(1) Hit the Beach
Santa Cruz County has over 29 miles of coastline with some remarkable beaches. Check out Main Beach, in front of the famous boardwalk, if you’re looking to people watch and love the beach amenities. If you’re looking for something a little quieter check out Greyhound Rock Beach 17 miles north of town, where a hidden trail takes you down to your secluded patch of paradise. How about something in between? Just north of town is Natural Bridges State Park where you have plenty of room to set up your towel but still have restrooms and beautiful views of the rock formations in the surf. There is a beach for anybody who is willing to brave the chilly water.
(2) Hike the Redwoods
Between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Pacific Coast sits the largest trees south of San Francisco. Henry Cowell State State Park is the closest park to town with huge trees and flat easy trails. Further up the mountain is Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Here you can camp in the redwoods, taste the redwoods with the simple Redwood Trail or dare the backcountry with the difficult Berry Trail Loop. From Berry Trail, you can see waterfalls or even hike all the way from the Skyline to Sea and reach the ocean at Waddell Beach.
(3) Play on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk
The Santa Cruz Boardwalk is just good clean fun. There is an assortment of thrill rides anchored by the historic and iconic Giant Dipper roller coaster. There is also food, shopping, arcades, games and all the amenities you would expect. It’s a great one/two combination with the beach or wharf. They also have host all kinds of special events and concerts throughout the year but particularly on summer weekends.
(4) Walk the Wharf
The Santa Cruz Wharf is located between Main Beach and Cowell Beach, the Santa Cruz Wharf stretches over a ½ mile into the ocean making it the longest wharf on the west coast. This is the place to go if you want a commercial fishing trip, boat tour or even just a seafood dinner over the water. If you make it to the end of the pier, you can see a colony of sea lions living under the deck. Along the way, you can see incredible views of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk or surfers on the lineup at Cowell Beach.
(5) Surf the Waves
The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum is the world’s first surfing museum and commemorates over 100 years of surfing at Santa Cruz. In 1885, three Hawaiian princes introduced surfing to the area. If you have your own board (and wetsuit) there are plenty of breaks to check out. If you are new to the sport, there are several surf schools in town that offer equipment rental and lessons.
(6) Ride the Rails
Roaring Camp Railroad utilizes the old narrow gauge railroads from Santa Cruz’s logging past. The redwood forest steam is a 1 ½ hour trip up Bear Mountain and back on with a historic steam engine pulling the train. The beach train runs from the boardwalk to Felton Camp and back on a 3 hour round tour. You can board the train from either station. It’s a great way to see both the beach and forest elements of Santa Cruz and discover area’s rich history.
(7) Visit Elephant Seals
From April – November over 10,000 elephant seals return to Ano Nuevo State Beach to breed and give birth which makes this one of the largest breeding colonies in the world. If you love seals, you will want to get a permit from the entry station and take the 3-4 mile round trip hike to the viewing area. (The picture is from our Big Sur road trip)
(8) Discover Monarch Butterflies
Every winter millions of monarch butterflies converge on Santa Cruz to take shelter in the sheltered eucalyptus groves. Santa Cruz’s most notable colony is in the grove inside Natural Bridges State Park. A smaller colony congregates behind the International Surf Museum. On warm winter days, these beauties flutter in the trees. When it gets colder, they settle onto the branches in an orange swarm. (photo credit: Melody Shore)
(9) Explore Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is the most biologically diverse ecosystem in all of California. From the playful sea otter to the majestic humpback whales there is plenty to see and an abundance of ways to see it. You can scuba dive in the kelp forest or take a commercial whale watching trip. You can even just take a kayak or sailboat out into the bay. No matter how you hit the water, there will be plenty of places to explore and even more discoveries to be had.
(10) Probe the Mystery Spot
Say what you want about The Mystery Spot, but they sure put on a good show. They claim there is a gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forest. They demonstrate balls rolling uphill or water flowing upwards as proof their hypothesis. Even if you don’t believe, you can enjoy the showmanship and a walk in the forest.
(11) Shop at Pacific Garden Mall
When you hear “mall”, don’t think of a crowded mess of stores where teenagers hang out. Think of a row of shops around a pedestrian friendly street that looks like it was Main Street America from central casting. Specialty shops abound down the tree line streets offering you a truly unique experience. Here you can see the old school hippie culture and street performers alongside specialty boutiques and gourmet coffee. Come to Pacific Garden Mall for the scene and stay for some spectacular food and rare shopping treasures.
(12) Cycle West Cliff Drive
Do you want to see the ocean without getting covered with sand or fighting crowds? Check out West Cliff Drive. This paved path runs 2.5 miles along the cliffs from the pier to Natural Bridges State Park. Along the way, you can check out the Surfing Museum, butterfly groves, surf breaks, and amazing views without having to repark your car. The one thing about Santa Cruz I never could stomach….all the damn vampires and the horrible parking and the bad movie quotes. I guess that’s three things but I needed to pay homage to the 30 year anniversary of Lost Boys somehow. Biking Santa Cruz lets you see all the city sites without re-parking and the West Cliff Drive trail is the gem of the trip.
Notice Anything Unusual About Santa Cruz Yet?
What’s the recipe for a good time in Santa Cruz? You take a little bit of ocean, a little bit of forest, and a little bit of theme park. Mix it together with a huge serving of biodiversity and creativity and add a dash of history and you’ll get a Santa Cruz vacation. It’s a little bit of everything and like nothing you have seen before.
You had me with Redwoods and Seals! I’ve always wanted to see the Redwoods in real life – their sheer size is something I just can’t comprehend from pictures. And the Mystery Spot certainly looks and sounds intriguing. I think you’re right – there is definitely a unique selection of things to do in Santa Cruz!
You have to see the redwoods in person to understand the enormity. They are big (and old, 2000 years) beyond comprehension. Plus, it’s not just the trees, the entire forest is so unique. It’s a game changer.
Aw I love that there are sea lions, they’re so cute (and noisy, but still cute!) so it’d be definitely the first place where I’d go!
They are adorable. We could (and do) watch them for hours. Each one has such a unique personality.
Learning to surf sounds like a fun activity with those gorgeous beaches and all! I like that the place seems to be super diverse and that you can pick your favorite activity and that tomorrow something completely different. There is something for everybody, so most probably it’s a great place to go with friends or family.
Surfing is a lot of fun. It’s much harder than you might think, but with a good teacher you can usually get up on the board a little bit on the first day. It took me about a dozen trips before I could consistently catch waves, but I was just teaching myself. Surf schools make a lot of difference.
What? You can see sea lions up so close? That’s amazing! I wish to visit Santa Cruz someday, but you’re moving away from the west coast so soon!
There are sea lions here in San Diego. Book a flight soon and come down. Or just wait a month and see manatees in Orlando with us. (or both really)
Great introduction to Santa Cruz. I had no idea what to expect but I just love that you can go hiking in the woods one day and hit the beach the next. It’s the perfect combo. Looks like such a picturesque part of the world.
It is really beautiful there and yes, very picturesque.
It’s a fun place to go. Lot’s of great food too. Nearby is some of the west coasts best seafood, the Gilroy Garlic Festival, lots of fresh fruits (including amazing strawberries) and some good wine too (think of it as Napa south)
We past by there driving to Natural Bridges. It looks like a fun section of town. I seem to remember a lot of brew pubs too.
The nest all up and down the California coast. It’s a lot closer than Mexico. You might not have and entire forest covered in butterflies but they still fill the trees around you.
Sounds like you should visit in the winter. Check the time tables and you might be able to see both of these at the same time. With any luck, you can catch the whales heading south for the trifecta.
The break next to the Surfing Museum looked really nice. It wasn’t as crowded as Crowell beach by the pier, but the waves didn’t close out. They rolled along the cliffs for probably a 100′ ride and then you could just paddle along beside the break and not have to fight through the breakers. If you’re really ballsy check out Mavericks up the coast at Half Moon Bay. That’s a little too much pucker factor for me.
Wasn’t there a movie made about the Mavericks at Half Moon Bay? That sounds really fun!
Chasing Mavericks – one of my favorite movies. The kid made a chart to become a big wave surfer. All he had to do was hold his breath for four minutes and paddle 16 miles and he could live his dreams. The concept of a “Maverick Chart” still comes up often in our house.
There is also Lost Boys which was set in Santa Cruz, but that’s a different story.
It will make any nature lover very happy. Just down the coast is the world famous Monterey Aquarium too.
I could see a little romance in the Mystery Spot. They try to make it a little bit spooky, but the forest is so beautiful. I really liked the lights disappearing into the trails too.
It’s a neat beach city… Perhaps a cool beach city. The water is flowing down from Canada and only really starts to warm up in August. It’s absolutely beautiful but be prepared for a little nippiness in the water.
It’s a fun place to go and a great counterpoint to a San Francisco vacation.
Redwoods are amazing. North of Frisco, the tree get a little bigger, but if you’re heading south to Monterey Bay or the Big Sur Coast, this is the best stand south of the city.
It’s been a long while since I have been to Cairns. I could see it. One day we were at the beach (looking a the crocodile and shark signs) and the next day we were in the rainforest going into a butterfly house and nocturnal animal house. Just out of curiosity, I wonder which one gets more rain…. Cains gets 78.7″ Santa Cruz gets 36″. That’s less than the US average. Wow. It seems wetter there. Big Basin Redwoods up the hill gets 80″ a year. I guess that’s why they call it a temperate rain forest, but I imagine there are even wetter spots around the city of Cairns than where that weather gauge was set up.
Elephant seals are really cute. Who wouldn’t want to have a prehensile nose?
You are right! Santa Cruz a little bit of everything and something for everyone 🙂 Those Sea Lions are so adorable. Ahh..the mystery spot. There is a similar spot in Leh in India where cars start rolling uphill.
I just read about that spot in India the other day. It looks like an optical illusion from the banded hillsides. That’s pretty cool.
I didn’t realize you could see elephant seals in Santa Cruz. I need to do that next time I am out in California. I love hiking in redwoods up and down that coast.
Elephant Seals are super cute. Much quieter than sea lions but I love their noses.
The redwoods were our favorite aspect of Santa Cruz … and the beach obviously too! Really loved how diverse it was, and how you get a good mix of wildlife, nature, culture, and beach vibe. Totally agree with you that it’s probably one of the most diverse parts of the State.
The elephant seals were a highlight of our trip – didn’t manage to catch the monarch butterflies though – will have to get back!
Truth be told, we didn’t see the monarchs either. I went over New Years and they had already left . They are tricky little guys to catch. Apparently the temperature is really important to the visit. Under 56f, they cluster on the trees and over they flutter about.
I had no idea that Santa Cruz had so much to do. Being from the East, we hear about nearby Monterey and of coarse SF, LA, and SD. Having easy access to both beaches and redwood forests would be amazing. We are planning visit San Francisco and Monterrey next year. We might need to hit Santa Cruz, too.
The road trip from San Fransisco to LA along the Big Sur coast is world class. Sounds like you might have a Cali road trip brewing.
I’m not usually a beach person, but I have to say the beautiful rock formations make the Santa Cruz beaches look really appealing and with the Boardwalk of attractions, it looks like a nice place to chill out. I would definitely love to take that narrow gauge railroad journey, love steam engines and the forested mountain views look gorgeous. And I’m a huge wildlife traveller, so being able to see the seals on the beach and the monarch butterflies is a huge draw for me.
This is a great area for watchable wildlife. There are a couple places up and down the coast where there are rock islands like Natural Bridges. Sounds like you would like Santa Cruz.
Not all together friendly so it’s best to keep your distance. This isn’t a mating colony (mostly just young males) so without young to protect, they don’t get overly hostile either.
You are right, Santa Cruz comes across as a heady cocktail of experiences. Apart from hitting the beach, I would love to lose myself in the forests. The other thing that grabbed my attention was the rail. Being passionate about these rolling monsters, I would really freak out on these vintage trains.
If you’re a railroad fan, you’ll love the route in Santa Cruz. Between the historic trains and beautiful scenery, you will be absolutely thrilled.
I heard so much about the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and would love to visit soon. And the elephant seals would be interesting to witness too!
We always think of Lost Boys when we go to the boardwalk. You would get a kick out of Santa Cruz and it would make a good excursion when you come to San Francisco.
Looks absolutely incredible and I had no idea it was all so close to the Redwoods…hiking, beach, elephant seals and even those gorgeous Monarch butterflies….just looks like such a wonderful place, with so much going on. Really enjoyed reading this and learning about another new place.
Thank you, glad you liked it. When the mountains meet the sea, there are a lot of different biospheres and a lot of different critters taking advantage of it.
I’ve been to California many times but have yet to visit Santa Cruz! It looks so lovely! And awww, the sea lions. I’d love to walk around the wharf and eat as much seafood as possible 😉
It would be really cool to sit on the pier, eating seafood, and watching the sunset. If you want the “Luxury” experience of Santa Cruz, check out Saddlebrook. You take a cable car down to the restaurant and it’s really nice (so I’ve heard).
Omg I want to go to the mystery spot! There doesn’t seem to be a shortage of things to do in Santa Cruz! I also would love to see the elephant seals!
Supernatural, season 3, episode 11. Sam wakes up in a hotel room with Heat of the Moment playing in the background. They have to go to the Mystery Spot… Of course, it’s the one in Florida and not Santa Cruz.
The Mystery Spot is just good clean tourist trap fun. You would enjoy it there. Elephant seals are super cute. Their little faces look like elephants.
Wonderful collection of cool things to do in Santa Cruz California. The redwoods at Big Basin are magnificent. I love hiking there. Did you see any banana slugs?
We saw a couple on the trail but we just didn’t think to take any pictures. It’s amazing how colorful they are. Berry Falls was one of the coolest hikes ever.
I could see you really enjoying the Mystery Spot… It’s good clean fun. We’ll take you surfing in Florida if you want. All my boards went onto the moving truck today…
I had no idea there was so much to do in Santa Cruz! The nature alone is incredible – having access to that kind of rugged coastline AND redwood forests is so cool. Love this list!
Thanks. It’s definitely the coast and the mountains that give Santa Cruz that special 1-2 punch.