Santa Cruz Wharf in Santa
Cruz, California Open daily: 5 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Santa Cruz Wharf is a
wooden structure filled with entertainment, dining, shopping and event
special events. You'd be hard pressed to find a pier or wharf in
California offering so much entertainment that ranges from live jazz
concerts or clam chowder cookoff to Halloween on the Wharf annual event.
Located near the
historic Santa Cruz BoardWalk, the Wharf overlooks the Pacific Ocean and
Monterey Bay where migrating whales sail by with seemingly effortless
motion. Its where you can see surfers navigating waves that make Santa
Cruz famous for its surfing and notables such the O'Neills.
Santa Cruz Wharf is
the fifth in a string of wharfs that were built as early as the
California Gold Rush of the mid-1800s. Used mostly for trade, even the
current wharf that was built in 1914 was constructed initially to handle
cargo from railroad shipments. There were no shops or
restaurants when it was built and the entertainment venue grew into its
current use through time. Today there are excellent restaurants, shops
and the usual free pier fishing that visitors and locals can enjoy on
all public California piers.
Other piers or wharfs
that were built include The Potato Wharf, The Railroad Wharf, The Powder
Mill Wharf and The Pleasure Pier. The most enjoyable of all piers was
the Pleasure Pier, of course. Once part of the Boardwalk, it was built
in 1906 for passengers from speedboats on Monterey Bay to disembark.
The pier carried water lines for the Plunge, an indoor saltwater
swimming pool that closed in 1960. The Pleasure Pier and Plunge were
demolished together.
With approximately
nine bars and restaurants that include long time locals, Miramar Fish
Grotto (in existence on the pier since 1945) and Stagnaro Bros.
Restaurant and Fish Market owned by John and Ernie Stagnaro since 1937.
From Mexican to Italian, fish to salads and sandwiches, the entire
family can enjoy casual dining or couples can spend a day or night time
stroll and dinner with a view at the Santa Cruz Wharf.
Miramar Fish
Grotto (831) 423-4441 miramarfishgrotto.com
Stagnaro Bros.
Restaurant and Fish Market (831) 423-2180
stagnarobrothers.com
The Santa Cruz Wharf is open to the public from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. The
Wharf is accessible for bicycles, wheel chairs, pedestrians and
automobiles.
Wharf Special Events include annual celebrations such as Jazz on the
Wharf (3rd Sunday in March), Surf City Classic: Woodies on the Wharf
(4th Saturday in June), Art on the Wharf (3rd weekend in July), Aloha
Races & Polynesian Festival (4th Sunday in August) and Halloween on the
Wharf (October 31).
