Ansel's Getaway, Santa Cruz, California

06/11/2026

🦅 Bald Eagle nesting near Schwann Lakes 🪹

A bald eagle looks out recently from a roost not far from the bird’s chicks in a nest on a eucalyptus tree near Schwan Lake in Live Oak.
Read more below

05/24/2026

05/16/2026

11 Facts You Didn’t Know About Santa Cruz, California 🤔

1. Santa Cruz is home to the oldest surviving amusement park in California (the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk), established in 1907.

2. The Boardwalk features the Giant Dipper roller coaster, built in 1924, which is one of the oldest wooden roller coasters still in operation in the United States.

3. The Santa Cruz Wharf, constructed in 1914, is the longest wooden pier on the West Coast, extending 2,745 feet into Monterey Bay.

4. The Santa Cruz Mountains are home to a tooth belonging to a Megalodon, a prehistoric shark much larger than a Great White shark.

5. In 1986, students at the University of California, Santa Cruz, voted to make the school's official mascot the Banana Slug.

6. The Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz is a famous attraction where gravity seems to work in strange ways, defying the laws of physics.

7. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk's Looff Carousel, built in 1911, is one of the few carousels in the world still featuring a ring dispenser, where riders can grab brass rings during their ride.

8. The area around Santa Cruz is a prime location for whale watching, with gray whales, humpback whales, and orcas frequently spotted offshore.

9. Santa Cruz is home to the world's first surfing museum, established in 1986.

10. The city has a rich history of activism, including feminist protests in the 1980s that contributed to the Miss California pageant leaving Santa Cruz.

11. In 1961, a mysterious invasion of disoriented seabirds in Santa Cruz inspired Alfred Hitchcock's film "The Birds."

05/10/2026

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is kicking off summer 2026 on Saturday, May 16th & that night at 9pm they have a special, admission-free, drone show planned. Seating is first-come, first-served.

05/05/2026

5 min drive from us (or walk depending on tide)

05/02/2026

Nothing says it's the weekend like fish tacos at the beach. 🏖️🌮
Light, crispy golden fried fish topped with fresh cabbage, pico de gallo, and zesty garlic lime crema—finished with a wedge of lime for the perfect seaside bite!

📍 ⚓️ Seaside Fish & Chowder by the Casino Arcade
Discover more delicious options by visiting bit.ly/Boardwalk-Food-s