Esplanade Park — Attraction in Capitola

I love living so close to the village! The esplanade is a great place to hangout during the day time, whether it is to the beach, restaurants (I recommend Britannia arms), or just going for a walk or swim. It is a safe part of town during the daytime forsure. During the night time, this is a place where people come to get dinner, or have a nice night out on the town, or to go to the bars. I generally feel safe here at night but there have been a few times where I have felt uncomfortable due to being followed by weirdos and...

Always great during the summer with bandstand music and dancing, Ukelele playing and surfers, diners, tourist. Capitola is our wonderful little enclave for all families. Lots of gift shops to purchase souvenirs but the best gathering area is Esplanade park. Although parking on street is limited so look for the blue public 🅿️ parking signs. There are public showers for folks wanting to rinse their boards and feet. There are large public bathroom near the grandstand & a viewing area to watch the waves....

The 3 stars is for the big crowd at the beach and the traffic; not for the Esplanade itself, which was nice but crowded. Be sure to leave early if traveling South on Hyw. 17 if you want to park in the large lot on Capitola Ave. We parked a little further due to the late start we had, but didn't mind. Capitola is a fun place to see kids learning to serf. There's a variety of places to eat. The shops near the Esplanade are very nice to shop in. Masks are encouraged as of this posting...