If you can tear yourself away from the eclectic mix of boutiques and second-hand stores, steer your pirate ship down Soquel Avenue (pronounced So-kel), which starts in downtown Santa Cruz. It parallels Highway 1, later becoming Soquel Drive when it crosses the freeway to run down the other side. Keep alert, opportunities for plunder abound along this historic roadway, which runs from Santa Cruz to Aptos and is named after the indigenous Soquel people.

Look for Isgro & Co (1122 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 10 am-6 pm daily, 831-425-8622) if you're interested in fantastic fountain displays, architectural adornments and period lighting. A few other antique stores, including Atillia Antiques (2630 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, 11 am-5 pm daily, 831-475-6920) bob to the surface before reaching the antique heaven of Soquel Village. Soquel Drive drops into the town, nestled in the coastal hills and filled with enough antique stores to while away entire afternoon - all within walking distance.

Soquel Antique Cluster

At the corner of Soquel and Old San Jose Road, a stage route once used by the famous Charlie Parkhurst (a rough and tough one-eyed woman who passed as a man in the 1860s) sits Soquel Village Antiques (4700 Soquel Drive, Soquel, 10 am-6 pm Mon.-Sat., 10 am-5 pm Sun., 831-476-4747). Several dealers share this space, which offers a mix of collectibles, all under one roof. The dealers here have a fine selection of costume jewelry, home decorator items, Depression glassware, pottery and some toys.

Just up the street a few blocks past the New England-style white church, a cluster of antique stores climb the hill, each with its own brand of booty. Tiffany Antiques (3010 Center, Soquel, 10 am-5:30 pm weekly, 11 am-5 pm weekends, 831-477-9808) specializes in Americana, Garden and Country styles, florals, linens, and other furniture.

Another cluster of shops - including Edward's (5025 Soquel Dr., Soquel, 831-479-7122), and Frank's Antiques (4900 Soquel Dr., Soquel, 11 am-4 pm daily, 831-462-3953) lead you back to the main Village. The Trader's Emporium, a quonset hut hosting 32 shops in 6,000 square feet, is jammed with furniture, toys, automobilia and other collectibles. Local dealers say they have a hard time keeping antique tables in stores. The reason? They are being snapped up by telecommuters creating just the right setting for the at-home office.

If you're a dedicated hunter and have devoted a day to Soquel and Aptos villages, save a little time for lunch in Capitola, just across the freeway. A quick slice at Pizza My Heart or a plate of deep-fried calamari at Zelda's come with a view of the Monterey Bay. Then it's back on the road, following the treasure map to Wisteria/Aptos Gardens, which share a hidden cove along Soquel Drive just before Park Avenue in Aptos.

Hidden delights of Aptos

A post-lunch stroll through Aptos Gardens (Aptos, 10 am-5pm daily, 831-462-3859) and Wisteria Antiques (5870 Soquel Drive, Soquel, open Mon.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm, 831-462-2900) is just the thing. Antique wrought iron, contemporary lawn ornaments and outdoor furniture are displayed throughout the grounds, surrounded by buildings displaying antique furniture. The main house showcases furniture, linens, art and books, all beautifully displayed in coordinated color theme rooms.

After pausing in the garden, continue on past the local Cabrillo Community College through Aptos Village, heading left on Trout Gulch Road. It takes a bit of cunning to find it, though. Get ready for the left turn after you cross the historic Aptos Bridge, built in 1928.

Aptos, another local word that survived the years, was a remote village in 1872 when Claus Spreckles (of sugar fame) bought the area from the Castros, who were granted the land from the Spanish. Spreckles briefly farmed sugar beets along the lowlands, processing the sugar in Capitola and shipping it from the wharf there. The area later was logged, used as a game preserve and today is a breeding ground for the rare long-toed salamander.

Just a bit down Trout Gulch sits what is affectionately known as the big Red Barn, aka Aptos Village Fair (417 Trout Gulch Rd., Aptos, Thurs.-Sun. 10 am-5 pm, 831-688-9883), located in a 100-year-old apple shed. 25 dealers share this space. Look for one of the finest collections of oak, mahogany and walnut furniture in Northern California and a reputation for quality.

When the day is done. Grab some ribs at Cole's Barbecue near Trout Gulch and Soquel Drive and proceed directly to Seacliff Beach State Park, just across the freeway. Picnic tables keep the sand out of the food, and Mother Nature does the rest with a sweeping view of Monterey Bay and the "cement ship" Palo Alto. It was built in 1917 for use as a freighter in World War I, but the war ended before it could be used. It never sailed, except when towed to Seacliff in 1929. A dance floor, cafE9 and a heated swimming pool was added, but the party palace went broke after two seasons. Today only the seals and fish dance among its decks.