A really good day in Santa Cruz: Where I play, stay, and eat

Santa Cruz is definitely day-trippable from the San Francisco Bay Area, but it’s also worth staying over so you can make the most of this Pacific Coast beach and college town. I’ve been visiting Santa Cruz for decades and have done it all the ways: as a kid, a college student, and traveling with a group of friends and with my family. 

There are a couple of keys to a great trip to Santa Cruz. While it’s not strictly necessary, it definitely helps to have a car so you can check out some of the more off-the-beaten path spots. Layers are key (this is true for most of Northern and Central California, especially along the coast) since temperatures fluctuate throughout the day and it can get breezy. And you’ll have more fun if you go at the speed of the place: Santa Cruz is a mix of college kids, mellow beach town types, and travelers, and for the most part, no one is in a hurry. 

Some of My Favorite Things to Do in Santa Cruz

Beaches

First the clarification: Santa Cruz has the colder water of Northern California, rather than the warmer water of Southern California and Mexico. But the beaches are great, and the waves are perfect for aspiring surfers. It’s also beautiful for coastal walking and hiking. Up and down the city’s coast you’ll find beaches. There’s a beach next to the pier that parallels the Beach Boardwalk (more on that below). Natural Bridges is another beautiful spot that’s a great beach for watching both surfers and wildlife. At low tide, you can find tidepools at spots like Pleasure Point Beach.

UC Santa Cruz

I didn’t fully appreciate how beautiful UC Santa Cruz was when I was a college-aged student visiting friends who went there. I returned with my kids last year and, wow. The whole campus sits on a hill overlooking the ocean, and many of the colleges are tucked away in dense redwood forests. It’s fun to drive around (or park and stroll), and both the main campus and the satellite marine campus on a bluff along the water have museums and centers open to the public. Among the offerings are the Institute of the Arts and Sciences and the Seymour Marine Discovery Center (last time I was there I saw embryonic sharks wiggling inside of their eggs). 

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Should You Go to the Beach Boardwalk? That depends. As a kid, I loved the Boardwalk, and now my kids do too. As an adult, I have mixed feelings about it: it’s often crowded, it smells like corn dogs, and it’s loud. But also, the entire amusement park borders a gorgeous beach and it’s easy to just head to the sand if you need a break from the theme-park atmosphere. And the whole thing still feels like an old-timey boardwalk, which I like. So my advice to you is: If you love amusement parks, definitely go. If you don’t but you’re with people who want to go, tag along and find ways to turn it into a beach day. You can even take surf lessons nearby, and if you walk toward the pier just north of the Boardwalk, there are some cute spots to eat and hang out. 

Getting out on the water

Whether you’re an aspiring surfer or a longtime surfer, Santa Cruz is a great place to get out on the water. There are a bunch of great breaks along the coast here, and also conveniently a number of surf schools that will give you lessons and take you to spots that are just right for your level. Beyond surfing, Santa Cruz is a popular and fun spot for kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding. There are often whales (and other cool marine megafauna) out in the waters of Monterey Bay, and whale watching excursions are a great way to spot gray whales and humpbacks (plus dolphins, otters, and seals).  

Day trips out of town

Some of my favorite things to do Santa Cruz aren’t in Santa Cruz proper. To the north, the beach in Davenport feels a million miles away from city life. Nearby towns like Capitola and Aptos are cute and worth a visit. And there are plenty of other things to do, including hopping aboard a vintage railcar at the Roaring Camp Railroad in Felton or going cider tasting at the Martinelli’s tasting room in Watsonville. And for an amazing nature experience (spoiler alert: you might see otters playing in the wild), book a kayaking tour on Elkhorn Slough, about an hour from Santa Cruz. 

Hike the redwoods

Follow Highway 17 up into the mountains and you’ll be in prime redwoods territory pretty quickly. I love the easy trails at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, which get you deep into redwood forests without a lot of exertion. Big Basin is another stellar spot for enjoying the redwoods, though it was dramatically affected by wildfires in 2020 (most of the old growth redwoods survived though). And although it’s a little farther away, I also love Butano State Park, both for hiking and for camping.

Where to Stay in Santa Cruz

There are a few great and a ton of just-fine hotels in Santa Cruz. Here are two of my favorites:

• Dream Inn: This is Santa Cruz’ only beachfront hotel, and has a primo location right next to the pier and a few blocks away from the Boardwalk. It has both a nice beach and a beachfront pool, and rooms are modern and comfortable. 
• West Cliff Inn: This restored Victorian sits on a bluff overlooking the water and has a nice mix of historical touches and modern amenities. Stays include daily breakfast, bikes and beach gear available to borrow, and delicious extras like freshly baked cookies in the afternoon and an evening wine hour.