Aptos is one of our favorite California beach destinations. It is located in Santa Cruz County not far from Santa Cruz, where you will find the historic 100+ year BoardWalk, the Roaring Camp Beach Train that runs from the Redwoods to the beach each summer, and other scenic beach towns and cities such as Capitola by the Sea, another of our favorites.

Located overlooking the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the water sports such as surfing, kayaking, swimming, and kite surfing are ample in this area. Ocean fishing is also quite popular.

With a handful of hotels to select during your stay, Aptos is a bit more quiet and serene than neighboring Santa Cruz beaches, so you might opt for this location and a hotel stay here instead of up the road in Santa Cruz. Either way, you have access to all the great attractions of the neighboring Santa Cruz, and may consider Aptos as your choice, especially since it is sometimes overlooked.

Get a close up view of the Palo Alto Cement Ship shown in the photo above, on the Cement Ship web page. This unincorporated region of Santa Cruz County comprised of the towns Seascape, Rio del Mar, Seacliff, Cabrillo area and Aptos Hills encompasses Mt. Madonna through 10,000 acres of redwoods and canyons, and down to the beaches. Aptos extends into the Corralitos & Larkin Valley hills where you will find horse ranches, wineries and apple orchards. Located along Highway 1, the most prominent landmark is "The Palo Alto" cement ship at Seacliff State Beach. This two mile, sandy beach at the foot of sandstone cliffs offers day parking, camping, swimming, fishing, bicycling and roller blading for starters.

How Aptos got its name: It is believed that Native Americans who lived here thousands of years before Mission Santa Cruz was completed by the Spanish in 1794, named this part of the county Awatos or "where the waters meet." The name honors the spot where two creeks joined before traveling together to the bay. During Mexico's reign of the early 1800's, the land was used for cattle. Property was leased for a wharf, general store, lumber mill. After California declared itself a US state in 1850, the sugar king, millionaire Claus Spreckels bought property and built a hotel near the beach in 1872. He also built a summer mansion and ranch with a racetrack for horses and a large fenced area stocked with deer for hunting known as "The Deer Park."

Spreckels also helped finance the Santa Cruz Railroad which opened in 1876. The original steam engine "Jupiter" is now in the Smithsonian Institute collection in Washington D.C. With the coming of the railroad, the town moved to the other side of Aptos Creek. Spreckels brother-in-law Claus Mangels built a mansion, and Rafael Castro's son-in-law Joseph Arano built the Bayview Hotel. Both are now Bed & Breakfast Inns. For the next 40 years, Aptos experienced a boom as redwood timber harvesting made its mark. In those 40 years, all the trees were cut down in the region and industry put itself out of business!

Today, you'll feel right at home in Aptos with accommodations ranging from hotels and historic bed and breakfast inns to park camping. From the rugged, outdoor sports experience to shopping, wine tasting, golf and visits to several museums, Aptos is a fun loving community which boasts it hosts the largest garage sale in the county and smallest 4th of July Parade in the World. Farmers' market, free musical and theatrical events, demos by local restaurants, the California Open Tennis Tournament, the Cabrillo College Music Festival and the KPIG Fat Fry each summer are a few of the town's highlights.

It flows up to Mt. Madonna through 10,000 acres of redwoods and canyons, and down to the beaches of Seascape, Hidden, and Seacliff . Aptos flows into the Corralitos & Larkin Valley hills where you will find horse ranches, wineries and apple orchards.

EVENTS: Santa Cruz Blues Festival held at Aptos Village Park santacruzbluesfestival.com

THINGS TO DO:

Rio Del Mar Beach Rio Del Mar Blvd. Aptos, CA 95003 (831) 429-2850 A long strip of white sand. You can take your dog for a walk here (with a leash). Also enjoy fine restaurants and shopping nearby. No day fee. Open sunrise to sunset.

Seacliff State Beach 201 State Park Drive Aptos, CA 95003 (831) 685-6444 An expansive white sand beach offers picnic facilities for day use, and RV camping. Call for RV reservations. Parking fee charged. Open sunrise to sunset. Extensive exhibits about "The Palo Alto Cement Ship" along with natural history, marine and plant life exhibits. Books on marine and plant life, history, etc.  Seacliff State Beach and Forest of Nisene Marks State Parks are located in California State Parks Bay Area region.

Aptos Seascape Golf Course 610 Clubhouse Dr. Aptos, CA 95003 (831) 688-3213 18 holes, 72 par "player friendly" golf course open to the public.

Aptos History Museum 7605-A Old Dominion Ct. Aptos, CA 95003 (831) 688-1467

Seacliff State Beach Visitor Center State Park Drive Aptos, CA 95003 (831) 685-6444