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The Dickens Universe 2009
Travel and Accommodations
On this page you'll find information about travel to Santa Cruz, CA, hotel accommodations, and a local dining guide.
Travel Information
Santa Cruz is located at the top of the Monterey Bay on the Central California coast, just south of San Francisco. Getting here is easy since several major highways run to Santa Cruz and the San Francisco, San Jose, and Monterey International Airports are all nearby.
- Airports
Santa Cruz is best served by San Jose International Airport (SJC), just 45 minutes away. Travelers may also use San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 2 hours away, or Oakland International Airport (OAK), 2 hours away.
- Train
Amtrak into San Jose or select Santa Cruz as your final destination and catch the Amtrak Thruway bus to SC. This bus will drop you at the Metro downtown, where you can catch a bus up to UCSC. Please be aware that this bus will drop you off at the Kresge stop, which is about as far from Registration as you can be and still be at Kresge. There are steps and it's not a fun walk. We recommend that you catch a cab from the Metro and have the driver drop you at the main Kresge entrance, which is on the road between Porter and Kresge. (See Directions to Kresge map.)
- Ground Transportation
IMPORTANT TRAVEL NEWS!
The Santa Cruz Airporter is no longer in business.
- The Dickens Project will provide a shuttle from SJC to campus on Saturday,
Aug.1 and Sunday, Aug 2. Pickup times are 1:00 and 3:00 on Sat (no charge
for Project faculty and grads) and noon and 3:00 on Sun ($35 charge, reservations
required). These shuttles are now full.
- Returning to the Airport
We have arranged for a campus shuttle bus to take participants back to
SJC on Saturday, August 8 at 9:00 am and 1:30 pm, for a nominal charge
of $35 (no charge to Project faculty or grads). Reservations
required. The bus can take 28 passengers plus luggage, so space is on a first-come
first-served basis.
- Those who need to hire a car service should call Airport Passenger
Express (831 475-5439) or Early
Bird Shuttle (831 462-3933). The cost can be split between up to 3 people
if that arrangement is made when you make the reservation. In other words,
you need to tell them who is in your party of 2 or 3 when you call. There
is also Surf City Shuttle (831
419-2642) and Summit Limousine (831 426-4751). Summit runs electric and biodiesel
cars.
- Driving Directions to Santa Cruz and UCSC
View UCSC Campus Map
Directions to Kresge College from UCSC Main entrance
From Southern and Central California:
Take Route 101 north to Route 156 west to Route 1 north. Then follow Route 1 north to Santa Cruz. At the outskirts of Santa Cruz, take Highway 1 North (toward Half Moon Bay). On Business Highway 1 (Mission Street), travel approximately one mile north to Bay Street in Santa Cruz. Turn right on Bay and proceed up the hill to the main campus entrance (located at Bay and High Streets). At the campus entrance, take a left onto High Street. Go straight on High St./Empire Grade for about a mile and a half to the West Entrance of campus. Turn right at the West Entrance, and follow Heller Street through several stop signs until you see the sign for Porter College and Kresge College on your left. Turn here and follow the narrow road past Porter and past the apartments, until you come to a parking lot on your left. You will see signs directing you to Dickens Universe Registration. If you arrive outside of the normal registration hours on Saturday or Sunday, please go directly to Conference Services.
From Northern California:
Take Route 5 south to Route 80 west to Route 680 south to Route 280 north. Then take Highway 17 south to Route 1 north to Santa Cruz. At the outskirts of Santa Cruz, take Highway 1 North (toward Half Moon Bay). On Business Highway 1 (Mission Street), travel approximately one mile north to Bay Street in Santa Cruz. Turn right on Bay and proceed up the hill to the main campus entrance (located at Bay and High Streets). At the campus entrance, take a left onto High Street. Go straight on High St./Empire Grade for about a mile and a half to the West Entrance of campus. Turn right at the West Entrance, and follow Heller Street through several stop signs until you see the sign for Porter College and Kresge College on your left. Turn here and follow the narrow road past Porter and past the apartments, until you come to a parking lot on your left. You will see signs directing you to Dickens Universe Registration. If you arrive outside of the normal registration hours on Saturday or Sunday, please go directly to Conference Services.
From San Francisco Airport:
Take Route 101 south to Route 85 south to Highway 17 south to Route 1 north to Santa Cruz. At the outskirts of Santa Cruz, take Highway 1 North (toward Half Moon Bay). On Business Highway 1 (Mission Street), travel approximately one mile north to Bay Street in Santa Cruz. Turn right on Bay and proceed up the hill to the main campus entrance (located at Bay and High Streets). At the campus entrance, take a left onto High Street. Go straight on High St./Empire Grade for about a mile and a half to the West Entrance of campus. Turn right at the West Entrance, and follow Heller Street through several stop signs until you see the sign for Porter College and Kresge College on your left. Turn here and follow the narrow road past Porter and past the apartments, until you come to a parking lot on your left. You will see signs directing you to Dickens Universe Registration. If you arrive outside of the normal registration hours on Saturday or Sunday, please go directly to Conference Services.
From San Jose Airport:
Take Route 880 south to Highway 17 south to Route 1 north to Santa Cruz. At the outskirts of Santa Cruz, take Highway 1 North (toward Half Moon Bay). On Business Highway 1 (Mission Street), travel approximately one mile north to Bay Street in Santa Cruz. Turn right on Bay and proceed up the hill to the main campus entrance (located at Bay and High Streets). At the campus entrance, take a left onto High Street. Go straight on High St./Empire Grade for about a mile and a half to the West Entrance of campus. Turn right at the West Entrance, and follow Heller Street through several stop signs until you see the sign for Porter College and Kresge College on your left. Turn here and follow the narrow road past Porter and past the apartments, until you come to a parking lot on your left. You will see signs directing you to Dickens Universe Registration. If you arrive outside of the normal registration hours on Saturday or Sunday, please go directly to Conference Services.
From Monterey Airport:
Take Route 1 north to Santa Cruz. At the outskirts of Santa Cruz, take Highway 1 North (toward Half Moon Bay). On Business Highway 1 (Mission Street), travel approximately one mile north to Bay Street in Santa Cruz. Turn right on Bay and proceed up the hill to the main campus entrance (located at Bay and High Streets). At the campus entrance, take a left onto High Street. Go straight on High St./Empire Grade for about a mile and a half to the West Entrance of campus. Turn right at the West Entrance, and follow Heller Street through several stop signs until you see the sign for Porter College and Kresge College on your left. Turn here and follow the narrow road past Porter and past the apartments, until you come to a parking lot on your left. You will see signs directing you to Dickens Universe Registration. If you arrive outside of the normal registration hours on Saturday or Sunday, please go directly to Conference Services.
Accommodations
You will be housed in shared apartments at Kresge proper or across the bridge in Kresge East. The configuration of apartments varies from four single rooms sharing one bath, to a combination of single and double rooms sharing two baths. Each apartment has a common living room and kitchen area. Stoves are turned off in the summer, but you may use the refrigerator and sink. We will set out coffee each morning at 8:00, but caffeine junkies should bring a small coffee maker.
This is a college, so rooms are small and efficient. Each person is issued two towels and one washcloth. Your bed will have sheets, a pillow, and a thermal blanket. A limited supply of extra blankets is available, as are extra hangers, although supplies of these are limited as well.
If you're driving and want to spend the week in relative luxury, bring your favorite pillow, an extra blanket (or down comforter), and nice thick towels.
The apartments do not have TVs, radios, or alarm clocks. There is wireless access for guests all over campus.
We endeavor to fulfill your housing requests to the extent that we can, so please tell us if you're a very light sleeper, or you snore like a freight train, or are apt to leap from an upper story during the night. We'll see what we can do. If you have other needs, such as a ground floor apartment or grab bars in the bathroom, please download and print the Accommodation Form.
Some lodging recommendations for those who don't wish to stay on campus:
Mission Inn
2250 Mission St
831 425-5455
Sunset Inn
2424 Mission St
831 423-7500
University Inn and Conference Center
611 Ocean St
866 827-2466
Seaway Inn
176 West Cliff Dr
800 493-6220
Darling House B&B
314 West Cliff Dr
831 458-1958
Dining Guide
El Palomar (Mexican)
Pacific Avenue
425-7575
Great decor, and right in the middle of downtown; prices are moderate to expensive.Very noisy.
Mobo Sushi
105 South River Street
425-1700
Best sushi in town, with great lunch specials; prices are moderate to expensive.
O'mei
2316 Mission St. (just past the Mission Inn)
425-8458
Absolutely the best Chinese food in town
Riva Fish House
500 Municipal Wharf
429-1223
This is where the locals go when they want great seafood on the wharf; prices are moderate to expensive. Cash or check only.
Ristorante Italiano
555 Soquel Avenue
458-2321
Nice setting in historic Santa Cruz building; prices are moderate to expensive.
Ristorante Avanti
1711 Mission St. (in the Palm Center)
427-0135
excellent Italian, small and noisy
Saturn Cafe
145 Laurel Street
429-8505
Hip vegetarian fare in downtown Santa Cruz; prices are inexpensive.Open very late.
Tampico's
822 Pacific Avenue
458-2821
Great basic Mexican food and margaritas; prices are inexpensive to moderate.
Thai House
353 Soquel Avenue (at Ocean St)
458-3546
Award-winning cuisine, prices are moderate.
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