Soquel, Soquel, CA

Soquel is the creekside village just north of Capitola, with a small main street of its own and a slower pace than the beach towns beside it. The creek runs through the middle of town, and Heart of Soquel Park follows the water with wooden walkways and bocce courts. The village dates to the 1850s, and the homes show a wide spread. Ranch houses from around the 1970s share the slopes with newer custom places, with cottages, townhouses and mobile homes in between. Some parcels stretch to acreage under redwoods, so parts of the area feel rural even with the village center close. Downtown leans on locally owned shops and boutiques rather than big-box stores, and two schools, an elementary and a high school, are in town. Green stops come in handfuls. Willowbrook County Park, Lions Park and The Farm Park and Community Center are all close. Uphill, a state demonstration forest draws mountain bikers, and the Forest of Nisene Marks has about thirty miles of trail within easy reach. Mornings in Soquel start at The Ugly Mug, the coffeehouse that has been here since 1996, with open mics, movie nights and local art on the walls. It opens before six on weekdays. Bargetto Winery has made wine in the village since 1933 and runs a tasting room daily from noon to five, with honey mead among its specialties. Cafe Cruz handles sit-down meals, and the taquerias along the main roads cover quick dinners. Safeway takes care of the big grocery run, and Soquel Drive and Main Street carry most of the traffic. Highway 1 is close, and Santa Cruz Metro buses run toward Santa Cruz and Watsonville. Porter Memorial Library offers a quiet indoor stop. Shops and restaurants string out along those two roads, so most outings mean a car, with the village core the one place that rewards a stroll. A winery with ninety years behind it and a coffeehouse with a stage share the same few streets.