Capitola is a small coastal town on California's Monterey Bay. The town was pioneered in the late 1800's first as a lumber port and later as a vacation resort. Capitola's beach is embraced between two cliffs in a river valley. The river, Soquel Creek, is the site of the annual Begonia Festival where flower-laden floats grace the river for a weekend in September. The Esplanade is a wonderful stroll in the village of Capitola, along a row of restaurants, historic homes, and small shops passing by the vistas of Monterey Bay and the beach. In September, the Esplanade hosts the Capitola Art & Wine Festival.