Hotel & Things to Do – Young Rhetoricians' Conference

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.

Photograph of Dream Inn conference room. Rows of long tables with chairs, next to large window overlooking the ocean and beach.

We will be hosting the onsite conference at the oceanfront Dream Inn. This retro-chic hotel offers conference and hotel rooms with views of the beautiful Monterey Bay and is walking distance to the wharf, historic Boardwalk, and West Cliff Drive.

We have a small hotel block at the Dream Inn for Wednesday night at the reduced price of $399/night plus taxes and fees. This price includes parking. Please contact the hotel at 831-740-8069 to reserve one of the limited rooms at the Young Rhetoricians’ block rate.

Photograph of Dream Inn hotel room. Retro beachy style with aqua and coral. King-size bed, two chairs, couch, with a view outside window to the ocean.

Photograph of Dream Inn pool. Large pool with beach umbrellas and chairs, next to the ocean.

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:

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The Santa Cruz Wharf

Natural Bridges State Beach

Wilder Ranch State Park

U C Santa Cruz campus

Roaring Camp Railroads

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: