Things to do in Santa Cruz

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Santa Cruz Travel Guide

Santa Cruz featuring rugged coastline, general coastal views and a beach

Santa Cruz showing general coastal views

Santa Cruz featuring general coastal views, flowers and a beach

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What to do in Santa Cruz

Discover the most popular places to visit in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

4.5/5(2,013 reviews)

Enjoy the thrills at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and find out why people love this theme park in Santa Cruz. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the biking trails.

The place where you can't stay straight.

Mystery Spot

4/5(639 reviews)

Find out about the history of Santa Cruz with a stop at Mystery Spot. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the surfing spots.

USA-Santa Cruz-Natural Bridges State Beach; Shutterstock ID 101070745

Natural Bridges State Park

4.5/5(251 reviews)

You can take time to visit Natural Bridges State Park during your travels to Santa Cruz. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the biking trails.

Santa Cruz Wharf

4.5/5(85 reviews)

After visiting Santa Cruz Wharf, make a plan to see the other sights and activities in Santa Cruz. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the surfing spots.

EN5XP1 Street scene in autumn with shops art galleries on Ocean Avenue Carmel Monterey County California

Ocean Street

4.5/5(14 reviews)

During your visit to Santa Cruz, you can enjoy retail therapy at Ocean Street. Wander the area's beautiful beaches or simply enjoy one of its top-notch restaurants.

Pacific Avenue

4.5/5(7 reviews)

During your visit to Santa Cruz, you can browse for the perfect souvenirs at Pacific Avenue. Wander the beautiful beaches in this family-friendly area.

Main Beach

4.5/5(661 reviews)

Why not spend a carefree afternoon at Main Beach during your travels in Santa Cruz? Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the biking trails.

Located at the northern end of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz Harbor ... Walton Lighthouse... love exploring lighthouse!!

Seabright Beach

Why not spend a lazy afternoon at Seabright Beach during your trip to Santa Cruz? While you're in the area, stroll along the beautiful beaches.

Santa Cruz Harbor

Explore the waterfront in Santa Cruz with a trip to Santa Cruz Harbor. While you're in the area, stroll along the beautiful beaches.

Discover the most popular landmarks and neighborhoods in Santa Cruz

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

Westside Santa Cruz

4/5(2,586 area reviews)

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.

Carmel California. Point Lobos National Park. Pinnacle Point panorama.

Eastside Santa Cruz

4.5/5(78 area reviews)

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.

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.

Beach Hill - Beach Flats

Beach Hill - Beach Flats might not have many top sights, but Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Main Beach are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Downtown Santa Cruz

4.5/5(27 area reviews)

Unique features of Downtown Santa Cruz include the beaches and restaurants. Make a stop by Pacific Avenue or Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History while you're exploring the area.

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 Beach Boardwalk and Santa Cruz Harbor, some noteworthy sights in the nearby area.

Popular day trips from Santa Cruz

Los Gatos

Bay Area showing tranquil scenes, a small town or village and landscape views

Scotts Valley

Capitola

Panoramic view of deer creek in the morning near nevada city california

Boulder Creek

Roaring Camp' Dixiana Shay Steam Train Crossing Redwoods in Santa Cruz Mountains

Felton

The dramatic Pacific Ocean coastline close to Santa Cruz, California; the scenic Highway 1 and eroded cliffs visible on the right

Davenport

Capitola Village Reflections. Capitola, Santa Cruz County, California, USA.

Soquel

Frequently asked questions

Is Santa Cruz worth visiting?

One of the most common things to do in Santa Cruz is explore Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Tick this major attraction off your list, then discover more of this area's history and surfing.

How do I spend a day in Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Roaring Camp Railroads are two excellent places to start your vacation adventures. Be sure to check out the dining and shopping options in Santa Cruz while you're here too.

What is the top tourist attraction in Santa Cruz?

The top tourist attraction in Santa Cruz is Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, so make sure to add it to your sightseeing agenda.

Is three days enough to stay in Santa Cruz?

Three days will be plenty of time to check out some popular city attractions, like Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz Wharf and Natural Bridges State Park. The average stay in Santa Cruz is two days. If you have the urge to extend your trip, San Jose isn't far away.

Is Santa Cruz a walkable city?

With popular neighborhoods and top sights within walking distance of the city center, Santa Cruz is a good destination to visit on foot. Enjoy wandering between Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Santa Cruz Wharf. Then take a stroll around Westside Santa Cruz, located 2 kilometers from the center, and Lower Ocean, which is roughly 2 kilometers away.

What are some activities to do in Santa Cruz with kids?

Whether you're vacationing with hard-to-please teens or tiny adventurers, an itinerary filled with fun activities takes your trip to the next level. Check out our ideas for what to do in Santa Cruz with kids.

What to do in Santa Cruz for adults?

Whether you're a culture enthusiast, food lover or outdoor explorer, there's no shortage of things to do in Santa Cruz for adults including Soquel Vineyards and Poetic Cellars Winery.

Are there free things to do in Santa Cruz?

One of the simplest ways to discover free things to do in Santa Cruz is to speak with a local tour guide. You'll get insider recommendations on cool neighborhoods, parks and other highlights you can visit without taking your wallet out. Santa Cruz Wharf is one sight that doesn't have an admission fee.