Ellie steps off the plane and breathes deep the fragrant Florida air dabbing the sweat from her brow. Dreams come true! When she arrives at the hotel, safely since the driver may have had some questionable liquid refreshment, she discovers a sun hat and flip flops and...Aunt Olive missing. It is strange since Aunt Olive had made a big deal about attending the writers’ conference held at the resort.
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk...just mention the place and I can smell the cotton candy. Around here we all have our own special memories of the boardwalk; walking the strip at dusk hand in hand with your sweetheart, being lured into indigestion by the intoxicating smells of the funnel cakes and garlic fries, getting stuck upside down in the cage ride and having all the change fall out of your pocket onto the cages below, running into almost everyone you know on dollar night, bringing the kids and eyes reliving your own childhood fun all over again through them.
I was playing in the surf on the beach in Santa Barbara. The morning fog had cleared and it was a perfect day. Cool in the shade of the giant eucalyptus trees and warm in the sun. I was glad I had gotten away by myself and not had to drag my sister along. She could be a real pain in the butt when she whined. Today I was free.
Santa Cruz has many spots that, because of their beauty and very low (or no) cost, are favorites among the locals. Most of these can be visited for free or for a slight fee if you choose to park in the parking lot. Go for an hour or two, or bring a picnic and hang out longer-and they’re all great for photo ops. (And they’re family friendly if you’ve got kids in tow).
Puerto Peñasco is located on the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez. It is on the other side of the Gulf from Baja, California and is approximately one hour's drive south of the Arizona border.
