Santa Cruz is yours to explore
Capitola 5 minAptos 15Redwoods 20Monterey 45
Surf & Shore
Coast & Beaches
Beaches, bluffs, tidepools, surf viewpoints. From Aptos and Capitola north to Davenport, past Natural Bridges.
Capitola Beach & Village
Pastel storefronts, gentle wharf, the Esplanade. Easy walkable coastal town.
Natural Bridges State Beach
Tidepools at low tide. Monarch butterflies in winter.
West Cliff Drive
Three miles of bluff drive or bike. Steamer Lane, Lighthouse Point, Cowell.
Seacliff State Beach
The old cement ship offshore and a low-key beach just south of Aptos.
- New Brighton State Beach12 MIN
A long beach under a forested bluff, with a busy campground above. Lifeguards in summer.
- Manresa State Beach22 MIN
Wide flat sand. Less crowded than Seacliff. Bonfire-friendly stretch.
- Lighthouse Field & Surfing Museum15 MIN
Working lighthouse + tiny surf history museum on the cliffs.
- Sunset State Beach30 MIN
Long flat beach south of Watsonville. Worth the drive on a clear day.
- Davenport & Shark Fin Cove25 MIN
A Highway 1 pullout with a steep trail down to the shark-fin rock and cove.
- Panther Beach28 MIN
Hidden cove with sea arches. A steep trail down, just south of Davenport.
Into the Forest
Redwoods & Wilderness
Old-growth groves, fern banks, wildlife refuges. When the bay is foggy in summer, this is where you go for sun.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
40-acre old-growth grove, half-mile flat loop. Best easy redwood walk.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
California's first state park, reopening in phases after the 2020 fire.
Wilder Ranch State Park
Coastal terraces, dairy ruins, miles of bluff trails.
Año Nuevo State Park
Elephant seal rookery. Guided walks December through March, by reservation.
- Forest of Nisene Marks15 MIN30 mi trails
Second-growth redwoods, mountain-bike trails, and a fern-lined creek.
- UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden20 MIN
World-renowned arboretum with an extensive collection of South African, California native, and Australian plants. A must-visit for green thumbs.
- Pogonip Open Space Preserve13 MIN11 mi trails
UCSC-adjacent meadows and redwoods. Quiet, local.
- Quail Hollow Ranch25 MIN
Wildflowers, sandhills, hawks. Felton.
- Castle Rock State Park45 MIN34 mi trails
Sandstone formations and ridge views. Skyline Boulevard.
Get Outside
Outdoor Activities
Ways to get out on the water and into the hills around the bay.
Whale watching
Humpbacks April through November, gray whales in winter. Departures from the harbor.
Kayaking Elkhorn Slough
Paddle a quiet estuary thick with sea otters, harbor seals, and shorebirds. Moss Landing.
Fishing off the wharf
Drop a line off the Santa Cruz Wharf — no license needed on the public pier.
Coastal biking
Beach-cruiser miles along the West Cliff bluffs, from the Point toward the wharf.
- Sailing the bay6 MIN
Sunset catamaran cruises out of the harbor, past sea otters and pelicans.
- Stand-up paddleboarding5 MIN
Flat-water mornings in Capitola Cove. Board rentals right at the beach.
- Mountain biking · Demo Forest25 MIN
Soquel Demonstration Forest's Flow Trail — bermed, fast, the local favorite.
- Disc golf · DeLaveaga14 MIN
A wooded 29-hole course. The famous 'Top of the World' tee overlooks the bay.
- Golf · Pasatiempo15 MIN
An Alister MacKenzie course ranked among the country's best, with public tee times.
- Windsurf & kite · Waddell30 MIN
The dependable wind line north of Davenport — for people who already know how.
Hang Out Spots
Districts and town centers worth a half-day stroll. No agenda, just walk and look.
Downtown Santa Cruz · Pacific Avenue
Bookshops and record stores, the Abbott Square food hall, First Friday art walks, and a Wednesday farmers market.
Santa Cruz Harbor
Boats, sea otters, harborside lunch.
Westside · Ingalls St / Swift St
Warehouse-district food and drink corridor.
Boulder Creek & Highway 9
Highway 9 threads Felton, Ben Lomond, and Boulder Creek — three mountain towns that take you back in time.
- Aptos Village15 MIN
Tiny historic block with a new brewery and a farm-store market.
- Capitola Village (after dark)5 MIN
Esplanade dinner. Venetian houses lit up.
- 41st Ave. · Pleasure Point shops12 MIN · WALK
Surf shops, coffee, neighborhood feel.
- Soquel Village10 MIN
Antique shops, a creek, and a historic 1868 church.
- Felton20 MIN
Covered bridge, taproom, redwood-mountain feel.
Eat & Drink
Food & Drink
Scenes and gatherings, not a restaurant list — where the county actually eats and drinks.
Pleasure Point coffee
A cluster of independent roasters and surf-town cafés, all a short walk from the Point.
Live Oak Farmers Market
Sunday mornings at East Cliff Village — local farm stands, food stalls, and flowers, year-round.
Soquel-Aptos wine country
A handful of tasting rooms within 15 minutes inland. Hilltop views and redwood patios.
Local brewery scene
Discretion, Humble Sea, and Sante Adairius — all within about 15 minutes.
- Westside · Swift Street20 MIN
Brewery taprooms, bakeries, and lunch counters in the old industrial blocks west of town.
- Abbott Square Market15 MIN
Downtown food hall — a dozen kitchens around a courtyard, live music on weekends.
- Bonny Doon wine tasting25 MIN
Estate tasting rooms up in the redwoods above town. Pours under the trees.
- Clam Chowder Cook-Off15 MIN
A late-February tasting throwdown on the Boardwalk. Buy a kit and judge the chowders.
- Mole & Mariachi Festival15 MIN
September mole cook-off with mariachi and folklórico at the Santa Cruz Mission.
- Santa Cruz Restaurant Week10 MIN
A week each October of fixed-price menus at kitchens across the county.
- Santa Cruz Burger Week10 MIN
A late-winter run of specialty burgers at dozens of spots countywide.
The Scene
Arts, Music & Culture
The genuinely good stuff — theater, jazz, new music, and open studios. Most a short drive.
Santa Cruz Shakespeare
Highly-regarded summer repertory in the open air at the Audrey Stanley Grove, DeLaveaga Park.
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
National-touring jazz in an intimate downtown listening room.
Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
Two weeks of orchestral premieres downtown, late July into August.
Open Studios Art Tour
Three October weekends, hundreds of artists across the county open their studios.
- Live music venues15 MIN
The Catalyst, Moe's Alley, Felton Music Hall, the Rio — touring acts most nights.
- First Friday Santa Cruz15 MIN
A self-guided gallery and studio walk on the first Friday evening each month.
- Redwood Mountain Faire20 MIN
Memorial-weekend bluegrass and crafts at Roaring Camp in Felton, benefiting local nonprofits.
- MAH · Museum of Art & History15 MIN
Local history and rotating art shows downtown. Free on First Fridays.
- Tannery Arts Center13 MIN
Working artist studios, a gallery, and a theater along the San Lorenzo River.
All Ages
Family Adventures
For first-timers, repeat visitors, and anyone with kids worth bribing.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Free entry, pay per ride. Twilight is the move. Giant Dipper, Looff carousel.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
The finest aquarium in the country — sea otters, a two-story kelp forest, and the open-sea tank.
Mystery Spot
Tilted shack, gravity tricks, sticker for the rig.
Roaring Camp Railroad
A steam train from the beach up into the redwoods and back.
Worth the drive
Two ways to roam
Head north for the open Highway 1 coast, or south around the bay to the Monterey Peninsula. Either one is an easy day from your site.
North
Highway 1 Drive
Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay — the classic California coast run.
Pescadero
A tiny farm town, with Pigeon Point Lighthouse and the elephant seals at Año Nuevo just down the road.
Half Moon Bay
Pumpkin farms, a working harbor, and the Mavericks big-wave break.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse
One of the tallest lighthouses on the Pacific, on a bluff above the tidepools.
＋ a dozen state beaches · six state parks along the way
South
Monterey Peninsula
Around the bay to the cypress coast.
Pacific Grove & 17-Mile Drive
The scenic toll loop past Pebble Beach and the Lone Cypress, ending in seaside Pacific Grove.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
A storybook village with white sand and gallery-lined streets.
Point Lobos
The 'crown jewel' reserve — hidden coves, kelp forests, and sea otters.
＋ 10 state beaches · 5 state parks along the way
Ready to explore?
Park once. See it all.
Everything's a short drive, the surf a short walk.
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