by If you are coming to Santa Cruz for SCO Forum (Week of August 18th) here
are some tips on getting to the University of California at Santa Cruz
from the airports, especially for first-timers. The Forum is held
at the University of California at Santa Cruz, (UCSC), and often
people have accomodations on campus. These tips are not
sanctioned/approved/disclaimed by SCO.
Information for non-drivers
---------------------------
For those of you who are not renting a car and who want
trasportation from the airport to Santa Cruz, if you can't find
anyone to pick you up, you can use the "Santa Cruz Airporter".
They'll take you anywhere in Santa Cruz from either san Francisco
or San Jose airports. (I believe it is $25 from San Francisco,
less from San Jose). They leave the airports about every two
hours. You should make a reservation. They can be reached at
408-423-1214. Returning to the airport also requires a reservation,
but they only pick you up from certain points in Santa Cruz and UCSC.
If you are driving:
===================
For those of you driving from the airport, I recommend you not
have anything to drink on the plane, especially if you have never
been on highway 17 before ;-)
From San Jose Airport to Univ. of California at Santa Cruz
==========================================================
Follow signs out of airport for highway 880 South. This becomes
highway 17 shortly after the airport. Follow highway 17 for about
26 miles through the santa cruz mountains, affectionately known
as "the hill" to locals.
At the bottom of "the hill", in santa Cruz, highway 17 splits
into either Ocean Street or highway 1 North. take highway 1
north, which bears to the right. Ocean street bears to the left.
Do not take the highway 1 south exit.
You will come to a stop light. This is the intersection of
highway 1 and River street - (also known as highway 9). Go
straight through the stoplight, preferably when it is green,
staying on highway 1. ***See below if you are going to SCO
proper.
You will come to another stop light, turn right here. This stop
light has a two lane "right turn" merge lane. make sure you are
in one of them :-).
You are now on Mission Street, which doubles for Highway 1 in
this part of Santa Cruz. 3 or 4 stop lights later is Bay
Avenue. You will see one of those green signs on the side of the road
telling you to turn right for UC Santa Cruz. Be sure to do so. If
you see a SafeWay supermarket on your left, you have passed the turn-off.
After the turn, you are on Bay.
Climb the hill. (drive to the top :-) At the top of the hill is the
UC Santa Cruz entrance. It is either 3 or 4 stop lights from the
corner of Bay and Mission. Usually the school is good about posting
directions for current events on campus at the entrance. They
always have for SCO Forum...
From san Francisco airport
==========================
Take I-380 to I-280 south out of the airport. (I-380 leads to
I-280). 280 is faster, in my opinion that the alternative of
highway 101. Near San Jose, you will see an exit for highway 85
south. Take it. This will take you towards Los Gatos where you
will get on Highway 17 south. Then follow the above directions.
If you want the scenic route, take highway 1 south off of I-280.
You'll eventually hit Bay Avenue and Mission Street in Santa Cruz
from the opposite direction. - Don't remember if highway 1 hits
I-280 north or south of the airport, though. A beautiful ride
down the coast if you have the time.
I'm sure others will add their comments to this.... :-)
***From above: If you wanted to visit SCO proper, turn right
here, and then turn left at the next light, (Encinal) and
go to the end of the street. - You can't miss SCO at 400/425
encinal.
--
Member, Technical Staff
The Santa Cruz Operation
"...I think that when statesmen forsake their private conscience for the
sake of their public duties, they lead their country by a short route to
chaos."
-Sir Thomas More to Cardinal Wolsey in _A Man for All Seasons_