Capitola cruisin’

Capitola is one of the most popular seaside villages in the state. And for good reason. Its picturesque beach and oceanfront esplanade add up to fun summer days strolling the shops or just hunkering down on the sand.

What to Know

Capitola wasn’t always so quaint. In its early days this seaside gem was a humble summer retreat along the shore of Monterey Bay. It was known as  Camp Capitola, and by 1874 was welcoming guests, making it the first beach resort in California. Most vacationers stayed in tents by sugar beet fields until the opening of Hotel Capitola, an elegant wood-frame Victorian reiminiscent of the grand dames of that era like Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. A fire destroyed the Hotel Capitola in 1929, but Capitola’s old world appeal is still preserved in its charming pastel colored village.

Why Here

In the summer of 1961 hundreds of birds flocked to Capitola, attacking locals and visitors. Most of the birds were sooty shearwaters, a peaceful species that rarely comes to shore. Alfred Hitchcock , a Scotts Valley resident and regular visitor to Santa Cruz, read about the attack and used it as inspiration for his classic film,  The Birds  For some 25 years no one could explain why the sooty shearwaters attacked the beachgoers. But then researchers found domoic acid, a toxin produced by red algae, was behind the bizarre behavior.

Where to Start

For a quintessential summertime experience, park your car on the street or in the public lot near the police station and walk Capitola. Start your stroll along the Esplanade with its foodie landmarks like Zelda’s on the Beach, Paradise Beach Grill and Margaritaville, popular for their beachfront locations and jammed on hot summer days and weekends. Expect a long wait so other options are grabbing pizza to go or packing a picnic and sitting on the seawall and throwing a blanket on the sand.  For a peaceful retreat from the beachfront mayhem, check out Mister Toots, a legendary coffee house capturing the heart of locals for decades with its waterfront view from the second floor.  For sheer romance, make your way to Shadowbrook Restaurant, where a cable car transports you to a hillside setting.

During the summer, Capitola Beach offers free evening movies and free Wednesday twilight concert. If you are a history buff, look for the tiny one-room Capitola Historical Museum  to learn more about the town’s history

Where to Stay

Hotels are few and far between in Capitola but the most iconic is the colorful Capitola Venetian Hotel, with its picture postcard setting along the water. Built in 1924 and sitting just east of the pier, this complex is on the Register of National Historic Places as the first condominium beach community in the United States. It is popular as a vacation rental. While most units come with kitchens and living areas, the best picks are the one with waterfront views. In the heart of the village is the luxury  Capitola Hotel, a boutique inn footsteps from the beach.