Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County runs wine country under redwood shade. The Ben Lomond Mountain AVA holds pinot noir and chardonnay at 1,600 feet, where the marine fog sits until eleven and the summer sun never quite bakes the canopy. Tasting rooms pour from barns and farmhouses along Empire Grade and Bonny Doon Road. The patios are wood, the leashes hook to the rail, and the dog water comes cold. Nisene Marks State Park opens leashed second-growth redwood trails; Its Beach in Santa Cruz runs leash-free sand at dawn and dusk. Pair a Ben Lomond pinot with a fog walk. The county is generous.