By Ingfei Chen

The new West Cliff Inn in Santa Cruz, Calif., puts lodgers in a bind: Should they stay in their rooms (lolling in a steaming hot bath) or go out (for a beach picnic or a loopy roller-coaster ride)?

The comeback is a snap: Yes! Open since summer, the bed-and-breakfast makes it easy to fulfill every desire with its sweet location overlooking Monterey Bay just steps from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, currently celebrating its centennial (www.beachboardwalk.com).

The eggshell-white three-story Victorian was constructed in 1877 for Sedgwick Lynch, a gold miner who erected the city wharf in nearby Capitola. A $2.5 million renovation has now rescued Lynch’s cliff-top mansion from dilapidation, restoring its shapely Italianate cornices and elaborate hardwood floors.

On the topmost level, a new stained-glass skylight sparkles. The nine rooms boast fireplaces and marble-tiled bathrooms, five with spa tubs.

Breakfast and afternoon hors d’oeuvres are provided—as are bicycles for cruising along paved paths atop ocean bluffs. Ask the proprietors about packages with winetasting and surfing lessons. From $150. (800) 979-0910, www.westcliffinn.com.