Shopping in Santa Cruz is exactly what you might expect.
From hip boutique clothing stores to quirky thrift shops, the stores in Santa Cruz are full of character and charm. Pacific Avenue in Downtown Santa Cruz is the heart of the local shopping scene, but it isn't the only place to find those one of a kind stores worth making a trip from out of town to visit.
The Capitola Village is a favorite of tourists, partially for its beach and restaurants, but also for the shopping. The Swift Street Courtyard over on the Westside is a relatively new hot spot for shopping, dining and wine tasting. Pleasure Point is also full of one of a kind local stores ranging from surf shops to boutiques to second hand stores.
Santa Cruz Holiday Craft Fairs & Shopping Events 2019
'Tis the season to shop unique, handmade, and most of all, local. Santa Cruz businesses and organizations are making it[...]
Santa Cruz Holiday Craft Fairs & Shopping Events 2018
'Tis the season to shop unique, handmade, and most of all, local. Santa Cruz businesses and organizations are making it[...]
The Best Places to Get Your Craft on in Santa Cruz
Why DIY alone with YouTube when you can DIWO (Do it with others) in a sweet local shop in Santa[...]
Santa Cruz Holiday Craft Fairs & Shopping Events 2017
'Tis the season to shop unique, handmade, and most of all, local. Santa Cruz businesses and organizations are making it[...]
Santa Cruz Holiday Craft Fairs & Shopping Events 2016
'Tis the season to shop unique, handmade, and most of all, local. Santa Cruz businesses and organizations are making it[...]
The Chocolate Lover’s Guide to Santa Cruz – from A to Mackenzies
If you’re a chocolate lover, chances are you have a well hidden stash somewhere in your house. So let us[...]
This Week in Santa Cruz: Dec. 11th – 13th, 2015
This weekend brings the opportunity to see a rap legend in concert, hear some of Cabrillo's finest jazz musicians, and[...]
Santa Cruz Holiday Craft Fairs & Shopping Events 2015
'Tis the season to shop local! Santa Cruz businesses and organizations are making it easy with a full slate of holiday[...]
Guide to the Swift and Ingalls Street Courtyards
Located at 402 Ingalls Street, the Swift Street Courtyard is an oasis of chic yet laid-back hipness. Opened in 2003[...]
Guide to Local Markets
Just as Santa Cruz County has tons of local retail to compete with the big chains, there is also a[...]
Staff of Life Natural Meats: Not Your Average Grocery Store Butcher
A couple months ago, a friend raved to me about eating some wonderful grass-feed beef that she had cooked after[...]
Santa Cruzans on Etsy
Etsy is known for being a place that brings the global world of unique, handcrafted items right to your doorstep[...]
Sawyer Land & Sea Supply: Outfitting the Santa Cruz Lifestyle
What do surfing, yoga and enjoying the outdoors have in common? You can find quality gear for all three pursuits[...]
Capitola Mall: Big Box Convenience & Local Flavor
Many Santa Cruzans take pride in doing everything local — we eat local, we drink local, and we shop local.[...]
Better than Black Friday. More Fun Than Cyber Monday: It’s Small Business Saturday!
First there was Black Friday - the day when the holiday shopping season officially kicks off as big box retailers[...]
Support Local Businesses by Thinking Local First
Santa Cruzans love their local businesses. They love supporting them, they love talking about them, and they especially love talking[...]
Santa Cruz Antique Faire
If your idea of sophisticated is slightly scuffed, if you prefer dusty over designer, and if you know vintage is[...]
Bookshop Santa Cruz: A Local Institution
Ancient Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero once said, “a room without books is like a body without a soul.” If[...]
Get Fresh Produce from Dirty Girls and Happy Boys at Santa Cruz Farmers’ Markets
For a relatively small town, Santa Cruz and its surrounding areas have some outstanding farmers’ markets. This is likely due[...]
The Santa Cruz Trolley: Modern Convenience & Old World Charm
Visiting the Boardwalk, the Wharf, and the beach every Santa Cruz summer can be a blast, with only one big[...]
Chocolate Covered Bacon Is A Vegan’s Nightmare And A Bacon-Lover’s Dream In Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is well-known for its vegan roots. However, one local candy shop, Marini’s Candies’, goes against the norm by[...]
The Downtown Santa Cruz Guide to Shopping, Dining & Nightlife
Trying to list every single cool thing to do, place to visit, or sight to see in downtown Santa Cruz[...]
When Hippies Make Ice Cream: The Tasty Tale of the Penny Ice Creamery
Delicious. Quirky. Wholesome. And oh so organic. That is what you get when you combine the earthy wisdom of Santa[...]