Find hotels in Lower Ocean, Santa Cruz

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Dates

April 2026

May 2026

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Compare popular hotels in Lower Ocean

Property	Star rating	Guest rating
Riverside Inn & Suites Santa Cruz	2.0 star property	8.2 Very Good 880 reviews	View
Drift Inn	2.5 star property	8.2 Very Good 80 reviews	View
Torch Lite Inn	2.5 star property	7.8 Good 1,001 reviews	View
The Aqua Pacific Hotel	2.0 star property	7.8 Good 796 reviews	View
Surf City Inn and Suites	2.0 star property	7.8 Good 1,009 reviews	View

Where to stay in Lower Ocean

Find the best Lower Ocean areas and neighborhoods for the activities you enjoy most.

This is a small state park at the northern end of Santa Cruz' scenic West Cliff Drive and a little over a mile from the Boardwalk, wharf and Main Beach. A couple of times a year you can see Monarch butterflies during their migration. They are not in the numbers of years past, but you'll still see some.

If you walk north towards the rocks during low tide you will find some amazing tidepools full of sea anenomes, sea urchins, starfish, crabs, hermit crabs, and all sorts of marine life. The tidepools are on a ledge, so the tide needs to be quite high (>4 ft?) to reach them.

The beach is absolutely stunning at sunset.

#localsecrets

Westside Santa Cruz

Westside Santa Cruz is known for its stunning beaches, and with sights like Monterey Bay and Pacific Avenue, you won't get bored spending a day wandering around this part of Santa Cruz.

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Eastside Santa Cruz

Eastside Santa Cruz is known for its beaches, and you can plan a trip to Monterey Bay and Twin Lakes State Beach while you're in town.

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Nice place to have coffee and watch the waves. Great surf spot. NO bathrooms! #beach #ocean #surf #shops #view

Pleasure Point

World-renowned surf spot with a strong surf culture, Pleasure Point offers picturesque ocean views along East Cliff Drive and a walkable path with separate bike lanes. Enjoy amenities at Pleasure Point Park and nearby 41st Ave commercial district.

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CWFJJA USA California CA Santa Cruz clock tower and trolley on Pacific Avenue

Beach Hill - Beach Flats

Beach Hill - Beach Flats might not have many top sights, but Main Beach and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

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Evening stroll at the Seabright Beach. If you are lucky, you might run into Matt performing amazing bike tricks by the lighthouse. #LifeAtExpedia #sunset #goldenBeach #blueSky

Upper Seabright

When in Upper Seabright, you can plan a visit to Santa Cruz Harbor and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, some noteworthy sights in the nearby area.

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Top Lower Ocean Hotel Reviews

Drift Inn

6/10 Okay

"My mate and I weren't really impressed. She was kind of grossed out. The floor was sticky when we arrived. We stayed two nights. I was okay with it, she hardly tolerated it."

La Bahia Hotel and Spa

8/10 Good

"Excellent room with one big caveat: I had a patio room on the pool level, but that patio faced the canvas back of a cabana. No privacy to left or right, and separating the patio and the blue-striped canvas is a walkway mostly used by staff. Not what I had in mind, and rather awkward to sit out there. Good bed, great shower. Very nice freebees including a quite good full bottle of cabernet sauvignon. I breakfasted twice in the Low Tide restaurant where staff are willing but under-trained. Room service was very good. The lobby bartender was into his work, experimenting and engaged. The location is steps from the boardwalk and beach. "

The Aqua Pacific Hotel

2/10 Terrible

"Staff was excellent, helped us with our missing reservation. Room was terrible, very tiny, holes and stains on the walls, paint mismatched and chipping, bed is a mattress on metal frame that moves off frame everyone you get up. The biggest complaint though was the walls are thin, we were sleeping but watched a movie with our neighbor (heard entire movie through walls) , street sounds noisy , heard every car go by, heard people on street talking , yelling , some screaming , also heard people in lobby having conversations , staff members on walkie talkies , all while we were trying to sleep > 11pm . Sleepless night. You get what you pay for , never again . "

Frequently asked questions

What's it like in Lower Ocean?

Travelers will be sure to enjoy their time in Lower Ocean's Lower Ocean neighborhood. Consider a visit to Ocean Street as part of your Lower Ocean travel plans.

Where is the best hotel for a stay in Lower Ocean?

Based on Expedia customer reviews, The Aqua Pacific Hotel is a highly ranked property in Lower Ocean. This hotel offers an indoor pool and free parking. Other top choices in the neighborhood include Drift Inn and Torch Lite Inn.

How many hotels will I find in Lower Ocean?

With 18 Expedia hotels and other accommodations in Lower Ocean to choose from, this is a good starting point for exploring the greater Lower Ocean area.

If I need to cancel my hotel reservation in Lower Ocean, will I receive a refund?

Yes, you'll find most room reservations are fully refundable provided that you cancel prior to the accommodation's cancellation deadline, which is often 24 or 48 hours before the scheduled arrival. If you booked a non-refundable reservation, you might be able to cancel it and be given a refund within 24 hours of your booking. Add your dates and click on "Search", then use the filter option "fully refundable" to view the best deals available in Lower Ocean.

Where can I learn more about changing or cancelling my trip to Lower Ocean?

For additional details about rescheduling or cancelling your trip to Lower Ocean, head over to our customer service page.

What is there to do around this Lower Ocean neighborhood?

Ocean Street is an attraction you might want to check out while you're in Lower Ocean. While you're out sightseeing, Pacific Garden Mall and Pacific Avenue are a couple of additional sights to visit in Lower Ocean.

Find hotels in Lower Ocean, Santa Cruz

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Our top choices for Lower Ocean hotels

The Aqua Pacific Hotel

Riverside Inn & Suites Santa Cruz

Drift Inn

Surf City Inn and Suites

Torch Lite Inn

Hotel Solares

Motel Santa Cruz

Ocean Gate Inn

ROYAL INN

The Historic Brookdale Lodge, Santa Cruz Mountains

Motel 6 Watsonville, CA - Monterey Area

Hitching Post Studios Inn

Seaside Inn & Suites

Beachview Inn

Hampton Inn & Suites Watsonville

Comfort Inn Watsonville

Fireside Inn Santa Cruz

Bay Front Inn Santa Cruz

Quality Inn & Suites Capitola By the Sea

Ocean Pacific Lodge

Compare popular hotels in Lower Ocean

Where to stay in Lower Ocean

Westside Santa Cruz

Eastside Santa Cruz

Pleasure Point

Beach Hill - Beach Flats

Upper Seabright

Top Lower Ocean Hotel Reviews

Drift Inn

Frequently asked questions