Santa Cruz
Located on California’s central coast, Santa Cruz is known for its long wharf and beautiful beach boardwalk. It features many tourist attractions, such as the Natural Bridges State Beach with its famous bridge-shaped rock formation. But there’s more! Discover our 10 favourite things to do in Santa Cruz and don’t miss out on any of the fun while you’re there!
Santa Cruz is connected by multiple bus connections, so it is very easy to get there from cities across California and out of state. Plus, there’s nothing better than discovering a new city by stopping between bus rides! Not only does this allow you to see new places, but it can also be a trick for cutting into long layovers that can last several hours.
If you’re wondering what to do in Santa Cruz, the first thing you must do is hit the beach boardwalk! Founded in 1907, this oceanfront park is one of California’s oldest amusement parks—and one of the coolest places to head for some guaranteed fun. Indeed, the Santa Cruz boardwalk features a large variety of games and rides, spread out over a mile-long stretch of sandy beach. You can ride a carousel, stock up on calories, do some shopping and enjoy the local attractions—all in one same place! And, don’t forget your bathing suit to cool off in the ocean after all the excitement.
Insider tip: The Santa Cruz beach boardwalk gets really crowded in the summer and the temperature quite hot as the day unfolds. To get the most out of the experience, it’s best to head there bright and early when it opens and ideally, on a weekday.
When you’re in Santa Cruz, visiting the famous wharf is an absolute must. It may seem touristy, but viewing sea lions and various bird species, strolling by the ocean, and having tasty fish for dinner definitely makes it worthwhile. Built in 1914, the Santa Cruz Wharf is a popular destination for pier fishing, taking a boat tour, enjoying the local nightlife and browsing the wharf shops. Stretching out over close to 3000 feet, it’s actually the longest pier on the West Coast! And one of its main perks is the breathtaking view from the pier, especially when the sun sets over the water.
Insider tip: Santa Cruz wharf restaurants are a little pricey, but definitely worth the expense if you’re feeling up for some delicious seafood with a beautiful view.
Just a few steps away from the ocean and the Santa Cruz Wharf, this Exploration Center offers several exhibits and some serious fun for children and adults alike. In fact, this Santa Cruz aquarium features state of the art exhibits, as well as interactive displays, highlighting the nearby Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. The best part: It’s entirely free!
Insider tip: Due to the at-risk fauna and flora, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is an underwater protected environment that supports one of the richest and most diverse underwater ecosystems in the world.
As you visit Santa Cruz, you won’t want to miss out on West Cliff Drive. This stretch of scenic road offers walking and biking paths from Main Beach all the way down to Natural Bridges State Beach. Hike or bike down West Cliff Drive and enjoy the breathtaking views of its surroundings—including cliffs, unusual rock formations and a lovely lighthouse. The Cliff Drive is about three miles long, so count approximately six miles for the round trip.
Insider tip: If you want to avoid the tourists, go early in the morning! In our opinion, the best day plan for visiting West Cliff Drive is to head from Main Beach down the coast at dawn and watch the sun rise. Then, relax for the rest of the morning by setting up on one of the most picturesque beaches in Santa Cruz: the Natural Bridges State Beach.
If you’re following our lead, you’ll be spending a morning out on Natural Bridges State Beach to relax after your bike trip to West Cliff Drive. Great choice! This incredible beach is in fact a five-acre state park, renowned for its unusual natural bridge structure made out of rock. What’s more, the Natural Bridges State Beach is a popular destination for monarchs and is known as a cool spot to see butterfly migrations from October to February, when around 150,000 monarchs flock to the park! If you’re not already seduced by the idea of visiting the Natural Bridges State Beach, know that it’s one of the most beautiful beaches in Santa Cruz. It’s small, sheltered and open year-round with loads of fun things to do, such as swimming, surfing, hiking and picnicking.
Insider tip: if you like to move around, you won’t want to miss out on the Natural Bridges State Beach Hiking Trails! Passing through the Moore Creek Estuary and the Monarch Butterfly Nature Preserve, the trails can be visited on fall and winter weekends with a guide. The rest of the year discover the trails by opting for a tour of the tidal pools or simply take a nature walk on your own!
Cowell’s Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the US for people who want to learn how to surf. Whatever your level: rookie/experienced surfer/born-on-a-surf-board, there’s no better spot than California—and more specifically Santa Cruz. Yes, the best surf school in Santa Cruz is located on Cowell’s Beach. They rent surfboards and wetsuits and give surf and stand-up paddle-board (SUP) lessons, classes and marine tours.
Insider tip: Book your surfing lessons beforehand at the Richard Schmidt Surf School! They can be reached by phone from 8 AM to 8 PM at (831) 423-0928.
Craft Beer scenes are popping up in many cities across the USA and Santa Cruz is no exception. Discover regional beers and support local businesses, with a great range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic Californian brews. Our two favourite spots for beer tasting in Santa Cruz? The Lupulo Craft Beer House for its relaxed ambiance and Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, for its organic certified beers.
This laid-back Beer House is a great find to sample domestic and international craft beers in a smooth setting. Relax in their large indoor seating area or enjoy their front terrace and discover many amazing brews! Lupulo is famous for its many beers on tap, which they offer in a constant rotation featuring many rarities. The beers are always served in small glasses so they can be enjoyed fresh, but you can also purchase a vast selection of bottled beers. Oh, and if you have a craving, Lupulo Santa Cruz cooks up a great variety of foods with its menu inspired from a Spanish tapas bar and a Belgian beer café.
Insider tip: Expect a $2 surcharge if you drink bottled beers on premises. Also, be sure to check Lupulo’s calendar for special trivia nights and live music events.
Next stop on the Santa Cruz Brewery Tour? Mountain Brewing! This great beer house has been around since 2005 and has become famous for its certified organic beer. All their beers are brewed in-house and Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing also hosts food pop ups featuring local food trucks. Enjoy a beer or a whole flight of handcrafted, micro-brewed organic ales in the large indoor seating area or outside in their beer garden, in which even your dog is welcome to join you as you sip.
Insider tip: If you’re curious, you’ll want to take a tour of the Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing production facility. Simply email them to book your spot.
With Santa Cruz being so close to one of the best wine regions in the world, Napa Valley, you can just imagine how many amazing wineries and wine bars are located in the area. Be sure to make a quick (or not so quick) visit to the Birichino Winery Tasting Room and the Vino Locale Wine Bar while you’re in town.
With its eight vineyards spread out across California, Birichino is one of the best wineries in Santa Cruz. You can sample all their wines in the elegant tasting room located downtown Santa Cruz.
Insider tip: If you intend to visit the Winery with a group (6 or more people), you must reserve by phone beforehand. Call Birichino at (831) 425 4811.
This Santa Cruz Wine Bar is best known for its delicious regional wines. Located right on the pier of the Santa Cruz Wharf, Vino Locale has spacious indoor seating and panoramic ocean views. Most evenings, you can enjoy live music out on the patio and you can complement your wine tasting with some delicious food, thanks to their appealing tapas menu.
Insider tip: Be sure to check out the Vino Locale events calendar!
Local farmers markets in Santa Cruz are quite popular! In fact, there are five markets spread out over the city:
Since most fun things to do in Santa Cruz are located in the downtown area, we invite you to explore the Santa Cruz Downtown Farmers Market, which is open year-round. It’s the perfect place to meet the vibrant local community invested in regional organic produce and shop for healthy food. The farmers market promotes local employment so you can stock up on pasture-raised meats, sustainably harvested seafood, eggs, dairy and perhaps even pick up a souvenir or two of artisan-made goods, all in good conscience.
Located in downtown Santa Cruz one block off Pacific Avenue, this farmers market takes place on Wednesdays and holds a vast selection of farming goods and artisanal baked goods. An awesome destination if you’re hungry. This Wednesday farmers market also offers a large seating area in the shade and live music.
Insider tip: Plan to bring some cash with you, as cards are not accepted by all vendors.
The Santa Cruz train is a known tourist attraction. It starts down in Felton and runs for over three miles, all the way up to Bear Mountain. With its narrow railroad, the Roaring Camp train is by far the best way to see the typical Californian redwood forest, the Santa Cruz Mountains and various small 1880s logging towns located close to the railway.
Insider tip: To save a few bucks, bring your own food and eat on the campgrounds instead of buying expensive food at the Roaring Camp Railroads. There is a lovely picnic area for you to enjoy your lunch.
That sums up our top 10 fun things to do in Santa Cruz. What are yours? Share below!
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