California's Rustic Mountain Gem Is A Quaint Town That Offers An Old-School Train Ride Through The Redwoods

For a trip that swaps California's buzzing beach towns where surfing first came to America for giant trees and a quiet mountain vibe, you might look to the quaint town of Felton. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, you will find this town inside the San Lorenzo Valley (about a 7-mile drive from Santa Cruz). The town's scenery is surrounded by redwood trees and the San Lorenzo River flows right through the valley. The downtown is compact, with local businesses in rustic buildings that fit the woodsy aesthetic, and the residential parts of town are a blend of mountain cabins and cozy homes. The history of Felton is an attraction of its own, as it's tied to the old logging businesses that you can still see in the town's character and main attractions.

A major draw is Roaring Camp Railroads, which operates historic trains from a station made to look like an 1880s logging town. You can actually ride these trains, including the Redwood Forest Steam Train, which is a 75-minute roundtrip adventure. The engines used for this trip are some of the oldest and most completely preserved steam locomotives currently running passenger service in the United States. Your ride starts at the rustic depot and travels over a narrow track (known as a narrow-gauge) and up steep California hills through groves of giant redwood trees to the top of Bear Mountain. To soak in the crisp NorCal weather, the passenger cars are open-air, which gives you a great view of the canopies and the impressive tree trunks. You will hear the powerful sound and see the steam from the Shay and Heisler locomotives (a memorable part of the trip) and you can also learn about how logging work was done back in the day.

You'll see that outdoor activities are quite popular in Felton. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is a hotspot that covers thousands of acres with more than 30 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The most frequented path is the short Redwood Grove Loop Trail (nearly a mile long), which has a $10 entry fee if you're driving (free if walking). The path goes through a large redwood tree grove, and you'll see two notable trees called The Giant and the Fremont Tree (you can actually walk inside this tree). For a more demanding hike, you can take the River Trail, which follows the San Lorenzo River. It is possible to swim and fish in the river during certain seasons. You can also climb other paths in the park to the Observation Deck (the park's highest point), which can give you a distant view of Monterey Bay.

When you want to check out an old-school train ride, Roaring Camp Railroads has two separate train excursions. The Redwood Forest Steam Train uses steam engines on a track to also go up Bear Mountain. Another option is the Santa Cruz Beach Train, which uses a diesel engine for a one-hour ride through the San Lorenzo River Gorge that ends at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

The town also has a few local shops like Mountainside Made, which has handmade trinkets, and Abbot's Thrift. You can pop over to Felton Farmer's Market on Tuesdays for an artisanal shopping day, or visit the San Lorenzo Valley Museum, which runs the Faye G. Belardi Memorial Gallery. Another spot you can see is the Felton Covered Bridge, which is one of the tallest covered bridges in the United States and is a registered California Historical Landmark (built in 1892).

When you're planning your itinerary, your options for staying in Felton are mainly cabins, rentals, and RV parks. The Fern River Resort has rustic cabins on a property right along the San Lorenzo River. A few minutes north (about 5 miles away), you will find The Historic Brookdale Lodge, which is a renovated hotel that was originally built during Felton's logging era. You can find a plethora of vacation rentals throughout the area, from small cabins to larger, family-friendly homes. You can also camp at the Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Resort or inside Henry Cowell State Park's campground. Henry Cowell is worth a visit as it contains an emerald swimming hole known as California's "Garden of Eden." If you prefer a regular hotel, you can drive to Scotts Valley (eight minutes away), which has places like the Hilton Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley and a Four Points by Sheraton.

After a long day hiking or riding on the train, Felton's food and drink scene has a handful of options. For coffee and goodies, you can stop at The White Raven or The Grove Cafe and Bakery. You can also go to the Cowboy Bar & Grill with its country-western atmosphere, or the Trout Farm Inn for an American-style bistro that also has a swimming pool for guests to relax in. Redwood Pizzeria and Empire Grille are other local places, and just outside downtown is Hallcrest Vineyards. This NorCal wine country secret makes organic wines and hard ciders, and its tasting room is in a meadow with the stunning California redwoods around it. The closest large city is Santa Cruz, about seven miles away, and the most convenient major airport is Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), which is a 32-mile drive from Felton (about 46-minutes), and just so happens to be one of the least-crowded airports in America.