CAPITOLA, CALIFORNIA

Overview

The City of Capitola is located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean along Monterey Bay. The Capitola Village faces the wide beach and has become one of the top tourist destinations in the country. Being a tourism hub, it is the heart of Capitola retail, where one can find various restaurants, boutiques, and galleries. It has mild weather throughout the year, mostly dry summers and cool winters.

Most residents are employed between white and blue-collar jobs, such as management occupations, sales jobs, office tasks, and administrative support. The educational level is relatively high to the national average among all cities, where 34.22% of adults received their bachelor's degree or even higher educational attainment.

Capitola is ranked 418th largest community and has a hugely diverse ethnicity. A nautical city has a blend of historical significance and tidal bodies of water where visitors and residents can enjoy the waterfront activities and the breathtaking scenic views.

History

Capitola is a charming town along the shores of Monterey Bay. It was then called Soquel Landing, where it got its name from a pier at the mouth of Soquel Creek. In the 1850s, it served as a passage for the produce and lumber. In 1869, Frederick A. Hihn, the property owner in the vicinity of the harbor, decided to develop it as a seaside resort making it the first beach resort in California and the oldest beach resort on the West Coast. In July 1874, the resort, which had a large hotel, cottages, and bathhouses, welcomed its first guests in Camp Capitola. S.A. Hall did most of Hihn's buildings and became the first lessee of the resort at Camp Capitola. He also built a new wharf that still stands today, although they did extensive repairs to make it last longer.

By 1898, Capitola had enough residents to start a school headed by Miss Kate Leonard as the sole teacher until Capitola became part of the Soquel District in 1914. Five years later, Henry L. Washburn purchased the former school property. He remodeled the school as his residence for about six years. Eventually, Santa Cruz County's first airport was established on school grounds. In 1926, the airport site became Santa Cruz Glider Club's home headed by a well-known Santa Cruz flier, Russell Rice. He operated the Santa Cruz-Capitola Airport until it was moved to Scotts Valley and became Sky Park in 1946.

When Frederick A. Hihn died in 1913, he passed his Capitola property interests to his daughter, Katherine Cope Henderson. She sold about 300 acres, including Monterey Bay Country Club, to an oil millionaire named H. Allen Rispin. Rispin then sold most of his Capitola holdings to a Burlingame millionaire named Benjamin Hays Smith in 1929. Smith subdivided and sold them to home builders.

Today, Capitola has more than a hundred business establishments. It is a popular tourist destination because of the beaches, restaurants, trendy shops, and entertainment.

Real Estate Insights

Capitola is a city in Santa Cruz, California, with a population of 10,121 as of 2019. With a median home value of $1,081,638, Capitola house prices are among the most expensive in California real estate and across America. It has 4,461 total housing units composed of different types of houses and apartments. Single-family detached homes are the most common type, accounting for 38.62% of the city's housing units, small apartment buildings with 25.84%, and large apartment complexes with 16.71%.

Families residing in Capitola prefer to have one-to-two-bedroom features. They believe that tiny houses accommodate their small families just fine. Most of the houses were built from 1970-1999 (36.76%), some were constructed through the early 90s by almost 8.79%, and homes built after 2000 comprised 5.21%.  

Vacant housing seems to be an issue in Capitola with 14.54%. Homebuyers or real estate investors consider housing vacancy rates together with other factors. But the good thing is, Capitola experienced increasing home appreciation rates over the last ten years. Capitola real estate appreciated 86.26%, with an average of 6.42% annual home appreciation rate. Having said this, it is among the top 20% for real estate appreciation nationally.

In December 2021, Capitola home prices were 48.5% higher than last year. The median selling price was $1.3M, and many homes in the market received multiple offers.

Activities

Capitola Historical Museum

The town's museum, Capitola Historical Museum, is the best place to learn about social and cultural history. It celebrates Capitola, California, through changing exhibits of historical photos and artifacts located adjacently from the Capitol City Hall. View the museum's rotating other special exhibits displaying multiple collections and old memorabilia of events that describe the lovely coastal community's rich past.

Address: 410 Capitola Avenue, Capitola, California 95010

Phone: 831-464-0322

Capitola Mall

Shopping is never a bad idea, especially when you are in Capitola. In 1977, the only indoor shopping center in Santa Cruz opened. After 11 years, the expansion took place to cater to more retailers to open their shops. Capitola Mall has more than 80 stores and eateries, with major department stores like Target, Macy's, and Kohl's. Different national food chain restaurants, such as Chili's, Olive Garden, and other famous brands like Starbucks and Subway, are available

Address: 1855 41st Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010

Phone: 831-476-9616

Capitola Art & Wine Festival

Capitola Art & Wine Festival is a beautiful event held in mid-September, where you can discover exceptional wines from over 200 wineries of Santa Cruz and neighbors nearby. The festival showcases over 150 talented artists and their locally made products. It is an avenue for artisanal foods that are up for grabs and entertainment, such as live music, local dance, and street performers. Attending the Capitola Art and Wine Festival would be an enjoyable weekend.

Restaurants

Shadowbrook

Shadowbrook, founded in 1947, has been known for "romance in dining." Visiting Capitola is not complete without the hillside cable car trip that leads down through lush gardens and waterfalls to the expansive riverfront restaurant. The world-famous restaurant on the banks of Soquel Creek offers creative specials and a traditional menu in an old-world charm atmosphere. Their menu offerings include salmon, fresh seafood, pasta, and steak paired with an extensive wine list using fresh ingredients. They received various awards from different award-giving bodies such as Diner's Choice Awards in 2015 by Open Table, Silver Spoon Award by Gourmet Diners Club of America, World Stars Award by Mumm's Champagne, and many more.

Address: 1750 Wharf Rd. Capitola, CA 95010

Phone: 831-475-1511

Gayles's Bakery & Rosticceria

A must-visit dining place for delicious pastries and top-notch breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals is what Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria is all about. Their menu offers kinds of pasta, roasted chicken, deli sandwiches, vegetarian dishes, soups, salads, and of course, award-winning bread and pastries that are best paired with wine or espresso.

Address: 504 Bay Avenue, Capitola, CA 95010

Phone: 831-462-1200

Paradise Beach Grille

Paradise Beach Grille is located on the water in Capitola Village. It is the perfect place to enjoy the mid or end of the day with a scenic view by the beach. It boasts a comfortable dining experience featuring a contemporary menu mixed with a Pacific Rim flare in a lively lounge and a torch-lit patio overlooking Soquel Creek and the beach. Enjoy the famous Coconut Prawns or Ahi Tuna Salad appetizer, followed by either a Fresh From Hawaii seafood entree or a Prime Natural cut of Beef. Choose drinks from wide-ranging wines or beers.

Ad dress: 215 Esplanade Capitola, CA 95010

Phone: 831-476-4900

Beaches

Capitola City Beach

Along the famous Esplanade, Capitola City Beach is located in Capitola Village. A bustling place of volleyball courts, showers, shops, restaurants, and more that are within walking distance. The vibrant hues catch attention on a vast sea wall lined with colorful tiles painted by community members. Take a photo of the beautiful Capitola landscape that is picturesque. Lounge all day and build sandcastles on the beach's shores, or go fishing along Capitola Wharf. Many first-time surfers enjoy the ocean's small waves, making it a perfect spot for practice. Indeed, it's going to be a fun day trip to Capitola Beach.

San Jose Ave and Esplanade, Capitola, CA 95010

New Brighton State Beach

New Brighton State Beach is a public beach park within Santa Cruz County situated on the East of Monterey Bay. It covers 95 acres and offers recreational activities, such as swimming, fishing, hiking, and camping. The beach has designated picnic areas for families to enjoy a picnic during sunny days. Apart from the spectacular ocean views, it also offers wildlife watching opportunities like rock crabs, sea lions, dolphins, pelicans, etc. The main entry point is the Pacific Migrations Visitor Center, which has a gift store where you can buy souvenirs that represent the region's beauty and history. Explore nature and leisure at the New Brighton State Beach.

1500 Park Ave, Capitola, CA 95010

Schools

Elementary Schools

• Alternative Family Education
• Tierra Pacifica Charter School
• Main Street Elementary School
• Temecula Valley Charter School
• Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary School
• Live Oak Elementary School
• Del Mar Elementary School

Middle Schools

• Mission Hill Middle School
• Branciforte Middle School
• New Brighton Middle School
• Shoreline Middle School

High Schools

• Kirby School
• Santa Cruz High School
• St. Francis High School – Salesian College Preparatory
• Alternative Family Education
• Harbor High School
• Soquel High School
• Delta Charter School