IF YOU GO
SURFING
At Santa Cruz Surf School, a two-hour lesson as one of four students, with one instructor, is $80, which includes a wetsuit and surfboard (1-831-345-8875; www. santacruzsurfschool.com).
Club Ed trucks equipment right to Cowell's Beach near the wharf and offers group, private and semi-private classes, as well as rentals. Charismatic Ed Guzman, a lifelong surfer, runs the place (1-831-464-0177; www.club-ed.com).
DINING
Soif combines wine bar, wine shop and soothing, polished bistro under one roof. You can order three dozen wines by the 2-ounce taste, glass or bottle (1-831-423-2020; www.soifwine.com).
Cellar Door Cafe: Winemaker Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard hired Charlie Parker from Manresa, a two-star Michelin restaurant in nearby Los Gatos, to run the local-ingredients, communal-dining cafe, which packs them in most nights with a $35 prix fixe menu (1-831-425-6771).
Verve, a premium coffee roaster, has a great little retail outlet with art, pastries, Wi-Fi and lots of locals (816 41st Av., 1-831-475-7776).
GETTING THERE
From San Francisco, take Interstate 280 south to Hwy. 92, which curves down to Half Moon Bay. The drive from there along Pacific Coast Hwy. 1 is exceptionally scenic, with very little development and many photo opportunities. Takes about 90 minutes if traffic is light.
