Capitola & Aptos — The South County Coast
California's First Beach Resort & the Cement Ship · Santa Cruz County
Capitola and Aptos anchor the southern coast of Santa Cruz County. Capitola — California's oldest seaside resort town — is famous for its colorful Venetian Court and village atmosphere. Aptos and Seacliff draw visitors to the mysterious SS Palo Alto, a World War I concrete ship beached as an amusement pier in 1930.
Timeline
Capitola Founded as Camp Capitola
Frederick Hihn establishes Camp Capitola as a resort campground on the bluffs above Soquel Creek, making it California's first seaside resort community. Visitors from San Francisco arrive by train and spend weeks in tented camps along the beach. The colorful Venetian Court, built in 1924 in a Spanish Revival style, gives Capitola its iconic Mediterranean appearance.
The Cement Ship at Seacliff
The SS Palo Alto, a 420-foot concrete tanker built for World War I but never commissioned, is towed to Seacliff Beach in Aptos and run aground as an amusement pier. A dance hall, swimming pool, and café operate on the ship through the 1930s. Storm damage eventually closes it; today the partially collapsed hulk remains a fishing pier and one of the most unusual sights on the California coast.
Village Life & Wine Country
Capitola Village remains a vibrant beach community with restaurants, shops, and the annual Begonia Festival. Aptos has grown into a thriving residential community centered around Aptos Village, home to acclaimed restaurants like Mentone and The Hideout. The surrounding hills are increasingly planted with vineyards, connecting Aptos to the growing Santa Cruz Mountains wine region.
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