Aptos means The People. It is only eight miles away from Santa Cruz.
Since we have moved to the city from the country, I look forward to exploring places like Aptos because the views of nature are so breathtaking here. I love sand between my toes, salt in the air, and trails to explore. I always feel so alive when I am out in nature.
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
We are so very spoiled in California. This trail is so magical but because we have seen big redwoods so many times we do not get as excited as we know we should. We took the old growth loop trail to oak ridge trail and then connected back to the old growth loop trail. You might come across paths that say “Private Property” because this land originally belonged to Nisene Marks until in 1963 her children donated around 9,700 acres to the state. Some parts are private property so we just avoided those paths. There are a few beautiful wooden bridges on the trail and fallen giant trees. On this hike as my husband was passing the camera to me our daughter Eve started crying. We thought that somehow one of us might have hit her with our camera after realizing that we didn’t we noticed that she was standing and we could not think of any other explanation. I then saw her holding onto her head and as I looked I saw that a wasp was stuck in her hair and was stinging her. The poor wasp was stuck so it naturally stung Eve. We removed the wasp and put rubbing alcohol on that area. Poor Eve. We are blessed to share nature with amazing little and big creatures and sometimes unpleasant things happen. Eve cried for a few minutes and then was on her way hiking, running, and climbing.
Located at Aptos Creek Rd, Aptos, CA 95003.
Seacliff State Beach and S.S Palo Alto
A beach that has a classic ship near shore is a very rare type to come by and is arguably the main attraction at this beach. In 1929 a concrete ship arrived near the beach and sank so they decided to make it a tourist attraction. And to make it so they added a dance floor, café, carnival booths and more. But the company that did this became bankrupt half a year later and all these attractions were stripped off the ship. And afterwards people could still enjoy the ship since it had a dock leading to it but that changed in 2016 when a storm damaged the dock and ship making it hazardous.
It looks a lot like a shipwreck and it is so damaged that even the fishing piers last part is blocked off from the public. But from the looks of it the birds love it because the have taken over that area. Never the less it is worth the visit and you can still have so much fun on the beach, on the pier, and under the pier.
Located at 201 State Park Dr. Aptos, CA 95003.
Rio Del Mar State Park
Our girls had so much fun. They got so wet and sandy. This is a great place to let your kids play next to the ocean without worrying that the waves will take them away. We jumped and chased birds. It was a beautiful way to end the day.
Located at 201 State Park Dr. Aptos, CA 95003.
Rio Sands Hotel
This hotel is only 2 minutes away from beaches. We were able to explore the beaches and the best part is that our children got so wet and sandy and we never had to get in the car afterwards. They stood outside until it was their turn to take a shower. That I believe is a great way to spend a weekend where beautiful nature is just outside of your door. Rio Sands Hotel is very family friendly. They even have family suites. There is an outdoor pool, BBQ and patio area, and complimentary breakfast in a beautiful remodeled breakfast room.
Located at 116 Aptos Beach Dr. Aptos, CA 95003.
Aptos Museum
The Aptos History Museum is exactly what it sounds like. It is a museum that gives information on what happened in the Aptos region. While it appears small it has more items than you may expect of it and the best thing of all the items there are artifacts or items donated that were local. These items are used to show the history and culture of the area from American Natives to when the Spanish came and when it rose in population.
Located at 7605 Old Dominion Ct #B, Aptos, CA 95003.
Thank you Rio Sands Hotel for hosting our stay.
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