Ocean St Exn, California

This isn't necessarily the best street to walk down in Santa Cruz, but it is the main drag and kind of a necessary stop if you are driving in from Silicon Valley. And it feels worlds away from the bustling San Jose or even the quiet, suburban Los Gatos. Fin's Coffee, with its massive retro car and surfboards in the front, is one part 1950s-style diner and one part SoCal surf culture. Unfortunately, the old-fashioned theme is taken a bit too far when you eventually realize that there is no wifi in the coffee shop (although you can cuddle with one of the windows and try to pick it up from elsewhere).

The sea breeze is in the air as you drive closer to the ocean - the array of cheap motel chains serve as a reminder that this is a big tourist spot. It may not quite be the beaches of Southern California, but Santa Cruz does seem to be the first true California beach town when heading south on Highway 1, and Ocean Street is the gateway to the good stuff when coming in from the valley.