The young and the carless could do a lot worse than Santa Cruz. Those without four wheels to call their own can take the bus for daily business, rent a Zipcar for emergency sightseeing purposes or join the ranks of the two-wheeled and hop on a bike.
The Bus
The county transit system, also known as Santa Cruz Metro, goes a lot more places than most people think. Route 34 goes up to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and the Fall Creek Unit wilderness in Felton, while Route 40 takes riders up Highway One as far as Rancho Del Oso and Waddell Creek, dropping riders off at the Del Oso Visitors Center. Route 35 snakes up to the center of Big Basin Redwoods State Park (on weekends only), and the 68 hits beaches between Santa Cruz and Watsonville.
Students up on the UC hill also have great potential to branch out from university isolation. Courtesy of a transportation fee included in tuition, flashing the UCSC student ID will result in a free Metro trip anywhere in Santa Cruz County.
Zipcar
There’s an initial yearly membership of $35 in order to receive a Zipcard, which takes the place of a car key and can open the door of any Zipcar in the world once it’s validated. Cars can be reserved for an hour or several days, and special student rates start at $8 per hour on a weekday and $66 for the entire day (any 24-hour period). Weekend rates are a little higher—$9 an hour and $72 a day—but gas, insurance and 180 free miles are included. The catch: you gotta be 21 to get in on it. Go to www.zipcar.com to get started.
