FORGET what you heard about Santa Cruz being the city that sleeps. Yes, this sunny coastal town still has its countercultural wackiness. You can still watch surfers shred waves, ride a seaside roller coaster on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and hear a street musician sing Pink Floyd’s “Goodbye Cruel World.” But Santa Cruz has been stirred by the tech boom in nearby Silicon Valley. In the past, “rabid localism” meant getting a black eye at the Stockton Avenue surf break. Now, the term refers to the restaurant that uses eggs from its own chicken coop, and the woman who churns organic ice cream with fennel foraged from a nearby field. And sleek lounges offer reasons to stay up until 2 a.m., an eternity by old Santa Cruz standards.

Friday

4 p.m.

1) PACIFIC CRUISE

Once the domain of seedy bars and bong displays, the southern section of Pacific Avenue is now a more fashionable strip where the city’s lust for vintage is on display. Idle Hands Dry Goods (803 Pacific Avenue; 831-466-9305; idlehandsdrygoods.com) feels like an updated Rolling Stones track, melding vintage American outlaw looks (cowboy boots, belt buckles) with rock-’n’-roller attitude (graphic T-shirts, Pendleton shirts). True Love Antiques & Vintage (805 Pacific Avenue; 714-847-3961), is a wonder cabinet of curios, art and odd-ends. And on nearby Cedar Street, MetaVinyl (320 Cedar Street; 831-466-9027; metavinyl.com) carries new and old LPs, turntable gear and rare finds, like a mint-condition copy of 2 Live Crew’s “As Nasty As They Wanna Be.”

7 p.m.

2) HAUT KEBABS

The staid dining scene in downtown Santa Cruz got a jolt this fall with the arrival of Laili (101B Cooper Street; 831-423-4545; lailirestaurant.com), a stylish Afghan restaurant. With its nattily dressed waiters, soaring ceilings and wall-size photo display of precious Afghan jewelry, this is no hole-in-the-wall kebab joint. A cross-section of Santa Cruz can be found on a given night, sampling Persian chive-stuffed Aushak dumplings ($9) and the braised lamb shank with kabuli rice and yogurt ($16). Ask for a seat at the communal table, where you can rub elbows with surfers and techies, and watch a cook in an open kitchen preparing naan dough with a giant rolling pin.

9 p.m.

3) LATIN RHYTHMS

The spiciest spot downtown is arguably the weekly salsa dance party at the historic Palomar Ballroom (1344 Pacific Avenue; 831-426-1221; palomarballroom.com), where dancers swirl in tight dresses, miniskirts and high heels. If you know your salsa moves, pay $5 at the door. If you need to brush up, a $10 fee covers a salsa class and the dance party.