I had planned for one night in Santa Cruz to decompress between several days (and a lot of driving) in Arizona/Southern California and a family event in San Jose. The convenience and location of Merritt's place helped me make the most of (and truly relax during) my 24 hours there. Communication was timely and thorough, Merritt gave me great restaurant recommendations based on my preferences, and it really IS steps from the beach. My drive took a bit longer than expected, and once I arrived and was let in, I was able to immediately walk a couple blocks to the end of the street, which ends at a cliff over the ocean (there are benches up there, and stairs down to the beach), and catch the tail end of the sunset (that day, it was a thick line of wildfire smoke with a pink sky above, and the tiniest sliver of a moon). On that walk, and in the morning for sunrise, I chatted with neighbors, pet some dogs and appreciated being able to immerse in the neighborhood vibe. After dinner, I just needed to crash - the bed is ridiculously comfortable and I got the great night of sleep I needed. Seriously, that bed is a game-changer, and this is a great home base from which to explore the area.