Hidden Peak Teahouse

From digital-free teahouses, massage rooms and spas to serene redwood forests and beaches, opportunities for relaxation and pampering are plentiful in Santa Cruz. But spending a blissful hour in the reclining leather chair of Christine Nickell of Botanical Reflexology is an experience in total-body relaxation like no other. A certified essential oil therapist and certified…

Every time I visit Hidden Peak Teahouse in downtown Santa Cruz, an amazing thing happens. Inside the digital-free space, the vague separation anxiety that occurs when my phone is anywhere but in my right hand soon gives way to a palpable relief. With my phone powered down, the texts, emails, emoticons, tweets, Facebook notifications—the entire…

Between work, after-school activities and meetings, getting stressed out from the responsibilities of our daily routine is inevitable. Usually, a trip to one of the beautiful beaches in Santa Cruz is enough to help us unwind. Other times, we just need to shake things up with a new activity that encourages relaxation. Take a break…

This is where to find not only the best dishes in Santa Cruz County, but the best restaurants for romance, great views and more.