Santa Cruz is buzzing with new group options
The popular California beachfront town of Santa Cruz has announced some new and upcoming of doings that planners should know about in 2013. Here are some of the highlights, courtesy of the Santa Cruz County Conference & Visitors Council.
Free Tours of the Santa Cruz Wharf Offered
What does a sea lion eat? How cold is the water? These and other questions can be answered on a free tour of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. UCSC’s Seymour Marine Discovery Center, together with the City of Santa Cruz, is offering free guided 30-minute tours of the wharf every Saturday and Sunday, year round. The Seymour Center’s marine science interpreters are also available between tours to answer questions about the variety of wildlife visible at the wharf. In addition to the docent-led tours, blue-and-green signs at several locations on the wharf and elsewhere along the coast of Santa Cruz provide information accessible with a smart phone as part of a self-guided “ecotour” program sponsored by the City of Santa Cruz and UC Santa Cruz.
Tourist Train Makes Its Debut
Santa Cruz County is on track to be the home of the area’s newest train excursions along the coastline from Santa Cruz to Davenport. Iowa Pacific Holdings, a railway company based out of Chicago, Illinois, will be starting the Santa Cruz & Monterey Bay Railway in Spring 2013. Travelers will enjoy scenic excursions with gourmet food service prepared on-board. The vintage locomotives feature two level dome cars, authentically restored parlor cars, and comfortable coaches. The new railroad will also host a plethora of special events for holidays like Mother’s Day brunch and a Valentine’s Day Romance Ride. Future plans for the railway include a possible installation of a bicycle and pedestrian trail adjacent to the tracks where it can be accommodated safely within the corridor and rail passenger services. The train will run every weekend and stop along the county coastline.
Santa Cruz County Debuts “Let’s Cruz” Brand with New Logo, New Look
The Santa Cruz County Conference & Visitors Council (CVC) is rolling out a new brand to help identify what sets it apart from other beachside destinations. With the help of Mering Carson, the agency of record for Visit California, and a locally-based branding task force committee made up of a number of local business leaders and community organizations, the new Santa Cruz brand was chosen. This brand will carry the destination into the next decade, and will be promoted through a logo, slogan, and other means to set the city apart from other destinations.
Tannery Arts Center Opens
A new artist and performance complex is now open in Santa Cruz. Once home to the oldest operating leather tannery west of the Mississippi River until it closed in 2001, the eight-acre grounds of A.K. Salz Tannery have been completely renovated. The Tannery Arts Center honors its heritage with historical photos and wall displays illustrating the story of the 145-year old Salz Tannery, as well as retail shops, galleries, and performance spaces, set around a small sunny courtyard and café. This live-work space for local artists has been transformed into a cultural Mecca for the community and visitors alike.
Santa Cruz Whale Watching
Whale watching in Santa Cruz County offers a phenomenal experience, with a multitude of whale species passing through the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary this season, along with a plethora of other sea life. Observers can expect an animated show and it’s not uncommon to get sprayed by a humpback as they exhale on their way around the boat. Santa Cruz Whale Watching offers daily whale watching tours of the bay on board the Velocity, their newest 60 foot long 64 passenger charter boat.