And if you’re itching to do something stupid, Mavericks is only an hour north in the sleepy seaside town of Half Moon Bay. Big waves, secret spots, outer-reef bombies…even a world-class right-hand reef-point in Steamer Lane-Santa Cruz has them all. Because the coast forms a sort of natural bight, the area’s myriad beachbreaks, points, and rocky reefs absorb swell from just about any direction-northwest to dead south-translating to rideable waves almost every day of the year. The old saying goes, “If a butterfly flaps its wings over the Pacific, Santa Cruz gets swell.” Well, actually there’s no saying like that, but there should be. Don’t be fooled by the chilly temps, the organizing principal in the lives of most Santa Cruzians is surf, and with numerous legendary breaks dotting the coast, it’s no wonder this sleepy gem has become the de facto capital of cold-water surfing. The first waves surfed in the Continental United States were ridden in Santa Cruz by brothers Jonah, David, and Edward Kawananakoa in 1885, and the town has had a thriving surf scene since. Huntington Beach may have won the right to the name “Surf City, USA” in the California courts, but any surfer who’s ever paddled out at Steamer Lane knows the judge got it wrong.
![surfer santa surfer santa](https://st4.depositphotos.com/10288846/31112/i/1600/depositphotos_311129734-stock-photo-two-surfers-dressed-as-santa.jpg)
![surfer santa surfer santa](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/54/0c/8f/540c8fdd48e86821e0ddd1f36297cb8f.jpg)
In this college town palms grow next to pines and pros live next door to reclusive soul surfers.
![surfer santa surfer santa](https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/medium/3/surfer-santa-claus-surfing-like-a-cool-xmas-dude-mister-tee-transparent.png)
Santa Cruz is the dividing line between rugged, non-pretentious NorCal and suburban, image-concerned SoCal, and that dichotomy is tangible.