Entry No. 30 — the Santa Cruz file — filed under: glassblowing

Holy City Art Glass

A working glassblowing studio operates inside the crumbling remains of Holy City, a 1919 celibate cult compound that once ran its own radio station, zoo, and observatory before Highway 17 bypassed it into ruin. The Stanton family has blown glass here since 1978, calling the spot "a sanctuary for artists and misfits."

The move: Go on a weekday afternoon (open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm), watch a hand-blown glass demo through the studio windows, then walk the road past the dilapidated shells of the old ghost-town buildings still standing nearby.

• 📍 Santa Cruz Mountains, near Los Gatos (Old Santa Cruz Highway)
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: Old Santa Cruz Highway, Holy City, CA 95033 (near Los Gatos)

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Official site · Wikipedia

last checked: 2026-07-20