Paul Sweet Rd, Live Oak

Santa Cruz (and the surrounding area) is known for two major nature phenomena - the beautiful, surfer-friendly beaches and the spectacular towering redwoods. Paul Sweet Road encompasses the latter, perhaps better than any other street in town.

The road leads to Dominican Hospital and the lovely Chaminade Conference Center before eventually turning into Tahmik Trail and dead-ending. It feels about as back woods as one can get and still be in Santa Cruz, but the twists and turns are a fraction of what they are in some of the other coastal towns. Cell phone reception is minimal but the lovely peaceful feeling of being in trees is abundant. And fortunately, there are great delis and an abundance of services on nearby Soquel Drive.

This street is a little strange - it is adjacent to a high-end resort and simultaneously runs parallel to a cemetery. Like many redwood streets in the Bay Area, cell phone reception is a little spotty although it is not entirely impossible to make and receive calls. The homes are well-spaced, residential, and high-end, and in all likelihood, this is not one of the cheapest spots to live in Santa Cruz (although the property is not beachfront).

Traffic is minimal, and the road is not terribly windy for being nestled in the woods. The street is not the most well-paved, so it may not be a place where you want to drive your Mercedes.

If you want a spot that is residential and nestled in the Redwoods, but still located in Santa Cruz near beaches and nightlife, this is definitely a good find - as long as you do not mind sharing it with the deceased.