Redwood Canopy Ziplining Tour

Ziplining in the Redwoods is an amazing experience. It was on my to-do list for a long time so when Anne mentioned she is interested in trying it out, I jumped at the opportunity right away. We picked a weekend and booked the tour. Did not regret it at all.

This activity is arranged by Mt Hermon Adventures in Santa Cruz. They have 3 different activities The one we chose was called Redwood canopy tour in which we zipline through 6 lines and cross two aerial bridges. Its a 2 hour activity and can accommodate up to 8 people at a time. They have several slots available so it should be fairly easy to get a booking. It costs $89-$99 per head depending on the time of the year. It is pricey and there are no discounts available as far as I searched. I would say it is totally worth the price as the activity is conducted in a very organized manner with detailed instructions from experienced and friendly guides.

Anne, Nush and I in our gear

At our allocated time, Anne, Nush and I arrived and were introduced to the two guides for the day. They helped with with the harness, gloves and helmet. All of them were super smelly so you will need to go home and shower! We practiced ziplining on a mini line just to get a feel of it and also to go over the basic safety protocols. Nothing too complicated.

Our awesome guide Mitch

The first one was very daunting. Walking across the aerial bridge onto the platform built on the tree was scary enough but from the platform when I looked down below it made me very nervous. At that point we were only 35 ft above the ground! I took a deep breath and without looking down, crossed my first line. When I reached the other end, I realized it was so simple and not at all scary. All the following ones felt easy and I actually looked around the trees and at the creek below. It was as if I was flying. A very exhilarating experience!

Walking across the aerial bridge

The highest one was 150 ft above the ground. The guides talked a little about the redwoods and the forest. They even kept throwing a challenge at each level like standing at the edge of the platform and leaning back which I was too chicken to try. They were nice enough to capture pictures for us as well. The last course does have a camera that automatically clicks pictures which you can purchase at the end of the tour.

It was time well spent and an activity that I enjoyed. They do have another tour which is like an obstacle course which looks very challenging as well as fun. That one's for another day!

What: Ziplining
Where: Mt Hermon Adventures, 17 Conference Dr, Felton CA 95018
When: Throughout the year
Cost: $89-$99

Natural Bridges State Beach

What do you do when you catch a sunny break from the cold winter? You head to the beach, of course! That's what we did last Saturday. I had heard about the Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz from a colleague and so I decided to check it out.

Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz

An hour's drive took us to the beach. It being a beautiful day, the beach was buzzing with activity. The weather was just perfect-no annoying cold wind or fog to take away from the views. It is a small sandy beach compared to the main one near the boardwalk. Quite close to the shore is a massive rock which forms an arch giving it an appearance of a bridge. Apparently, there were three such bridges but erosion took a toll on them and now only one survives. You can see about hundreds of birds perched on top of the bridge. We also saw quite a few surfers having a fun time and enjoying the water.

Right next to the beach, there are some tide pools. These are rocks with small depressions in them. During low tide, when there is no water covering these rocks, you can see a lot of different sea life forms. There were snails, anemones, sea-weeds, mussels and many colorful forms. It was a treat to watch them. We reached there at the fag end of the low tide and so could catch only a glimpse of what actually is out there. The best time to visit the tide pools is an hour before or an hour after low tide.

Anemones

Mussels and sea weed

The park next to the beach is home to the migrating Monarch Butterflies. There is a separate trail with eucalyptus trees where you can see hundreds of Monarch Butterflies during the migratory season (October to mid February). It is a quiet and shaded trail and if you look up, you can see the butterflies fluttering about. Since we went there around sunset, the weather was not warm enough and so there were fewer butterflies than one can see during the afternoon. It was difficult to capture them on camera as it was getting dark.

Monarch Butterflies Trail

 It was a perfect day out at the beach with gorgeous views to refresh the mind and soul.

What: Natural Bridges State Beach
Where: 2531 W Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz CA 95060
When: 8.00am to sunset
Fee: Free (parking is $10 which you can avoid by parking on the street)

Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz

Summer is here and what better way to spend a day than visit Santa Cruz with friends. We started from Sunnyvale at 11am and reached 'The Crepe Place' restaurant in Santa Cruz at 12.15. It is a very cosy restaurant with an old world charm. We chose the outdoor seating in the garden and had a relaxed lunch for over an hour. I was impressed by the vegetarian options. Post lunch, we headed to the Mystery Spot.

History of Mystery Spot

Mystery Spot is a circular region of around 150 feet in which there are anomalies to the normal laws of physics especially gravity. A lot of demonstrations by the guide show these anomalies at work. It was pretty amazing and the actual experience is fun. However, when I got back home and googled about the place, I read that it is merely an optical illusion generated by clever engineering. This does not make the place any less exciting or take away from its fun.

Our Guide Moe-appears slanted even when he is standing straight

We had already booked the 3.36pm tour of the Mystery Spot and bought the tickets online. The entrance had this impressive graffiti.

Mystery Spot Graffiti

On the way to the Mystery Spot house

Inside the Mystery Spot house

There is a small gift store, snack stalls and restrooms near the ticket counter. At 3.36pm, our tour number was announced and we were greeted by our tour guide, Moe. His demonstrations included a ball sliding up a wooden plank against gravity, people standing in slanting position, lead pendulum swings only on one side, height changes in people and others. They were peppered with very clever jokes which made it very entertaining. I absolutely loved the guide's narration. I don't have very good pictures or video that show the phenomenon inside the tilted house which is the epicenter of the Mystery Spot. At the end of the tour, we were given the Mystery Spot bumper stickers that we see on so many cars.

Mystery Spot Bumper Stickers

I highly recommend this place as it is a fun experience on your way to Santa Cruz beach. We did go to the beach, walked around the wharf and had an early dinner before returning home. A day well-spent!

At Santa Cruz Wharf

Santa Cruz beach

Sand Sculpture at Santa Cruz Beach

What: Mystery Spot
Where: 465 Mystery Spot Road, Santa Cruz CA 95065
When: Mon-Fr: 10am-6pm; Sat-Sun: 10am-8pm
Fees: $6

Santa Cruz

After last week's short trip to Half Moon Bay, this week we ventured out to explore Santa Cruz beach. We were accompanied by our lovely friends mentioned in this post.

Santa Cruz is an hours drive southwards from Sunnyvale. We took the scenic CA-17 route. The traffic this week was no different than last time and we were slowed down tremendously. After a very frustratingly slow drive through the over crowded, winding roads. we reached the Santa Cruz beach.

It was different from the Half Moon Bay beach because it was very lively and colorful. Shops, eateries dotted one side of the beach. There is a small amusement park  called 'The Boardwalk' on the beach. It has a whole bunch of fun looking rides. 

Boardwalk Entrance

There is a heritage train that starts at the beach and takes you to the Roaring Camp in Felton. It is an hour long ride that goes through the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and stops at Felton and returns after an hour. The tickets are sold on board and costs $28 per head for a return ticket. The train is has an open top and the ride through the Redwood forests is superb. There is nothing much to do at Felton except walk around the big camp. There is only one food stall which, like all tourist spots, serves over-priced bad food. I'd advice you to carry a picnic lunch with you to enjoy there.

 

Train through the Redwood forest

Train going through the tunnel

We came back to the beach after a bad lunch at Felton. The weather had suddenly become much colder and we were shivering. We walked along the beach, visited the curio shops and grabbed a quick bite. The cold wind made it quite difficult for us to stay and so we started back home at around 6 pm.

Santa Cruz Beach