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The Local’s Guide to the Beach Town of Capitola
Coastal Living Magazine named Capitola, California, one of the happiest seaside towns in America, and if you’ve ever visited, you would have a tough time telling them they’re wrong. Between the hippie spirit, the breathtaking natural beauty and the quirky residents, it’s everything you’d dream of finding in a quaint California town.
Besides being known for its overall livability, it’s chock full of weird California history. Alfred Hitchcock got his inspiration for The Birds from a horrific incident that took place in Capitola. On an early summer morning in 1961, residents were awakened at 3:00 a.m. by a “rain of birds slamming against their homes [and] … dead and stunned seabirds littering the streets and roads in the foggy, early dawn.” Another historical oddity: the oldest beach resort on the West Coast, the Grand Capitola Inn, featured a popular dance ritual that involved hiding women behind a white sheet. The Grand Capitola Inn was later burned down, possibly for insurance money.
Certainly, “happiest” and “weirdest” are not mutually exclusive. In fact, since Capitola is neighbors with the capital of weird, Santa Cruz, and is a gateway to the rest of the beloved Monterey Bay, weird is a badge that Capitola locals wear with pride and is precisely what makes this foggy beach town so charming.
Pleasure Point
The true Capitola experience begins at Pleasure Point, the famous surfing spot (and the place where the dead-bird incident occurred). The path that winds down Opal Cliffs gives you a perfect view of the surfers who are tough enough to brave the frigid water — not to mention the magnificent perspective the view gives you of the rest of Monterey Bay. After your walk, go grab a slice at Pleasure Pizza just a few blocks away. Try the Telecaster if you really wanna get wild.
