Visiting Aptos & Capitola

March 2008

Re: Good local beach vacation
If 'local' is within a 3 hour drive for you, I would like to suggest Seascape Resort in Aptos. It's a family resort on the beach. The 'villas' are sort of like condos. We rent a 2 bedroom one (you can ask for a ground floor suite so you can have a patio next to the lawn). They pretty much have their own beach, there are pools, a restaurant and near lots of fun places to visit (or not!) Something VERY cool they offer is a 'bonfire' package. One of the valets comes and picks your family up from your room in a golf cart. They drive you down to the beach, build you a bonfire, and leave you with all of the fixins' for s'mores. You can hang out and frolick on the beach until you're ready to go back to your room. Then you just call them from the phone that's down at the beach staircase and they come and get you! My boys were about the age of your children when we first did this. They are now 11.5 and 9 and we're going again in a couple of weeks and you can bet we're having s'mores! www.seascaperesort.com anon

Looking for a beach rental

2001

We'd love to have a week-at-the-beach sort of vacation, and have heard that the communities of Aptos and Capitola offer beach rentals. Have checked the archives but can't find anything that fits the bill. Would anyone of know of beach houses, motels with kitchens, or apartments on/near the beach available for weekly rental. A swimming pool would also be a big plus. Thanks, Deborah

We're actually living in a vacation rental condo in Aptos right on the beach right now! My husband, daughter and I are on a sabbatical down here, and have been renting for the 9-month academic year. We did TONS of research before we moved here, so I have loads of information if you'd like it. In short, there are lots of houses and condo's available for summer rental, from days to weeks to months. If you want to be directly on the beach, the weekly fee can be as high as $3000-4000 (but that's the extreme - most reasonable places with the access you are looking for are in the $1000-1500 range). I can recommend three property management companies for places in the Aptos/Capitola area: Cheshire-Rio Realty (that's who we use, ask for Randy or Rigel) 831-688-2041; Kendall-Potter Prop Mgmt 831-688-3511; and Bailey Properties 831-688-7009. There's also a place right in Capitola Village called Vacations by the Sea 831-479-9360. If you check the yellow pages on the web you'll find a million more, plus each of these places has a website where you can often see pictures. We are right on Rio Del Mar beach and love it. Depending on your tastes, the Seascape/Aptos/Capitola beach area holds lots of great places. P

I am not that familiar with Aptos/Capitola vacation rentals, but my parents rent out a place a little further south, in Castroville. Their house is a 2 bedroom 2 bath on the beach in Monterey Dunes Colony. The management company,Monterey Dunes colony, rents other houses of various sizes as well ((831) 633-4883). All the houses are right on the beach, but also share a common clubhouse, tennis courts, swimming pool, sauna, and Jacuzzi. Some of the houses have individual Jacuzzis as well, but my parents' does not. The prices vary depending on date, but if you are interested, you can email me (Shahana at domico.com) or my dad (SubhasSarkar at aol.com). Also, nearby, and near the beach is Pajaro Dunes, with a similar set up, and from what I recall very kid friendly Shahana

1995

Camping at New Brighton Beach (State Park) just south of Capitola (next to it) or Cowell State Campground (Felton). Both very nice places if you like campgrounds.