Spring is officially creeping in and Santa Cruz is shaking off the last of the winter gray. The wildflowers at Wilder Ranch are starting to pop, the farmers market is getting its spring produce game going, and the water is still cold enough that the lineups are blissfully uncrowded. Here's what's worth your time this week.
outdoorThe Wildflowers at Wilder Ranch Are Peaking
If you haven't walked the coastal bluffs at Wilder Ranch in the last two weeks, you're missing the best wildflower show in years. The recent rain followed by sun has turned the cliffs into a carpet of California poppies, lupine, and coastal buckwheat. The Ohlone Bluff trail is the one you want — about 3 miles round trip with ocean views the entire way. Go in the afternoon when the light is warm and the poppies are fully open. This window lasts maybe two more weeks before it fades.
Coastal bluffs, mountain biking trails, and wide open space just minutes from town.
food-drinkHumble Sea's Spring Seasonal Is Here and It's Excellent
Humble Sea just tapped their spring seasonal and it's one of their best releases in months. It's a dry-hopped pilsner that tastes like someone figured out how to put sunshine in a glass — crisp, floral, deceptively drinkable. Available at the Ingalls Street taproom and it won't last long based on how fast the kegs have been moving. Pair it with a food truck visit (check their Instagram for the weekly truck schedule) and you've got yourself a Tuesday night.
food-drinkFarmers Market Strawberry Season Has Officially Started
The first real strawberries of the season showed up at the downtown farmers market last Wednesday and they're incredible. The Watsonville farms are in full production now and the difference between these and grocery store strawberries is embarrassing. Get there before 11 AM on Wednesday if you want the best selection. The stand near the Cedar Street end of the market usually has the Chandler variety, which is peak strawberry if you ask me.
outdoorNatural Bridges Tide Pools Are Having a Moment
The spring tide cycle this week means some seriously low tides in the morning. Thursday and Friday mornings around 7-8 AM will give you the best tide pool access at Natural Bridges that we'll see until next month. The sea stars are back in better numbers this year, and the anemone gardens in the outer pools are thriving. Bring water shoes and watch where you step — the algae is slippery and the organisms are fragile. This is free nature at its absolute best.
Iconic rock arch, tide pools, and the best sunset spot on the Westside.
cultureBookshop Santa Cruz Staff Picks Just Got Refreshed
The staff picks shelf at Bookshop Santa Cruz got a full refresh this week and the selections are unusually strong. Without spoiling the whole display, there's a debut novel on there that three different staff members independently recommended, which almost never happens. If you trust their taste — and you should, these people actually read — swing by and grab whatever catches your eye. The back room also has a new curated section on California ecology that's worth browsing if that's your thing.
A fiercely independent bookstore that's been the soul of downtown since 1966.