Twin Lakes, Twin Lakes, CA

Twin Lakes lies beside Santa Cruz Harbor on the Santa Cruz County coast, and its name comes from two bodies of water, the harbor and Schwan Lake. The harbor was once Woods Lagoon, and the whole district grew up as a boating neighborhood. The state beach is the main draw, a mile of sand for picnickers and beachcombers that allows dogs on a leash, and Sunny Cove Beach lies just beyond the boundary. Housing is a mix of single-family houses and apartment complexes. A few small lodgings, including Harbor Inn and Ocean Echo Inn and Beach Cottages, share the district, so everyday living mixes with a bit of vacation traffic. For a green break, Schwan Lake has nature trails with views of meadow, oak and eucalyptus, and egrets, cormorants, hawks and even bald eagles turn up there. Felt Street County Park has a skatepark, and Twin Lakes County Park and Arana Gulch fill out the list of places to walk. On the water, kayak and paddleboard outfitters and charter sailboats work out of the harbor. Harbor Cafe is the brunch spot people mention first, with biscuits and croissants baked daily, homemade salsas and a well-known Bloody Mary, open Wednesday through Monday until two. Lago di Como serves Italian dinners with homemade pasta, Deke's Market is the easy stop for a sandwich, and Cafe El Palomar, a beachfront Mexican restaurant, sits just across the line. The Live Oak branch library and a Sunday farmers market at 15th and Portola handle other everyday needs. Most people in Twin Lakes drive to work, and errands are a car trip too, though the harbor and the beach are close enough to reach without one. In summer a free water taxi runs between the harbor and Seabright on weekends, which gives this corner a small nautical routine the rest of the county lacks.