Enjoy the peace of your mornings West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, CA, is a great place to start or end your day. West Cliff Drive is a walking and biking path along the Pacific Ocean. Depending on what time you go, it may or may not be crowded. I personally enjoy an early morning stroll along this beautiful oceanfront trail. Do you have one or more dogs? West Cliff has 2 dog beaches. Mitchell’s Cove Beach is dog-friendly, but it has some rules; for instance, dogs are only allowed off-leash before 10 am and after 4 pm. It is located near West Cliff Drive and Almar, with stairs taking you down to the beachfront. Lighthouse Field State Beach, AKA The Dog Beach, is definitely dog-central. A few steps away you will find the Surfing Museum at the lighthouse overlooking the internationally renowned surfing spot "Steamer Lane". Depending on what time you start or end your walk, you might be able to try this little hotspot - Steamers Lane Supply. I know the name is a little weird, you just don’t expect it to be what it is being called that. But I encourage you to check it out. They open daily at 7:30 am and close at sunset. The concession stand serves locally roasted organic coffee and delicious food made with fresh, local and organic ingredients. Last but not least, if you treat yourself to a walk to the very end you’ll end up at the Dream Inn - a beautiful, well-known beachfront hotel in Santa Cruz, CA. If you peak inside, you’ll see a coffee cart serving one of my favorite coffee roasters, Verve Coffee, which is a must-have in Santa Cruz!
