A kilometre or so north of the central plaza, the Avenida Monseñor Rivero is where middle-class Santa Cruz comes out to eat ice cream and watch the world go by. The avenue is wider than the colonial streets of the centre, lined with mango trees, and packed with cafes, heladerías, sushi bars, and modern restaurants spilling onto the pavement on both sides.
It is at its best in the evening, when the temperature drops and families, couples, and groups of friends fill the terraces. If the cathedral side of town feels too still or too touristic, Rivero is the easiest way to see how cruceños actually spend their nights out — and the ice cream at Kivón or Doña Pity is excellent.