Lower Seabright, Santa Cruz, CA

Lower Seabright hugs the water on the east side of Santa Cruz, in the stretch between the Beach Boardwalk and the Santa Cruz Harbor. On a still evening the sound of halyards clanging against sailboat masts drifts over the rooftops. Homes are small cottages, Craftsman bungalows and a few Victorians on tiny lots, and most of them pack in landscaping and small gardens that spill toward the sidewalk. Outdoors is the reason to be in Lower Seabright. Seabright State Beach is the closest sand, and a jetty path leads out to the Walton Lighthouse at the harbor mouth. The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History sits right on the beachfront, and sailboat races run on Wednesday evenings in season. Inland, the Arana Gulch multi-use path winds through wildflower meadows for walking and biking. Food splits between the harbor and Seabright Avenue. Aldo's Harbor Restaurant, Johnny's Harborside and The Crow's Nest do seafood with water views, and Cafe El Palomar serves a beachside lunch. H&H Fresh Fish sells the catch to take home. On Seabright Avenue, Seabright Deli is a sandwich stop with a loyal following, Betty Burgers handles burgers, and Brady's Yacht Club is the pub near the harbor. Java Junction pours coffee on Seabright Avenue. Daily errands lean on the car or a bike. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are within about two miles, downtown is roughly a mile and a half away, and The highway on-ramps are around two miles off. Santa Cruz Metro buses serve the area. That distance from the big grocers is the price of living this close to the water. A quick errand is easy on Seabright Avenue, while a full shopping trip is a short drive. At the harbor mouth, boats come and go all day, and watching them from the jetty is as ordinary here as checking the weather.