Santa Cruz Travel: California’s Best Getaway Now
The weekend is approaching and you want to escape for a few days but where to go?
North to Point Reyes and the beautiful Mendocino coast?
Lake Tahoe and Truckee for some fresh alpine air?
South to Big Sur?
All great choices but for this weekend getaway, it’s all about Santa Cruz Travel.
Santa Cruz, or Holy Cross, is much more than its shadow of the Beach Boardwalk and Mystery House.
While these do draw significant tourist numbers, dive a little bit deeper into this quaint coastal gem and you’ll know that your time here is well worth the trip.
Here are some of the best things you can do in Santa Cruz, CA this year!
What Can I do in Santa Cruz?
- Surf
- Beaches
- Scenery
- Santa Cruz Breweries
- Hike
- Swimming Holes
- Study – UCSC
- Biking
- Food
- Mystery House
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Location
Surfing Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz has been touted as Surf Capital of the U.S.
With a title like that you’re sure to find what you’re looking for along it’s coast. Beginner? Great, plenty of waves to choose from.
Intermediate? Excellent, got that covered too.
Pro? Santa Cruz is home to some of the best surfers in the world, so those rights and lefts will be getting handled.
Cowells Beach – Cowells is largely a beginners area with long, gentle party wives. Although it’s for beginners it will get crowded with it’s easy access and unbelievably fun bumps.
Steamer Lane – Advanced surfers at this locals spot in Santa Cruz. One of the most iconic waves in Surfing and for good reasons.
Waddell Beach – This is a much more advanced area definitely not suited for beginners. It’s mainly an unprotected open area that draws heavy winds primarily for wind surfing.
Head over to Cowells for all your surfing needs. Santa Cruz Surfboard Rentals
Beaches of Santa Cruz
Home to some of the most pristine beaches around, Santa Cruz offers more than 29 miles of coast to choose from.
Grab a towel, sunscreen and friends, and your beach day will be more than fulfilled.
- Cowells Beach
- Natural Bridges State Beach
Scenery. Being a coastal city, Santa Cruz has endless scenery.
Whether it be a West Cliff Cruise, Pleasure Point Stroll, or a Natural Bridges hangout.
Santa Cruz Breweries
The Santa Cruz Brewery Scene is enough to keep your cup filled and then some.
Find your way to any of these breweries:
- Discretion Brewing
- Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
- Humble Sea Brewing
- Shanty Shack Brewing
Hiking in Santa Cruz
California is loaded with amazing hiking and Santa Cruz provides options all around the city.
The best hikes might not get you vertically elevated like Tahoe but the scenery will provide lasting memories.
Here are some of the Best Santa Cruz Hiking options:
- Sequoia Trail, Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Old Cove Landing Trail, Wilder Ranch State Park
- Berry Creek Falls, Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- West Cliff Drive – Follow west Cliff for 6 miles of unobstructed California coastline
Swimming Holes
Navigate yourself to Big Basin park and hike into the Garden of Eden for the best swimming hole in Santa Cruz county.
Study – Santa Cruz has UCSC, where college students are challenged academically and also to stay on track with so much natural beauty surrounding them.
Biking – Santa Cruz is home to Santa Cruz Bicycles, one of the Nation’s top Bike makers.
With great production comes great terrain.
Follow here to find the best mountain bike terrain in the Santa Cruz region
Best Food Options in the Cruz
Got a hankering for Mexican cuisine? Seafood? Freshly picked fruits?
These three are at your fingertips daily as this region packs it all into one.
Head over to La Hacienda for your al pastor burritos.
Cruise the coast and pick some fresh fruits from one of the many U-pick farms.
Book a table at the Crows Nest for some freshly caught seafood.
These are just the beginning, come and discover your favorite.
Mystery House – Prepared to be appalled with the laws of gravity.
Tucked in the Santa Cruz Mountains, make sure you visit the Mystery House when you make your way to the area.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – Perhaps the claim to fame outside of Surfing is the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Ride the Big Dipper, take in the ocean views, and eat some carnival food!
Location. Being only 1 1/2 hours from San Francisco and just north of Monterey, Santa Cruz really does offer an ideal location.
Whether you want to cruise to the adjacent mountains for outdoor activities or even farther down the coast, the location is prime here.
More of the Best Bay Area Travel Ideas
What are you waiting for? Cruise down, up or west to see what you’ve been missing out on.
Contact me and we can figure out the best plans for your Santa Cruz Weekend.
Heading north to San Francisco? Make sure to check out my SF Bay guides like: