“It saved my life,” says Roxanne Baker of the needle exchange program in Santa Cruz’s Lower Ocean area. Now 60, Baker has long since recovered from a drug addiction that lasted 34 years. But she almost didn’t get the chance. In 1991, her husband contracted AIDS from a dirty syringe.
Posts Tagged: beaches
Sunset State Beach
Sunset Beach is a long, wide, sandy stretch of shoreline with plenty of room to lay out and admire the unparalleled views of Monterey Bay.
Manresa State Beach & Uplands Campground
Just north of Sunset Beach is Manresa Beach, a true gem. Surfers often come here to escape the crowded sets a few miles north, and, unlike most state beaches, at Manresa your four-legged friends can join you (on leashes).
Seacliff State Beach
Between Rio Del Mar and New Brighton is Seacliff Beach, so named because an ancient sea wall rises precipitously behind it.
New Brighton State Beach
New Brighton was once known as China Beach or China Cove, and was the site of a Chinese fishing village during the 1870s and 1880s.
Twin Lakes State Beach
Twin Lakes is beloved by both tourists and locals for its incredible beauty, diversity and proximity to the harbor and the popular Crow’s Nest.
Seabright State Beach
Choose your view: the Harbor mouth to the south crowned with an idyllic white lighthouse, or, to the north, the Santa Cruz wharf and Steamer Lane.
Natural Bridges State Beach
Named for its beautiful natural bridge (the last of three once visible), Natural Bridges is secluded, sheltered and ideal for observing sea life.
Rio Del Mar State Beach
With its back to tons of homes, a few shops, the charming Café Rio and the Seabreeze Tavern, Rio Del Mar has more of a neighborhood feel than nearby Seacliff Beach.
