Marini’s at the Beach has been making and selling salt water taffy, candied apples, caramel corn, ice cream, and chocolates on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, California since 1915 and the Holm family has been eating them for five generations! Besides the Boardwalk location, Marini’s also has a store on the Santa Cruz Wharf and downtown Santa Cruz.

The beach boardwalk location of Marini’s is located in this covered section of the Boardwalk

Caramel and candied apples

Chocolate covered strawberries

Caramel corn and salt water taffy

I take my kids to Santa Cruz a few times a year and we usually get some type of a treat at Marini’s. During our spring break visit this year, I visited the Marini’s wharf location and ordered a non-fat latte. Do they know how to dress up their cappuccino drinks! The latte was served with a chunk of fudge.  A woman ahead of me ordered a mocha and it was served with a mountain of whipped cream, a chocolate covered coffee bean, and a large chunk of fudge.  She was kind enough to let me take a picture of it and then decided she better take one of her own.

Marini’s mocha with plenty of whipped cream, chocolate covered coffee bean and fudge

A lot of the treats Marini’s sells are made at the three locations. While I was at the wharf location, hand dipped chocolate covered nuts and strawberries were being made. There are several cases of candies and other sweets at this location.

Hand dipped chocolate covered nuts

Salt water taffy and chocolates–including chocolate covered bacon!

Hand made chocolates

After leaving Marini’s on the wharf, I wandered out on the wharf sipping my latte and enjoyed some of the fabulous views Santa Cruz has to offer and my family has also been enjoying since the 1800s.

Surfs up in Santa Cruz!

~merry~