Find out what readers voted as the best among health and recreation.
BEST CANNABIS DELIVERY
SANTA CRUZ NATURALS
- Offering one of just a few cannabis delivery services in Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz Naturals is on a mission to provide cannabis in a green and sustainable way.
- Santa Cruz Naturals offers delivery service from both its Aptos and Watsonville locations using zero and low emission vehicles. Deliveries are available from 11am-7pm daily.
- As a boutique, family-owned small business, Santa Cruz Naturals is proud to be a “Clean Green” business—voluntarily going through the one of the most rigorous nationally recognized cannabis certification programs out there.
- Some 70% of Santa Cruz Natural’s products come from local cannabis growers, small businesses and artisans.
- Santa Cruz Naturals offers a daily 25% discount for veterans, and 10% for teachers, students, and senior citizens. HUGH MCCORMICK
BEST SURF SHOP
O’NEILL
- Many people don’t know that Santa Cruz icon Jack O’Neill actually established his first store in 1952 in a garage in … San Francisco. Right next to his favorite bodysurfing break.
- O’Neill moved to Santa Cruz at the end of the decade. His 500-square-foot O’Neill Surf Shop near the entrance to Cowell Beach quickly became an epicenter for Northern California surfing. It was, in fact, the first business to call itself a surf shop. The State Historical Resources Commission designated the spot as a California Point of Historical Interest.
- Jack O’Neill is credited with inventing the wetsuit, and his son Pat holds credit for inventing the leash on a surfboard. The neoprene wetsuits designed by O’Neill allowed surfers to extend their sessions in the frigid waters of Santa Cruz County.
- Today, O’Neill is one of the biggest wetsuit brands on the planet. The O’Neill brand was sold to a Dutch company in 2007, but the Santa Cruz-based O’Neill family continues to operate and own the wetsuit business.
- Over 100,000 children have participated in the O’Neill Sea Odyssey. Jack O’Neill founded the free, ocean-based program to educate young people about ocean ecology and the marine environment of the Monterey Bay. An afternoon aboard the impressive catamaran is basically the best field trip ever. HUGH MCCORMICK
BEST RUNNING STORE
FLEET FEET
- Fleet Feet of Aptos is locally owned and operated, and your go-to spot for your walking, running, and fitness needs. Step on the magic scanner to map your unique feet, then find the perfect shoe.
- Fleet Feet’s core values are community, inspiration, excellence, inclusivity, and innovation. The shop is a place to visit and get inspired to live a better, healthier and fuller life.
- The North Face recently named Fleet Feet Aptos the winner of the “Never Stop Exploring Award.” The award recognized the specialty running store for demonstrating dedication to encouraging and enabling outdoor exploration within the community.
- Fleet Feet provides training, funding, and equipment to support positive change through running. Their “Project Fit” program supports elementary school running programs.
- The shop goes above and beyond for young athletes, providing dozens of pairs of shoes for the local chapter of Girls on the Run, and over 70 pairs of track spikes for Aptos and Watsonville high schools. HUGH MCCORMICK
Acupuncturist/Acupuncture Clinic
Five Branches University
200 7th Ave., Santa Cruz,
476-9424, fivebranches.edu
RUNNER-UP Momo Acupuncture, Craig Sakimoto – Santa Cruz Core
Bike Shop
Bicycle Trip
1001 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz,
427-2580, bicycletrip.com
RUNNERS-UP Epicenter, Another Bike Shop
Cannabis Delivery
Santa Cruz Naturals
9077 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 688-7266;
19 San Juan Road, Royal Oaks, 722-2018, santacruzcannabis.com
RUNNERS-UP 3 Bros, KindPeoples
Cannabis Dispensary
KindPeoples
533 Ocean St., Santa Cruz, 515-4114;
3600 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 471-8562, kindpeoples.com
RUNNERS-UP Treehouse, Santa Cruz Naturals
Cannabis Edibles
Big Pete’s Treats
RUNNERS-UP KindPeoples, Santa Cruz Naturals
CBD Product (Local)
Akasha Apothecary
RUNNERS-UP Jade Nectar, Santa Cruz Naturals
Chiropractor
Rhodes Walton, DC
317 Potrero St., Suite C, Santa Cruz
425-9500, santacruzcore.com
RUNNERS-UP Duncan McCollum, DC; Arthur Faygenholtz, DC
Crossfit Studio
Seabright Crossfit
1619 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz,
600-7867, seabrightcrossfit.com
RUNNERS-UP Research Park, West Fitness
Dentist
Michael Raffo, DDS
2185 41st Ave., Capitola, 476-8700, drraffodental.com
RUNNERS-UP Garrett Kubota, DDS; Michael Carlton, DDS
Doctor (MD)
Bruce Eisendorf, MD
Sutter Health, 2025 Soquel Ave., Second Floor, Santa Cruz.
458-5524, sutterhealth.org
RUNNERS-UP Lonna Larsh, MD; Karen Harrington, MD
Doctor (ND)
Tonya Fleck, ND
736 Chestnut St., Santa Cruz, 477-1377, scnmc.com
RUNNERS-UP Aimée Gould Shunney, ND; Irene Valencia, ND
Esthetician
Melanie Meyer @ The Skin Bar
500 Soquel Ave., Suite A, Santa Cruz, 295-1277
RUNNERS-UP Deann Neff @ Studio Spa, Sue Bell @ Simply Skin Esthetics
Golf Course
DeLaveaga
401 Upper Park Road, Santa Cruz,
423-7214, delaveagagolf.com
RUNNERS-UP Pasatiempo, Seascape
Gym
Toadal Fitness
113 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz, 423-3764;
1200 17th Ave., #108, Santa Cruz, 464-3764;
2929 Mission St. Extension, Santa Cruz, 466-3764;
269 Mount Hermon Road, Scotts Valley, 430-9200, toadalfitness.com
RUNNERS-UP Santa Cruz Core, In-Shape Capitola
Martial Arts
Sanford’s Martial Arts
4626 Soquel Drive, Soquel,
475-9676, sanfordskarate.com
RUNNERS-UP Garth Taylor Jiu-Jitsu & Martial Arts, Allied MMA
Massage Therapist
Cala Remick-Rodriguez
317 Potrero St., Suite C, Santa Cruz, 425-9500, santacruzcore.com
RUNNERS-UP Lily Webber, Ellen O’Hanlon
Medi-Spa
Rejuvenate Medi-Spa
304 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz, 226-2108, rejuvenatemedi-spa.com
RUNNERS-UP Ultraderm, Yoso Wellness Spa
Midwife
Dana Ramsey, CNM
2907 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz,
477-2375, sutterhealth.org/pamf
RUNNERS-UP Santa Cruz Midwives; Kelly Olmstead, CNM
Nutritionist
Healthy Way
3251 Mission Drive, Santa Cruz, 462-5900, thehealthyway.us
RUNNERS-UP Jaimi Jansen, Jocelyn Dubin
Orthodontist
Mark Joiner
1773 Dominican Way, Santa Cruz,
475-5500, joinerortho.com
RUNNERS-UP John A. Hedrick, North Coast Orthodontics
Outdoor Store
Outdoor World
1440 41st Ave., Capitola, 479-1501;
136 River St., Santa Cruz, 423-9555,
RUNNERS-UP Down Works, Play it Again Sports
Personal Trainer
Carina Reid
ca*****@ym***.com, fuelphitness.com
RUNNERS-UP Rocky @ Rocky’s Fitness Center, Beau Jansen @ Santa Cruz Core
Vitamin/Supplements
Staff of Life
1266 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-8632,
RUNNERS-UP Santa Cruz Core, Healthy Way
Pilates
Monarch Pilates
6894A Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 475-8994, monarchpilates.com
RUNNERS-UP Pleasure Point Pilates, Synergy
Running Store
Fleet Feet
7960 Soquel Drive, Suite I, Aptos,
662-0886, fleetfeetaptos.com
RUNNER-UP Santa Cruz Running Company, The Running Revolution
Sailing Charter
Chardonnay
790 Mariner Park Way, Dock FF, Santa Cruz, 423-1213, chardonnay.com
RUNNERS-UP O’Neill Yacht Charters, Nomad
Skate Park
Scotts Valley Skate Park
361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley
RUNNERS-UP Mike Fox, Aptos Skate Park
Skate Shop
Bill’s Wheels
1240 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz,
469-0904, billswheels.com
RUNNERS-UP Boardroom, Skateworks
Snowboard/Skiing
Helm of Sun Valley
1408 41st Ave., Santa Cruz,
462-6800, helmofsunvalley.com
RUNNER-UP Play It Again Sports
Spa (pampering)
Yoso Wellness Spa
740 Front St., Suite 110, Santa Cruz
600-8053, yosowellness.com
RUNNERS-UP Well Within, Chaminade Resort & Spa
Spa (soaking)
Well Within Spa
417 Cedar St., Santa Cruz,
458-9355, wellwithinspa.com
RUNNERS-UP Sage Float Spa, Tea House Spa
Sporting Goods
Play It Again Sports
4770 Soquel Drive, Soquel,
475-1988, playitagainsports-soquel.com
RUNNERS-UP Outdoor World, Helm
Stand-up Paddleboard
SUP Shack
2214 E Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz,
464-7467, supshacksantacruz.com
RUNNERS-UP Covewater
Surf School
Black Surf Club Santa Cruz
RUNNERS-UP Richard Schmidt, Surf School Santa Cruz
Surf Shop
O’Neill
110 Cooper St. #100D, Santa Cruz, 469-4377;
400 Beach St., Santa Cruz, 459-9230;
1115 41st Ave., Capitola, 475-4151, oneill.com
RUNNERS-UP Freeline, Pacific Wave
Surf Spot
Pleasure Point
RUNNERS-UP Steamer Lane, Cowell’s
Swim School
Seahorse Swim School
1505 Seascape Blvd., Aptos
661-5110, seahorseswimschool.com
RUNNERS-UP Adventure Sports Unlimited, Simpkins Family Swim Center
Therapist
Emmanuel Denike, LMFT
RUNNERS-UP Rebecca Zulim, LMFT; Donna Ilstrup, MFT
Veterinarian
Adobe Animal Hospital
1600 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz
462-5293, adobevets.com
RUNNERS-UP Coast Veterinary, Westside Animal Hospital
Yoga Instructor
Lauri Broderick Burr
RUNNERS-UP Emily Cervantes, Tricia Aminifard
Yoga Studio
Santa Cruz Yoga
402 Ingalls St., #11, Santa Cruz
227-2215, santacruzyoga.net
