Santa Cruz has always had the hairy faces and vegan diets, but it’s become more hip in recent years. I make regular visits to write for the Santa Cruz Visitors’ Council and I’ve become quite fond of the area’s bayside bohemia. The sunny town sits on an enviable patch of land nestled between magnificent coastal redwoods and the splendor of the Monterey Bay. And recently, it’s witnessed a creative new energy emerge with stylish new restaurants, design-savvy boutiques and craft beer tap houses springing up. I tried to capture some of the new things happening in Santa Cruz with this “modern guide” that I penned for 7×7 magazine.

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