.35 million and eventually placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. It attracts supernatural interest from the ghost hunters who visit the property during the middle of the night, to film the paranormal activities. So I thought it was most fitting to pen my review on Halloween 2021 to bring your attention to Rispin Mansion and its ghosts of the past. Cheers! Review #654 posted with 6 pictures on October 30, 2021 Rispin Mansion Capitola CA Sat 10/30/21 ® It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah It don't mean a thing all you got to do is sing doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah It makes no difference If it's sweet or hot Just give that rhythm Everything you've got Rispin Mansion Capitola CA Sat 10/30/21

Quality/Quantity - Fun city, I actually enjoy it more than Santa Cruz now. But that might change…read moreif/when I have more little ones in my life. Of course, they are known for their beaches. Other things to do: Breweries, wineries, restaurants, etc. History, museums, parks, etc. Other things to do that I have less interest in: Art, etc. Only an hour to two from the Bay Area, depending on traffic. Nearby cities are: Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Los Gatos. Atmosphere - 1.68 square miles with 0.08 water. But also next to the ocean. 2024 population = 9456 (US Census). Cut and pasted from the internet, the current landmark with a recent facelift: "The Venetian Court sits on the beach just east of the pier and is on the Register of National Historic Places as "The first Condominium Beach Community in the United States, built in 1924." Service - Depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Price - Depends on what you do, eat, or drink. We did both local and tourist stuff on this visit. Overall prices are reasonable, slightly above average. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1949.

Capitola is...fine. This review is specifically for the officer that does parking "enforcement". If…read moreyou park in the village, bring a ruler and make sure that you don't park 19 inches away from the curb or you will be ticketed. The officer will stop his chatting long enough to write you a ticket and then scurry away.

Such a great spot with a beautiful viewpoint for surfers. Limited spot mainly for surfing…read moreactivities. The stairs that lead down to the beach are perfect for surfers to easily get to the water. Today, they hosted a youth surfing competition, which was awesome to watch -- so much talent! The vibe is laid-back and the view of the ocean is just stunning. Whether you're a surfer or just enjoying the sights, it's a fantastic place to hang out. Careful of the sneaker waves though!

Pleasure Point, on the northern Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz County, California, is a world-renowned…read moresurf location, traditionally defined as the area along the coast from 41st Ave to Moran Lagoon, up 30th Ave to Portola and over to 41st Ave down to the sea at the "Hook". It has a firmly rooted surf culture. We regularly spend time in the Pleasure Point area renting vacation houses there in June. We recently got back from renting a property right on East Cliff named, "The Cabin." Great rental with an awesome view of the Bay and surfers. We enjoy seeing all the locals and tourists walk, ride their e-bikes, or surf there. It's location is near Capitola, the Santa Cruz Boardwalk , and many local restaurants, bars, coffee spots you'd expect. They have an annual neighborhood festival there every June also that's very fun to attend. Over 100 vendors sell arts, crafts, local services, food and beverages. They have a kids zone, beer garden and local bands perform a variety of styles of music on two stages including Americana, Blues, Rock, Reggae and Surf Music. Pleasure Point is a great area!

Location is secluded but it's at your Discretion, . Once you enter the parking lot entrance for the…read morestreet keep your eyes to the right and look for the tall red Barn wall, you can't miss the sign. We were kindly greeted by Rochelle who helped up with our desired libation. I loved the ambiance and am so happy the day was shiny and pleasant because we sat outside to take in the fresh air. Of course there's overflow seating here because they also have a plentiful menu and kitchen to cater to your culinary appitite. We ordered the Uncle David RIPA, which went don't smoothly, is all I can say. Take a load off, kick your feet up, and grab a book (they have a cute Book Nook inside) and relax and grab a bite and a brew. CHEERS!!

Quality/Quantity - Decided to try their $5 special which was good. Hola Lola, west coast IPA…read more No reds today, so we decided after one beer to go to Balefire Brewing; see other review. Food is also available, but we are going to Shadowbrook for dinner tonight. Atmosphere - Decent size location, well the outdoor space is huge. See pictures. Books and games were available, but we did not use them. Plenty of parking, but notice all the signs. So make sure you do NOT park in the wrong spots. Open 7 days a week from noon to 9pm. Live music, see website. Clean unisex restrooms. Wifi - See picture for password. Service - Counter service, overall good service. Got some free beer can stickers for my ski box. :) Thank you. Price - $6 + generous tip. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2011 with your doors opening in 2013.

The Great Blue Heron Walkway is a work of art at Jose Avenue County Park, featuring two beautiful…read moregreat blue heron mosaic sculptures, created by Barbara Abbott and Sandra Whiting, made up of diverse pieces of random objects submitted by community members when it was built in 1999, including toy cars and seashells. Brief trails of oversized blue heron footprints are etched into the cement along the walkways inside the park, matching the sculptures on site, adding a nice touch to the artwork even if minimally noticeable and not as eye-catching as the great blue heron sculptures standing in the grass. I enjoyed checking it all out this past Friday, while spending the day in Santa Cruz.

So far so good! Cute…read morelittle place for a quick dinner as we just rolled into town for valentine's weekend. Love the ambiance and the starter bread with the garlic infused olive oil is a killer!!! My wife loved the lemon spritz and we had the truffle ravioli. Hot damn that was GOOD! We will certainly be coming back in the future for the full dinner experience. Service was also spot on with friendly faces and smiles galore.

Champagne AND spaghetti?! I am so happy you can order Caruso's at Vin Vivant. A match made in…read moreHeaven! The Caruso family is so nice and the food is just delicious, pure comfort food. The Gnocchi Al Forno is the best gnocchi I've ever had. Pillowy gnocchi in a hearty, garlicky marinara. It's like eating a WARM HUG. I also love the Fettuccine Vodka and Chicken Parmesan. The complimentary bread with roasted garlic oil is such a nice gift.

This beach is a colorful one The coloured houses add a fun…read moreelement to the sun and sand The extreme ends of the beach are a bit calmer . There is a public washroom at one end of the beach and that is so convenient Definitely coming back for the good feels

Capitola State Beach is such a charming spot. The row of colorful houses makes a perfect backdrop…read morefor photos - I even had some engagement photos taken here and they turned out amazing. The beach itself is clean and relaxing, and there are some cute little cafés along the water where you can grab a drink and just hang out. A beautiful, picturesque beach and definitely worth a visit!

I don't know why any one should whine about this delightful…read morerestaurant. The four of us had a large pear pizza, lasagne, a big salad, and an interesting apple pie dessert. When the pizza was served a bit on the cool side, the waiter heated it up and improved it a good thirty percent. True, the narrow aisles present a challenge to the busy waiters, but overall, the place is charming!

Had dinner here today with friends who wanted to check out my son's newish town (first year at…read moreUCSC).... Pros- flavors of each dish were quite tasty. We had six people in total and all together ordered the short rib ravioli, seafood stew, spaghetti and meatballs, roasted beets, French onion soup, potatoes with dip, a salad and a pizza. My favorite bite was the lasagna. The top had nicely melted and crispy cheese... very good! I also enjoyed the crispy potatoes with dip. The French onion soup didn't have a lot of color, but it still had a very distinct and tasty flavor. Outside of the food, the restaurant has a great outdoor area that's dog friendly! There is also a nice sized private parking lot. Oh, and if you pay in cash, there's a discount! Cons- I was craving spaghetti and meatballs, it just sounded so good to me! This was I think it's the first time I've ever ordered it at a restaurant (usually make it at home!) while I thought the dish had good flavor, I felt the pasta was slightly overcooked. It was not al dente... the meatballs also didn't have a lot of color, so that was disappointing. The seafood stew a friend ordered was small. She said it was good, but we overheard someone at a different table say that the stew used to be huge and it currently is not... Coloring... typically color equals flavor, so it was odd that several dishes had little coloring, but they did still taste good! Some things I didn't care as much for, but we all enjoyed the flavors of each dish...

We had a great time celebrating our anniversary with a sidecar wine tour. Michael showed us a fun…read moretime, and was an all around good dude to hangout with for a couple of hours. Highly recommended for a unique experience along the coast!

Can't go wrong with a scenic tour through Apple and olive orchards, in addition to Vineyards. We…read morepassed through redwood trees, saw incredible valley views, and the picnic was amazing.