For the second year, the YRC onsite conference will convene in beautiful Santa Cruz, California. Santa Cruz is a beach town with something for everyone. You can surf in the morning, hike in the redwoods in the afternoon, and ride roller coasters by the waves in the evening. Ride old steam trains through the forest; get lost at the Mystery Spot; enjoy water activities like kayaking, whale watching, and sailing; visit the marine discovery center and walk along the coast; imbibe at breweries and wineries; and enjoy a variety of unique shops and restaurants. Horror aficionados may enjoy locations from the films The Lost Boys (1987) and, more recently, US (2019). Whether you come by yourself, with a partner, or with family, Santa Cruz is a fun and relaxing place to connect.
We will be hosting the onsite conference at the Museum of Art History. According to MAH’s website, the museum is a “thriving community gathering place that offers a full slate of art and history exhibitions, visual and performing artworks, public festivals, education and outreach programs, and cultural celebrations in collaboration with our many partners”.
The YRC has traditionally held our annual conference and retreat in Monterey, California every June. Since our beginnings in the 1980s as a gathering of graduate students (with Professor Hans Guth and Gabriel Rico) to our current conference dedicated to writing, we have supported the teaching of writing in college composition courses.
Things to Do
Downtown Santa Cruz is a lively fun place for kids and adult kids! Aside from the Beach Boardwalk, bowling, ample restaurants, and a beautiful walk along West Cliff Drive, explore:
And if you miss the old venue, you can still check out Monterey just 45 minutes down Hwy 1. You can drive further down the Old Coast Road to Big Sur—or take an adventure across the sea. Here are some fun locations and activities open and available to explore:
- Adventures by the Sea
- Big Sur
- Cannery Row
- Carmel-by-the-Sea
- Carmel Mission Basilica
- Cowgirl Winery
- Farmers Markets
- Georis Winery
- Hiking – See this page and this page.
- Lovers Point Park
- Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail
- Monterey Bay Hydrobikes
- Monterey Bay Whale Watch
- Old Fisherman’s Wharf
- Pebble Beach Resorts & 17-Mile Drive
- Yoga on the Beach
