The adorable seaside village of Capitola began as a humble tent camp along the shore of the Monterey Bay. Camp Capitola, as it was known, welcomed its first guests in 1874 making it the first beach resort in California. A few years later, it premiered a magnificent wood-frame Victorian hotel — Hotel Capitola — that echoed grand contemporaries like the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego and San Francisco’s original Cliff House. The hotel succumbed to fire in 1929, but the romance of the original beach resort still exists in the colorful, seaside shops and restaurants tucked into a hillside along Soquel Creek. Wandering the village and its bayfront promenade — window shopping and snacking along the way — is a quintessential part of a Santa Cruz experience.

While beachfront property in Capitola is rare, there are still gems found along the coast. As well as historic structures sprinkled throughout the area from the Camp Capitola days. Many local institutions are a great place to grab a bite, from Gayles Bakery to Zeldas on the Beach. Capitola is an incredibly walkable town measuring about two square miles; the beach, surf, shopping and so much more are at your fingertips.