Santa Cruz: home to world-class surf breaks, world-class forests and now world-class macaroni and cheese. 

Yep, the idea for GOODLES was cooked up in this California city nestled on the north side of Monterey Bay. Its magic, mindset, even its colors have inspired every part of our brand. There’s so much we love about this city of ours, and hey, maybe we’re biased, but we think it’s one of the most gorgeous places on the planet. Ok. Yep, we’re totally biased. All that natural beauty plus the incredibly temperate climate — all you need is a light jacket! — means we get to spend a whole lotta time in the great outdoors. If that’s not gooder, we don’t know what is.

This beloved city has made its way into the fiber of this brand. So to share a taste of Santa Cruz with our GOODLES fam, we put together a list of things that make this place so magical. 

• Waves for days: Santa Cruz and surfing go together like spaghetti and meatballs — or should we say like macaroni and cheese. That’s what happens when your city is home to some of the best surf breaks in the world. Grab a wetsuit (there’s a reason they were invented here, the water is a chilly 57-degrees on average and even colder in the winter), grab a board, and paddle out to a beginner spot like Cowell’s or Pleasure Point. Kooks (that’s surfer talk for newbies) can check out one of the area’s many renowned surf schools to learn how to get their KELLY SLATER on. 

• Skatepark soul: What’s a surfer to do when the waves aren’t firing? Invent a board with wheels! Legend has it that’s what California surfers did in the mid-twentieth century, and over time, this “sidewalk surfing” turned into the counterculture badassery that it is today. Forget the slacker stereotype: today’s skaters are straight-up athletes who take tricks to the next level and — as of 2021 — take home Olympic gold medals. 

• Endless hikes: Hiking around Santa Cruz can take you anywhere from our scenic coastal cliffs or into a forest of our beloved redwoods. (Nothing like being surrounded by 300-foot trees to make you contemplate, like, the universe, man.) You really can’t go wrong, but we’d never turn down a visit to the Pogonip trail system for open meadows, majestic woodlands and even a secret koi pond. We especially love how a little fog and rain can add to the enchantment factor.  There’s also Natural Bridges which a) is gorgeous and b) has the added bonus of being a winter safe-haven for monarch butterflies. (!!!)  

• Coastal loops and trail networks: Flowy trails, airy jumps, intensely fun climbs, and technical descents at Demo (Soquel Demonstration Forest) will help you work up your appetite. Wilder has fire roads, single track, and is probably the most iconic coastal loop on the West side of the One. Mountain biking and trail riding are some of the best ways to experience the full gamut of our local scenery. 

There you have it: whether you’re a fitness buff, a weekend warrior or just really good at watching sports on TV, Santa Cruz will have you living that get-off-the-couch life. As for what to eat to fuel all that adventure, well. We hear there’s a mac and cheese for that now.