What's New: Fall 2007

CENTENNIAL YEAR REMAINS IN GEAR!
Although the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk's 100th birthday year is coming to a close, there are still ways you can celebrate the Centennial milestone of this legendary seaside amusement park. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, A Century by the Sea, is a first-ever official comprehensive tribute bursting with nostalgia from the Boardwalk's photo archives. Chock full of images, interviews, and historical notes, this is a dazzling pageant of Americana, pop culture, and amusement park history in 176 colorful pages. Over 500 full-color and archival photos, vintage ads, and more, and never-before-published treasures from the Boardwalk's exhaustive archives come together in hardcover and softcover versions of A Century by the Sea. The book is available at most bookstores and at Amazon.com. In addition, the Beach Boardwalk is hosting a centennial farewell party at the Cocoanut Grove on New Year's Eve, Monday, December 31, 2007. Featuring dinner, dancing and party favors, this will be the party -to-end-all-Centennials as Boardwalk staff, locals and visitors alike sing auld lang syne to bygone days of yesteryear. Attracting three million visitors a year, the Boardwalk is known as the "the Coney Island of the West" and is one of the most popular amusement parks in California.

MONTEREY BAY INTERPRETIVE CENTER OPENS
Housed inside the Save Our Shores offices at the Santa Cruz Harbor, a new interpretive center has opened, complete with models, paintings, informational charts, books, a fresh water aquarium, educational videos and interactive displays. The center will serve families, tour groups, boaters and tourists with hands-on educational exhibits to encourage protection of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The Sanctuary, designated by the Federal Government under the authority of the National Marine Sanctuary Act, is one of only 14 federally protected national marine sanctuaries in the country. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is the second largest in the United States, and covers 5,328-square miles, nearly a quarter of the California Coastline. This year marks the 15th year of the sanctuary's existence, created to increase awareness, understanding and stewardship of the Monterey Bay. The Center was made possible with grants from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and HBSC Bank. The Interpretive Center is open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

NEW GETAWAY PACKAGE OFFERED FOR MEN
While Girls Getaway packages have become mainstream, guys are now getting into the swing of things and indulging in getaways of their own. The Seascape Resort in Aptos offers a "Guys Gone Golfing" package specifically tailored for male bonding. This enhanced golf experience includes a round of golf for four at Seascape Golf Course and a package of special amenities: Greg Norman golf shirts along with bourbon-infused cigars, golf balls and tees. Guys can unwind after the 18th hole with a round of drinks for four in Seascape's Sanderlings Lounge, featuring Maker's Mark Whisky. This all-inclusive value package is $896 per foursome, per night, including two one-bedroom suites.

MONARCH BUTTERFLIES RETURN TO STATE PARK PRESERVE
Beginning in mid-October, thousands of migrating monarch butterflies will return to the Monarch Butterfly Natural Reserve at Natural Bridges State Park. The park is one of the few select sites along the California coast where the hibernating butterflies return each year, and is the only State Park Monarch Preserve in California. On Sunday, October 14, 2007 Welcome Back Monarchs Day will honor the return of the butterflies with music, interpretative tours, games, information, activities for the family, and superheroes Monarch Man and Monarch Woman. A wheelchair and stroller-accessible boardwalk and trail provide visitors with an up-close view, and visitors can also admire these wondrous creatures from an observation deck in the eucalyptus grove. Adjacent to the grove, the park's Visitor Center highlights local natural history. And butterfly puppets, silk scarves, cookie-cutters, silver pendants, and hand-carved butterfly pens are just a few of the Monarch-inspired gifts at the Natural Bridges State Park gift shop.

NEW B&B GRACES SANTA CRUZ'S SCENIC WEST CLIFF DRIVE
This summer, visitors have a new choice when it comes to Santa Cruz lodging. The nine-room West Cliff Inn, open in Summer 2007, is located on a bluff across from the Monterey Bay. Built as a private home in 1877 on Santa Cruz's scenic West Cliff Drive, the stately, three-story Italianate Victorian home has been completely renovated and features breezy, coastal decor in crisp blues and whites. Each room comes with a fireplace, marble tile bathroom, high-speed Internet access, an iPod™ player, and a television with a DVD player. Guests will enjoy Four Sisters Inns' signature gourmet breakfast, home-made cookies, and afternoon wine and hors d'oeuvres daily. The West Cliff Inn is among twelve other bed and breakfast properties in the Four Sisters family of inns, which also include locations in Monterey, Sonoma, Napa, Half Moon Bay and other areas.