La Selva Beach, California

Infobox Settlement
official_name = La Selva Beach, California
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nickname = LSB
settlement_type = Unincorporated Area
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map_caption = Location in Santa Cruz County and the state of California


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
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subdivision_name1 = California
subdivision_type2 = Counties
subdivision_name2 = Santa Cruz
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area_total_km2 = 10
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area_total_sq_mi = 3.86
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population_as_of = 2007
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population_total = 500
population_density_km2 = 50
population_density_sq_mi = 129.5
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postal_code_type = 95076
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area_code = 831
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footnotes = La Selva Beach is an unincorporated community in Santa Cruz County, California, United States.

La Selva Beach is one of the several small communities of Aptos neighboring "Seascape" to the north, Corralitos to the east, and "Watsonville" to the south. The name "La Selva" is Spanish for "the jungle" and possibly an allusion to the jungle of fog that regularly envelopes the small beach community.

Geography

La Selva Beach lies near the San Andreas Fault, and was close to the epicenter of the October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

History

At one point, the small area known as La Selva Beach was also known as Rob Roy in deference to the Scottish heritage of many of the inhabitants. The now-defunct (since 2000) Rob Roy Video Store was the only business in the area to make note of this heritage. Most of the houses were built in the early 1960s.

Parks and recreation

La Selva Beach is home to both La Selva Beach and Manresa State Beach where one can fish, surf, and boogie-board. These breaks are not as popular as others in Santa Cruz county, since the sand bottom makes for unreliable wave shape. However, sometimes it does get good. La Selva Beach does not have direct public access, although residents of the neighborhood can get a key that allows them to open an otherwise-locked gate so that they can drive down to a parking lot near the beach (the packing lot is under the trestle). For years surfers have parked at the top of the nearby cliffs in La Selva to check the waves, then have hiked down the steep hillside, crossing the railroad tracks and descending a second hillside to get to the water. In an attempt to curb this practice (presumably for erosion reasons), a chain-link fence was erected in the early 2000's on the near side of the railroad tracks. Many surfers still access the beach via the cliffs, easily scaling the fence.

The central park of La Selva Beach is Triangle Park. The park is triangular in form and enhanced by a triangular structure with the flags of the world. There is also a horseshoe pit.

In the summer, one can witness small girls practicing their baton-twirling/hurling skills in preparation for the festivities of the annual La Selva Beach 4th of July Parade. As a side note, this parade is vastly shorter and less known than the so-called "World's Shortest Parade" which takes place concurrently in Aptos, California.

In winter, one can view the painted-wood Christmas-themed display that exponentially enhances the community's cuteness factor in conjunction with the lights of "Candlelight Lane." Candlelight Lane is what Playa Boulevard is transformed into during the month of December from the intersection of Playa Boulevard and San Andreas Boulevard to the intersection of Playa Boulevard and Estrella Boulevard. This transformation consists of the illumination of multi-colored lights which have been placed upon the indigenous pine trees and non-indigenous palm trees.

La Selva Beach is adjacent to Manresa State Beach

Educational institutions

The [http://aptosacademy.org/ Aptos Academy] , [http://www.riodelmar.pvusd.net/ Rio del Mar Elementary] and the [http://www.montereybayacademy.org/ Monterey Bay Academy] are the nearest educational institutions.

Notable residents

* Lisa Leuschner, "American Idol" semi-finalist.
* Grant Rummel, classical trombonist.