All of that is just the tip of the iceberg, though. Apart from the playoff is the 35-game slate of bowl games, beginning with the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Dec. 13. We're here for all of it.

While its more famous neighbor Santa Cruz gets all the attention with its boardwalk and roller coasters, Capitola sits quietly nearby, perfecting the art of the slow life – a place where “rush hour” ...

Cypress trees bend in the ocean breeze like dancers. Cambria feels like two towns rolled into one perfect package. The east side has pine trees and rolling hills that look like Scotland. The west side ...