7 minutes from Sand Rock Farm! Cat & Cloud makes great espresso & coffee, and is a wonderful place to stop for your morning fix.

Great breakfast and lunch! Long wait times in the mornings, but you can explore downtown Santa Cruz while you wait.

Whether you hit the Pleasure Point location or the downtown Santa Cruz location, Pleasure Pizza is a solid price for a greasy slice.

Want something a little fancier? La Posta is a great Italian restaurant with all the classics.

20 minutes from Aptos, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has a massive amount of things to do, with rides, a giant arcade, mini golf, and more! Too loud? Just walk on the beach for a while!

Want something a little more low-key? Walk by the sea and watch surfers at Pleasure Point! It's a great spot to walk around and people-watch. If you've got your walking shoes, you can walk all the way to Capitola!

Forget an outfit? Need retail therapy? Downtown Santa Cruz is the best place for that. Tons of unique shops, thrift stores food, and entertainment. Buy mushrooms at Far West Fungi, find retro consoles at Level Up Video Games! Truly, there is something for everyone!

We are avid hikers, and we love that Santa Cruz is full of beautiful hiking trails. If you'd like to take a walk on the wild side, we recommend the Forest of Nisene Marks, Henry Cowell State Park, or Wilder Ranch State Park. Look up each park in advance to choose your trail, as some can get quite long!

Should you wish to drive 45 mins to an hour, feel free to drive to Monterey and visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium! If you have a longer stay in California and can make the trip, this is absolutely worth your time. (Life hack: your ticket is for the day; get lunch at Sea Harvest or Andronico's and then come back instead of paying for food inside!)