Photo slideshow.  Judging cetegories: Sailing, Power, People Powered, Commercial/Sponsored Vessels, Best of Theme and Best Music. Enchanted Harbor at Santa Cruz Dec. 3, 2011 Sponsored by the Santa Cruz Harbor Yacht Club.

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Let your star shine with karaoke in Santa Cruz

Boardwalk Bowl
Bocci’s Cellar
Britannia Arms
Fog Bank
Henfling’s Tavern & Grill
Hindquarter Bar and Grill
I Love Sushi
Malone’s Grille
Michael’s on Main
Sir Froggy’s Pub
Trout Farm Inn

Dog-friendly businesses in Santa Cruz County
Dining
Shopping
Lodging
Dog Parks
Dog Friendly Beaches
Miscellaneous

Get out and enjoy some Santa Cruz Attractions, Art Galleries & Theater.

Cabrillo Stage at the Cabrillo Theatre
6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 831-479-6154;
831-479-6429, cabrillostage.com Summer always heats up with Cabrillo’s high-caliber offerings. This year’s line-up includes “The Full Monty,” “Hairspray” and “The Last 5 Years.” Professional actors, great stage direction and brilliant music arrangement. Watch exclusive behind-the-scenes footage on GTv.  photo: rr jones

If there’s one thing we have learned this year—more than any other year that GT has published The Best Of Santa Cruz Readers’ Poll—is that you really want to have your voice heard. More of you showed up to log in your votes (see below). As a result, we find ourselves having produced our biggest Best of Santa Cruz edition ever. We’ve even added a new category for next year in our A&E section, thanks, in part, to the inspiration of the local guy who graces our cover this week (see page 100). So, dive in. And thanks for voting—and reading. —Greg Archer, Editor

Visitor Index You’ve come for rest and relaxation, perhaps. Or, maybe it’s a business trip. Whatever the reason, we have no doubt you will find this region robust and overspilling with creativity. Best of all? It’s also loaded with some of the best ocean views on the planet. And that ... makes for a great “Kodak” moment the kind that you can quickly upload onto Facebook or Twitter to keep your pals informed of where you are and what you’re up to.
Actually, here’s hoping that what you’ll be up to will be quite fun.
Let’s begin with all of the events taking place during the year. Our county boasts plenty of festivals—from Shakespeare Santa Cruz to the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. The Blues Fest continues to draw people in on Memorial Day Weekend, too, but don’t underestimate the allure of the area’s popular Strawberry Festival, either.
The biggest surprise around here may be the food —as in the meals you can experience. Our noteworthy chefs are apt to garner national attention. Learn more about these culinary finds beginning here. Eat up.

There’s all that, plus shops and nightlife and so much more. So, welcome to Santa Cruz County. Now ... get busy having a memorable time. —Greg Archer, Editor, Good Times
Enjoy your stay.  ...See the Good Times Visitor Guide > See also: Best Of Santa Cruz 2011 >

Guide to shopping, antiques, boutiques, clothing, bookshops and more in Santa Cruz, Capitola, Aptos

There are so many local wineries in the area, but there are a unique cluster of impressive wine bars, too. Pop the cork and dive in. See also Good Times Josie Cowden's reviews of Santa Cruz area wines and wineries.
Restaurant dining and wine reviews >
Menu Guide for Santa Cruz area (Fall 2011) >
Menu Guide for Santa Cruz area (Spring 2011) >
Restaurant A-Z in Santa Cruz area >

Theater
Art Galleries
Attractions

Good Times area AM & FM radio stations and programming guide.

Resorts,
Hotels,
B&B’s &
Spas in Santa Cruz County

A list of beaches in the North and South County area.
Capitola Beach, Castle Beach, Its Beach, Moran Lake, Manresa State Beach,
Sunset State Beach, Natural Bridges State Park, New Brighton State Beach,
Pleasure Point Beach , Privates ., Rio Del Mar Beach, Santa Cruz Main Beach
Seacliff State Beach , Twin Lakes State Beach
North Coast Beaches
Davenport Beach, Panther Beach , Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel , Waddell State Beach

Santa Cruz is one of the world's finest surfing areas.
Here's the Good Times guide to surfing & surf training.
Capitola Jetty , The Hook , Manresa/La Selva
Privates , Pleasure Point
Cowell , Steamer Lane , Natural Bridges
Three Mile , Scott’s Creek , Waddell Creek , Four Mile
See reviews of all by area

Skating, Biking, Boating
Rock Climbing, Kayaking
Stand up Paddling
SCUBA, Rentals

Whether you live here or are visiting the hiking and running trail options are amazing and some of the most beautiful in the world. Explore the local hills, redwoods, beaches and more. Explore our list of great hiking spots, leave your comments and submit your favorite hikes.
Note: There are some pending park closures due to the CA state budget - contact the Dept. of Parks and Recreation to confirm park hours and availability.
City of Santa Cruz >
Santa Cruz Department of Parks & Recreation >

Dining, Restaurant list in Santa Cruz County
Restaurant dining and wine reviews >
Menu Guide for Santa Cruz area (Fall 2011) >
Menu Guide for Santa Cruz area (Spring 2011) >

The Santa Cruz area offers several locations to connect to the internet for free while enjoying a coffee, meal or conversation. See the Good Times list for Free WiFi hot spots.

As the long days turn to twilight and the sun sets to the west the Santa Cruz nights light up with something for everyone.  Whether you are looking for cool jazz, rock 'n' roll or some acoustic guitar you'll find it here.  Locals and travelers join together to celebrate great food, cool drinks and night beats. See Santa Cruz Area NightLife A-Z

Also see our area featured > calendar>

Local theaters in the  Santa Cruz area.

Find out about New releases, Movie Times, Reviews, and Previews in our Santa Cruz film section >
Movie Times click here.

Seascape Golf Course
Located so close to the ocean that you can hear the waves crash. You can have both 18- and 9-hole courses over 6,000 yards, situated between cypress tress. SGC also has an on-site Nike Golf learning center. Price range: $23-$72 depending on day and time.
610 Clubhouse Drive, Aptos, 688-3213.

NEW AGE/OMNI-FAITHS/ EASTERN
CATHOLICISM
CHRISTIANITY
PAGAN/OCCULT
JUDAISM

Sure, both UCSC and Cabrillo sport a bundle of great fitness classes—you may really dig the gyms there, too. But take note of some yoga alternatives here in Santa Cruz:
Contact yoga instructors for times and rates.

Shop till you drop and have some cash left over for some tasty food or a night on the town.
GOOD TIMES guide to Indie shops, thrift stores and bargain hunting in Santa Cruz.

Welcome Students! Santa Cruz is an amazing place to live and learn.  Grab a copy of the Good Times Dilated Pupil student publication for tips on the best places to eat, study, do laundry, whatever.  Also make a minute to learn about local people, places, issues & ideas.
Click to see the entire 2011 DIlated Pupil PDF >

2. In this day and age, we are all very familiar with social networking. But when it comes to college, it may behoove you to do some old fashioned face-to-face networking too. Not only can you find that invaluable classmate who will share their notes should you miss a class, but you may also find connections that will help and support you well into the future. Consider Santa Cruz Next (xxxxx.org)

3.  Be cool. Many college students find themselves unduly stressed out what with the pressure of grades, money or new relationships. Take the time to breathe, stretch, walk on the beach or take that well-deserved nap—as the saying goes, “this too shall pass.”

Indie stores with great spirit boast stellar deals and more.

Bargain Barn
Appreciate a good rummage? Don't mind getting your hands a little dirty? The Barn is a score and a half. This hot spot is open daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 292 Pioneer Street,  Santa Cruz, (831) 423-8611.

Bill’s Wheels
Voted Best Skateboard Shop in GT Readers’ Poll, you can’t really go wrong here. 1240 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 469-0904

Crossroads
For last-minute outfits Crossroads is hard to compete with, whether you're looking for basics or fancy dress wear, they are bound to have it. This is also a great place to sell old clothes. 811 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, (831) 458-0555.

ALL THIS CLEAN FUN FOR A BUNDLE OF QUARTERS. WHO KNEW? TAKE NOTE: FOUR WASHERS = BEST SPINS.

Our quick guide to several local creative portals that encourage you to use your brain, learn stuff and get things done.

Santa Cruz Rehearsal Studios
An affordable and beautiful space, SCRS is the place where you can be loud and amplified, practice with your band and jam hard without the fear of being evicted. Outfitted with four streamlined rooms, each complete with a PA and mics, SCRS is a musicians dream. 118 Coral St., Santa Cruz, (831) 425-7277, santacruzrehearsalstudios.com.

The Bike Church
This nonprofit tool co-op is a gold-mine of information and support for those who desire to "DO IT YOURSLEF." The bike church offers affordable classes, parts and service and it’s also a safe place. Whether you're a veteran bike rider or still have training wheels, The Bike Church is all about supporting and sustaining the bike community. It's also a great place to volunteer. 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, (831) 425-2453, bikechurch.santacruzhub.org.

Our biggest issue—ever—unfolds on the following pages. Thousands of words occupy the literary real estate your eyes are about to explore. Welcome to the Best of Santa Cruz 2009. For more than 25 years, GT’s annual readers’ poll has saluted the best the county has to offer—from its arts and entertainment to its restaurants and shops, and beyond. This year is no different—the kudos are doled out—but there are some new nuances. For starters, nearly 3,000 readers voted this year, the biggest voter turnout to date. As always, there are also some surprise winners, some curious ties and some wildly eye-popping missed-it-by-a-hair losses. You’ll notice this year, too, we’ve included listings for Runner-up. PLUS: Venture online to see a more extensive breakdown of the top five winners in each category.  The Best Of journey begins on page 14 but take note of page 66, where our Critics’ Picks reveal another round of winners—and losers—not found in the typical voting categories. What else? Well, at 152 pages, there’s plenty,

Results from the 2009 Good Times Reader Poll >

Twenty years after the fact, a geologist and a historian say we must not forget

“Loma Prieta was a humbling experience for most of us. a reminder of our diminutive stature in the grand scheme of things. I think that remembering events like that is a perfect antidote for our collective hubris; it keeps us honest.” —Sandy Lydon, ‘History Dude’