Capitola claims to be the oldest seaside resort town on the Pacific Coast. In 1856 a pioneer acquired Soquel Landing, the lagoon and beach where Soquel Creek empties into the bay, and built a wharf. Another man opened a campground along the shore, and his daughter named it Capitola after a heroine in a novel series. After the train came...

Soquel (from the native American name Osocalis) extends from Capitola east and south. It was established in 1852, primarily to provide supplies and services to foresters. The village also welcomed car travelers who traversed the mountains on Old San Jose Road. Seventeen antique shops and galleries line several blocks of Soquel Drive, Main Street and connecting roads in the historic...