Santa Cruz Warnings and Dangers

Don't let yourself get too freaked out by the large homeless population in Santa Cruz. You'll find them predominately on Pacific (the downtown area) and by the river. I lived in Santa Cruz for 4 years and would often go to Pacific at night by myself and other than being asked for money, I didn't have any problems. Although they're not normally violent (from my experience) don't go down by the San Lorenzo River or San Lorenzo Park (at least, I think that's what it's called) after dark since there is a large homeless population that lives there. Use common sense and you'll be fine.

Santa Cruz, like any other place on the Northern California coast, gets a lot of fog in the summer. When it is foggy, it is usually cold, too, near mid 50's Fahrenheit. We spent 3 days here in early September, and it was foggy and overcast almost the entire time. I had to wear jeans and a fleece jacket as we were walking around town. You'd never know it was the middle of summer! Come prepared. This is not San Diego!

Watch out for pedestrians in Santa Cruz. You never know when one of them will walk directly in front of your car, even when you clearly have the right of way. They are worse than our pedestrians in San Francisco (of which I am one). Not only do the Santa Cruz pedestrians engage in high risk crossings, they are somewhat brainless, too. Drive slowly on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. You just never know when suddenly you'll have a pedestrian within 2 inches of your bumper.

This picture shows Pacific Avenue during a quiet morning, but trust me, it is nothing like this in the afternoon and evening.

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Expect there to be tons of traffic on the weekends. There is also major construction on Highway 1 going in and out of santa Cruz. Expect long delays!
I highly recogmend arriving during the begining of the week to get situated with the area. Try to bring or rent a bike to travel within the downtown area, beaches and along to coast south to Capitola. Quite Senic!

When you're walking along here, enjoying the beautiful weather and admiring the view, be sure to also watch where you're going so you don't step on one of our giant slugs.

They're the second-largest slugs in existence, and they can grow up to 25cm in length. As they slide along the earth, they gobble up leaves and insect poop, and recycle them into soil. Preferring to be alone most of the time, they will usually find a favorite place to go to during dry spells - a place where they can hide out and dream their sluggy dreams.

The two slender pairs of telescopic tentacles on slugs heads are used to receive sensations from their surroundings. The superior pair, with the dark tips, are used to sense the presence of light. Slugs can't see distinct images (at least not that we know of), but they can sense varying levels of light and darkness. The inferior pair of tentacles are like little noses, picking up smells from along the forest floor.

Banana slugs can be found in moist forest regions along the Pacific Coast, from California on up to Alaska.

The Banana Slug is also the official mascot of the University of California Santa Cruz. In the movie Pulp Fiction, you can see John Travolta wearing a UCSC t-shirt with a very yellow Sammy the Slug on it.

Watch where you step!

Everyone in Santa Cruz wants to talk to you it seems! Everyone says hello, and some won't let it go at that, they'll chat you up for quite a while. These really chatty types are sometimes homeless people who just want some cash (or a cigarette if you're a smoker). Most people say just a friendly hello.

I always thought the Pacific Ocean was contaminated, and one day, I finally got proof with the numerous signs pointing to contaminated run-off from nearby creeks that lead straight through the sand. Some beaches get new sand to bulldoze over the contaminated bit, but sometimes the water is unsafe for human contact. Mind any signs that are posted. The water is too cold to swim in anyways!