Day Tripping

It is a rare occasion when all 5 family members are in the same place at the same time these days, but we managed to coordinate schedules for a day trip to Santa Cruz yesterday.

We reached SC at noon and Jordan’s GPS-equipped iPhone directed us to Zachary’s Restaurant, a popular brunch spot on Pacific Avenue, a popular shopping street. In the spirit of sampling the local cuisine, I ordered something called “Mike’s Mess,” a breakfast dish that involved tofu and other healthy ingredients. We spent some time window shopping, then headed to UC Santa Cruz to see where Jordan would be living for the next four years.

We took the scenic route onto campus and were amazed at the vast open spaces between buildings. There wasn’t much activity on campus because of the season, but we got to see Jordan’s dorm, situated in a redwood grove, and made our way to the bookstore, where Jordan picked out a tasteful UCSC “hoodie” -- with school name but without the school’s banana slug mascot. After more walking and shopping, we wound our way to the harbor for dinner at The Crow’s Nest, a great restaurant overlooking the water.


Crow's Nest in Santa Cruz


We did not make it to the beach or to the Boardwalk amusement park, but we know how to get there now, even without GPS.