Santa Cruz is best known for its surfing, UC Santa Cruz, the Boardwalk, and its redwoods. However, it is really still just a small town with a small town history for those who grew up and live there.
The city is named for the mission founded there in 1791. Most people are not aware that there was once actually a castle on one of the many beaches in this town. Nothing remains of it now (it was condemned about 30 years ago) but memories and a few pictures. Actually, locals still call that beach "Sand Castle Beach," but most don't remember why.
Santa Cruz is also known for the Mystery Spot, the Brookdale Lodge, the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and around the time "The Lost Boys" was filmed there, Santa Cruz had one of the highest homicide rates per capita in the United States. This may be due in part to the large forests surrounding the town where people seem to love dumping bodies. Some movies filmed there are:
Thrill
Frog and Wombat
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
$40,000
Alone in the T-Shirt Zone
Back to the Beach
Brotherhood of Justice
Dangerous Minds
The Entertainer
Escape to Witch Mountain
Family Sins
Harold and Maude
Hell Hath No Fury
Homegrown
Jagged Edge
Out on a Limb
Shadow Riders
Starman
The Sting II
Sudden Impact
and many, many more.