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Capitola and Soquel share
a common boundary, yet each one merits the attention of visitors
and has the ability to charm you with fine bed and breakfast inns,
quaint little shops, and an abundance of gorgeous scenery.
Capitola is bestowed with
a craggy coastline that breaks into a wide beach with a sumptuous
view of the Monterey Bay. Indeed, the site was so popular that a
massive hotel once stood sentinel on the bluffs. Today, visitors
are drawn instead to smaller inns, private beach homes leased out
for the summer season, or to the famed Capitola Venetian, a
pastel-hued landmark that reportedly was the first condominium in
California.
The town naturally
resembles an ampitheatre with dramatic cliffs dotted with
Victorian-style beach homes, a center village valley bordered by
the ocean, decorated with the Soquel river and accented with a
tall train trestle as artistic as a Vermont covered bridge.
Capitola Village offers
numerous craft galleries, boutiques, and casual little restaurants
ideal for family dining. For this small village, dining choices
are pretty varied from great hamburgers, to Mexican food, Indian
cuisine, and seafood. There is night time entertainment at some of
the establishments in the village. Just up the river, the
Shadowbrook restaurant has a tram you can take down the hillside
to their front door. The regionally-famous Gayle's Bakery and
Jones & Bones gourmet shop are located just up the street.
The annual Begonia
Festival takes place in Capitola, filling Soquel Creek with
flower-draped floats created by local competitors. The sand castle
contest is a must-see. In fact if you want to be a part of these
town festivities, book your accommodations early, because the town
is packed with merry witnesses to natures blooms.
To Soquel, nature gave
broad pastures and hillsides that climb to the summit of the Santa
Cruz Mountains. Ask people why they live here, and they'll mention
the friendly residents, the fresh air, and the little home-town
neighborhoods sprinkled among the piney woods. There's even a
white-steepled church on the corner. Don't miss Soquel if you are
a treasure hunter. This community is home to many antique shops
and emporiums.
Visitors are always
impressed with the concentration of fine restaurants in tiny
Soquel. Dining choices range from Thai, to seafood, and Italian.
Theo's nouvelle French and Bella Rosa's are just two of the many
fine dining places you'll discover. Before leaving town, a Stop at
Bargetto's wine tasting room has become a tradition for locals and
visitors alike.
For additional visitor
information contact:
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