Surf's up! Pleasure Point, California, is one of the world's top surfing destinations. But it's name doesn't come from the pleasure of the rolling waves but, rather, from its Prohibition-era heritage as a home to many speakeasies.
Located at the northern end of Monterey Bay, the community of Pleasure Point is located between Santa Cruz and Capitola on the shores of the Pacific Ocean
Surf's up! Pleasure Point, California, is one of the world's top surfing destinations. But it's name doesn't come from the pleasure of the rolling waves but, rather, from its Prohibition-era heritage as a home to many speakeasies.
Located at the northern end of Monterey Bay, the community of Pleasure Point is located between Santa Cruz and Capitola on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It was settled first by the Ohlone tribe who lived and fished here until the arrival of European settlers in the 1700s. Spanish missionaries controlled the land for another decade after Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821. Eventually, the Mexican government seized the missionary lands and distributed them according to the land grant program that carved most of the California landscape into a patchwork of sprawling Ranchos in the 1800s. Two ranchos - Rancho Arroyo del Rodeo and Rancho Encinalitos - claimed parts of modern day Pleasure Point, using the land primarily for grazing cattle. By the 20th century, the rancho land was sold off to individual landowners. Today, it is mostly a residential community defined by its surf culture even as older beach cottages are routinely being replaced by larger vacation estates.
This is a classic, beachfront community in California. You should, without thinking too hard about it, be able to draw some immediate conclusions about price and availability (hint: high, and not much). This place manages to achieve the seemingly impossible: it's 100 percent about locals and 100 percent about tourism. It works, trust us. Whether or not you know how to hang ten, you'll at least be able to become a beach chair surfer, watching some of the world's best do their thing on the dozen or so famous breaks here.
Allow ample time to conduct your search in this highly desirable community. Long time residents aren't long time residents accidentally. Summer months will see increased competition from vacation renters escaping the heat in non-coastal California cities. Start your search in the fall when tourist interest dips (a little) or in the pre-Spring Break phase of late winter and early summer. Play up your intentions to stay for more than a weekend or a few weeks. Landlords may appreciate not having to execute frequent rental agreements and may even discount your rates.
You'll definitely want to come prepared when touring a prospective house to rent in Pleasure Point. Same goes for apartments, obviously. Set yourself apart by coming armed with your credit history, proof of income, and contact information for prior landlords who can vouch for your being an upstanding, timely-rent-paying citizen.
This tiny area was formerly known as Point Soquel and is sometimes referred to as such on maps even today. It is its own, unique neighborhood -- you couldn't really subdivided it further. Development of cottages and homes spiked in the 1930s as it became a popular vacation destination. Home rentals will dominate the landscape here with most of them being smaller, beach cottages with two bedrooms. Some luxury vacation rental homes exist as well. You may luck out in the competitive market by wanting to rent longer term than weekend warriors just looking for a party house. City apartments aren't to be found here - leave that high rise stuff for the big cities. Studio apartments for rent come up from time to time, but are rare.
Apartment Complexes in Pleasure Point
Shearwater Apartments: Featuring lovely grounds and 1 bedroom apartments, 2 bedroom apartments, and month to month leases, this complex is conveniently located along Portola Drive along the northern border of Pleasure Point. It would be a quick walk from here to Casa Rosita's for some amazing local Mexican fare.
Sea Drift Apartments: Located steps to the beach, these garden-style apartments feature 1 and 2 bedroom layouts in a unique detached-style setting. Parking is available as well, which is a great bonus when the street parking is filled by surfers and tourists. You'll be a fair walk from restaurant options like Guang Zho's Chinese Restaurant on Portola Drive.
This place has a rich, fun history. The prohibition era gave rise to raucous crowds prowling the speakeasies along the coast. This led to the establishment of the Pleasure Point Night Fighters. They began primarily as volunteer fire fighters, but spent more time controlling drunk crowds to prevent them from starting fires in the first place. Today, it's legal again to get a refreshing drink after a day riding the waves. Though things can still get raucous during competitions between Pleasure Point Surfers and those from other nearby breaks like Steamer Lake -- a legendary local rivalry. The best surf is accessed in front of the O'Neill house -- yes, that O'Neill, the one with the surfboards. The break there is called, fittingly, O'Neill's or The Dirt Farm. With that in mind, it's easy to understand that outdoor living is key here, so pack your sunscreen and shades and get ready for more recreational opportunities than you'll find in most places. Pleasure Point Park is where you'll find local surf celebrities trading war stories. Skim boarders will like the 26th Avenue Beach.
When you're in need of some retail therapy, head down to the local surf shops and pick out your own piece of ride-able art. Check out local Jack O'Neill's namesake, O'Neill's Surf Shop, Billabong Santa Cruz, or Rip Curl Surf Shop. Or, if you haven't gotten around to taking up the local pastime yet, outfit your new place with something unique from Clearwater Bazaar Antiques or Island Home & Garden.
Start your days out in Pleasure Point with a strong cup of coffee from Coffeetopia. Lunch and dinner featuring coastal cuisine can be found at the appropriately called Chill Out Cafe or at the Aloha Island Grille. Maybe wrap up your day by toasting the end of prohibition with a margarita at Casa Rosita's Mexican Restaurant? Sounds good to us.
In the unlikely event you run out of things to do in your neighborhood, or when you need to hit the big box stores or the mall, Santa Cruz and Capitola offer everything you need within about a 10 minute drive in any direction.
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Surf's up! Pleasure Point, California, is one of the world's top surfing destinations. But it's name doesn't come from the pleasure of the rolling waves but, rather, from its Prohibition-era heritage as a home to many speakeasies.
Located at the northern end of Monterey Bay, the community of Pleasure Point is located between Santa Cruz and Capitola on the shores of the Pacific Ocean
View Pleasure Point City Guide