Things to do in Santa Cruz, California

Santa Cruz is a beach town almost in the center of California coastline. A town of about 65000 population is the county headquarters for Santa Cruz county. Located within driving distance from all of the Bay Area cities, Santa Cruz is a prominent weekend getaway. With a moderate climate, natural endowments, beaches, and dense redwood forests, Santa Cruz is a great vacation destination. While many may relate to Santa Cruz as a beach destination, there is a lot that this town offers. After about 5 visits to the town, we have put together a set of things to do in Santa Cruz.

A View of Santa Cruz Wharf

How to get to Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is at the end of a beautiful road trip for most of the visitors. If you are coming from the north or the south, you could take Highway 1 or the Pacific Highway. The highway, also called Cabrillo Highway, runs along the coast and presents an opportunity to visit numerous scenic beaches. Most of the beaches are state parks and hence you just have to pay for parking once and can use the same ticket along the way. One of our trips was from Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz and we enjoyed every bit of it.

If you are visiting from the east, you would end up taking California State Route 17 or CA-17. If you are coming from San Jose, you take up I-280 to connect to CA-17. Our most recent visit was from Sunnyvale which meant we took CA-85 for about 15 miles before connecting to the CA-17. A large part of the CA-17 on this stretch is a mountain road with enough windings to keep your eye on the road. The stretch is full of sceneries and views as you cross the hill separating the regions. It takes about an hour from Sunnyvale to Santa Cruz beach if you take the straight route.

Things to Do in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz has a variety of activities that can easily engage visitors for multiple days. We would recommend either multiple visits or spending at least the entire weekend. Here are some of the places you would want to cover on your trip. We have indicated an :) for those which are a must-dos. 

1. Henry Cowell Redwood Forests :)

These redwood forests provide a spectacular environment to enjoy some time in nature. Surrounded by long thick forests of these mega-trees, one is bound to be carried away by spending a lot more time than initially planned. The forests are part of the state park and manage by the Park Services Department. The park offers multiple hiking trails for nature enthusiasts that take you through the serene interiors. There is a campground that is open in the specific season to allow overnight camping.

Redwood Grove Trail - Henry Cowell State Park

There are 3 popular trails out of which the Redwood Grove Trail is the easiest one. This mile-long trail is accessible and allows strollers and wheelchairs to maneuver easily. There are many picnic tables around with suitable accommodation. The main picnic area has an arrangement for heating furnaces to let you enjoy a group meal during winters.

Park Services charge a nominal fee (at this time it is $10) which covers parking and other facilities provided at the park. Facilities include maintained trails, a nature center, a visitor center, volunteers to guide and trail documentation. There are 3 parking lots within the visitor's area of the main park. The campgrounds have a separate entrance and parking. The staff is very helpful and ready to guide you as needed.

 Trails into the dense Redwoods

2. Roaring Camp Train Ride

Roaring camps are located just the next door to the Henry Cowell State Park and you can easily hear the steam engine working its way from any of the trails. If you are careful, you can even catch a glimpse of the train from the parking. At the time we visited, there was a single option to take the 75-minute ride across the redwood forests taking the visitors to the deep dense regions. Two trains run daily to charm visitors with nature at its best. The route is scenic and mesmerizing. During holidays special trains take you through the festive flavor with lighting and extended schedules. During spring season another train takes guests to the Santa Cruz Beach Broadwalk and provides an experience in itself. More about it once we get a chance to experience it. 

3. West Cliff Drive :)

This 6-mile footpath along the famous West Cliff Drive is a great way to spend along the seashore and finds a prominent place in things to do in Santa Cruz. The drive extends from Lighthouse Field State Beach on one side to the approach road downhill for the municipal wharf. The walk is scenic and provides spectacular views of the Monterey Bay. You could see people surfing the mild ways which provide a great opportunity for learners. This is also a great place to observe varied birds hovering around.

Towards late afternoon, flocks of birds returning to their bases in an artfully crafted queue is a stunning view. In winters, you could observe beautiful butterflies along the lower end of the walls. There are all sorts of activities with kids playing, people cycling and others just resting on lawns. There are multiple parking spots along the drive and you can also use the beach parking towards the other end. Parking could be a bit tough during the busy season (summers mostly) but a little effort and wait could be your way to find one. 

4. Lighthouse Field Beach and Santa Cruz Museum

Santa Cruz Surfing Museum

Located towards the north end of the Monterey Bay along the West Cliff Drive, this is a protected beach with the state park system of California. There are various flora and fauna that tourists can enjoy while relaxing on the pristine beach. You also have a chance to view sea lions on the shores along with dolphins playing in the sea. While you have some chance to find them here, our next site on things to do in Santa Cruz would guarantee them. There also is a Santa Cruz Surfing Museum which offers various souvenirs and highlights the story of surfing started in Santa Cruz.

6. Santa Cruz Wharf :)

Santa Cruz Wharf or Municipal Wharf is a long pier into the Monterey Bay providing deep-sea views. The wharf is flanked by Cowell Beach on one side and the boardwalk on the other. Vehicles are allowed on the wharf until the very end at nominal parking fees ($1 per hour for up to 4 hours which is more than sufficient for a visit). People spend quite a lot of time relaxing on one of the benches or fishing.

Sea Lions and Dolphins at the Santa Cruz Wharf

Towards the right side of the wharf, you could easily see a lot of marine life including ducks, fishes, and birds. The most prominent among fishes is the Dolphin. You could enjoy dolphins playing gleefully and having their time in the water. Observing them is a great experience seeing them jump towards the cliff. Towards the central area of the wharf, there are windows which provide you a view of sea lions resting leisurely - given their tendency to be super-lazy, that is expected. The view is definitely something that makes you include the wharf in things to do in Santa Cruz.

Also, if you are one with a sweet tooth, there is a small family owned joint called Marine Candies, which serves mouth-watering fudges. These cocolate fudges simply melt as soon as they get into the mouth. There are other assortment of variety of chocolates to choose from. We did enter to pick a coffee and ended up trying the fudge.

7. Santa Cruz Beach Broadwalk :)

The Broadwalk is a promenade built along the Monterey Bay and is a perfect tourist destination for the town. It is almost a theme park with many rides and funfair. There are a number of eating joints across the concrete-floored zone with tourists flocking during the busy season. There is a beach towards the bay and you have the opportunity to enjoy some beach games or relax by the waves if you are inclined.

 Santa Cruz Boardwalk

The access to the Broadwalk is free but the official parking lot is priced steeply at $25 per entry. Though there are many metered parking around, these spots are hard to find during the tourist seasons. One workaround is to park the car at the wharf and walk to the boardwalk which isn't too long. This is an economical solution with a daily max price being $12. 

8. Santa Cruz Downtown

• The downtown of Santa Cruz town provides a variety of flavor for everyone including shopping arcades, boutiques, restaurants and strolling. There are many performance venues around and you could be lucky enough to catch a special event too. 

References

• For more details on trails and camping season for Henry Cowell State Park, visit https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=546
• The Roaring Camp website, https://www.roaringcamp.com/, provide a detailed schedule for festive trains and other regular rides
• Refer to Santa Cruz Broadwalk website - https://beachboardwalk.com/ - for ride schedules
• Explore Downtown Santa Cruz at https://downtownsantacruz.com/ before your visit to plan better

Things to Remember

Below is a list of things one must keep in mind while planning a trip:

• Best Time to Visit - Summers are the best time to visit Santa Cruz and the primary tourist season. If you are visiting during fall or winter, you could leverage the reduced rush for a relaxed holiday. However, you may want to check on the schedule of Broadwalk where many rides operate on a much-reduced schedule. 
• Parking - Santa Cruz administration has provided for a number of metered parking spots along with garages and parking lots. However, during the peak season, these are not adequate to accommodate everyone and you may end up using one of the steeply-priced lots. There is an app to provide some help finding parking.
• Duration of Visit - We recommend spending at least 2 days in the town to do justice with all it has to offer. There is enough to keep you engaged for more if you have that luxury. 
• Drive Carefully - Both Highway 1 and CA-17/9 have many viewpoints and scenic spots along the way and hence visitors tend to stop on ways. Sometimes people realize late in the game that a viewpoint in oncoming and there could be some sudden braking or swerves. 

For destinations with the United States from our other visits, please visit United States Destinations for a list of all the articles.