Yes, start with the postcard view
The colorful buildings beside Capitola Beach deserve the attention they get. Look at the photograph above: blocks of warm color, sand and water, all squeezed into the same view. There is no need to manufacture a complicated itinerary around a scene that already gives you a reason to go.
Keep the afternoon close together
Make the beach and village your focus. Choose somewhere to pause, browse if something catches your eye and leave time to sit by the water. If you want to explore farther, the visitor guide covers Capitola and neighboring Soquel. Decide whether you actually want that second stop before adding it.
Pack for the coast you get
Bring a layer even when the photo in your head is all sunshine. Check current access information before setting out, and expect to share the waterfront. This is a popular place, not a secret discovery. Its appeal survives that perfectly well: you came for a beach town with color and character, and you don’t need it all to yourself.