I have to admit it -- I wanted to go to Santa Cruz because of the amusement park. I'm addicted to them. For over a half-century I have been seeking out roller coasters and the lights and sounds and smells of the amusement parks I first experienced as a very small child growing up near Washington, DC. At the end of a bus and streetcar ride was Glen Echo Park. The permeating aromas of popcorn and cotton candy, caramel apples and the wafting scent of the chlorine in the huge swimming pool were the memories that haunted me, taunted me to find something of that sensory overload again.
When, after moving to California in my middle years and visiting the Disney's and the Six Flags and the Santa Monica Pier, I still felt unfulfilled, I wondered if there was still a piece of that history remaining. I found it! The waterfront amusement park, the one that conjures up memories of Coney Island, Palisades Park, Pacific Ocean Park, Cedar Point, Glen Echo Park -- you fill in the one you remember -- still remains alive and well in Santa Cruz. Opened in 1907 and operating continuously ever since, this is the stuff of fond memories. I hope you have them, too. The Giant Dipper has carried more passengers than any other coaster in America, over 40 million since it opened.
Now that I have hopefully piqued your interest in the Boardwalk at Santa Cruz, let me suggest where you stay during your visit.
A mere three years after the Boardwalk opened, a renowned architect named William Weeks was commissioned to build a seaside home for William Seward Iliff, heir to a Colorado cattle family fortune. Weeks is well-known for his work in designing all of the Carnegie Libraries in Central and Northern California, and several notable buildings in Santa Cruz, including the Palomar Hotel and the Coconut Grove Casino.
The Darling House is now owned by Darrell Darling, a Methodist Pastor and poet, and his wife, Karen. This historic seaside home is open as a bed and breakfast inn. The Darlings offer old-fashioned hospitality you seldom, if ever, find in our busy Y2K world. The closest I've ever come is a pension in Fusch, Austria -- this one is much more convenient and there's no language barrier!
The Darling House is situated on West Cliff Drive overlooking the Monterey Bay. There are seven guest rooms, each with its own distinct motif and defining attributes. They all share the theme established by the room's door. Each door is a different wood, which carries into the guest room and sets the scene for a unique night's stay. The Chinese Room, with a hand-carved rosewood canopy bed draped in silks, makes a wonderful "honeymoon suite." Pastor Darling officiates at many weddings that take place both inside and out at this beautiful setting.
If you prefer walnut to rosewood, consider the East Lake Room with its view of the moon rising over the Bay. If you insist on a private bath, choose the Pacific Ocean Room with its antique oak and Tiffany decor with a private fireplace. But you could just as easily choose the Rainbow Room, as we did, which catches the rising sun through the prismatic beveled glass windows and gently awakens you to another day on the ocean.
Now, as you rise and wash up in your own private washstand and come out to the breakfast nook, Karen Darling will greet you and offer you coffee, tea, or juice as you find you have to smile at the warmth of your hostess and your fellow guests. The setting is so pleasant that you forget that there is a care in the world.
After your breakfast, stroll out on the veranda (yes, veranda) and look out over the Bay. Breathe in the salt air and look down at the Boardwalk. You knew I would get back to that, right? The majestic beauty of the house and grounds, which were built for the comfort of a very well-off family, and the luxury that was present at the turn of the last century are still obvious today.
The rooms at Darling House range from about $95 to $260, more economical than a major city hotel. There are, of course, a few "does and don'ts" attached to staying in any bed and breakfast of this antiquity. No smoking, of course, and common sense "good guests" rules apply. You may visit the Darling House online at www.darlinghouse.com for more information and the phone number for making your reservation. Please do. You will have yourself to thank for it.
