As a surfer, on a sunny summer morning, I'll often find myself on the Internet clicking to a surf camera to check the waves in Santa Cruz. Of course, with the price of gas and the three-hour commute, the waves have to be perfect before I'd make the drive. So I'd often fantasized about staying at the Dream Inn, that boxy 10-story hotel right next to the Santa Cruz pier, where I could check the waves from my private balcony.