Discover Santa Cruz, California: Beach Bliss, Hikes, Shops, and More!
The relaxed beach town with great views, hikes and shops.
Santa Cruz, California is located on the coast of California on the northern side of the Monterey Bay. It is known for it’s beach town feel, downtown shops and old-school surfer/skater vibe. Santa Cruz has something for everyone from the boutique shops in Capitola, to the sand and waves by Seabright Beach, or the hikes up in the Santa Cruz hills. It is well worth spending a few days or weeks soaking in the sun and enjoying the ocean breeze.
Possibly one of Santa Cruz’s most well known attractions is the Beach Boardwalk. With the many rides, it is a great place to spend some time and have fun.
Day or night it’s a great place to visit. During the day you are going to want to bring swim suits, towels and sun screen. Hanging out on the beach gives you a relaxing break between rides. At night, bring a jacket because it can get a bit cold. The bright and colorful lights make the Boardwalk a completely different experience. Close by, the Santa Cruz Wharf is worth checking out for it’s fantastic food, barking seals and good views. Depending on what you’re looking for, there are two restaurants I would recommend checking out. Gilda’s is a great dinner-style restaurant with a classic but well done breakfast menu. There’s nothing like eating pancakes and bacon while looking at the ocean. Marini’s Munchies is a great stop after dinner for ice cream, salt water taffy, caramel apples and more. After getting your treats I would recommend going outside and enjoying the view. I’ve found that sunset is the perfect time for this activity.
UC Santa Cruz is a great place to explore and get a view of Santa Cruz in its entirety. The beautiful woodsy campus gives a nice contrast to the sandy beaches. Bordered by Wilder Ranch, there are miles of hikes for every ability level. When you’re done hiking and exploring, go to the soccer field for one of the best views in Santa Cruz.
From here you can see all of downtown Santa Cruz, the Wharf, the Beach Boardwalk and more. Without the clouds you would be able to faintly make out Monterey on the other side of the bay.
Dedicating at least one day to the beach is worth the time when in Santa Cruz. For those who want to stay on the beach, hanging out, building sand castles, and sun bathing are all great activities. If you are feeling a little adventurous, checking out the tide pools can give you an insight into the local ecosystem and wildlife. For those who love the water, swimming, surfing, skim boarding or boogie boarding are all great.
After a long day on the beach, a bonfire is a great way to end the day. Enjoying the sunset and fire can only be made better with s’mores.
There are countless other places around Santa Cruz that are worth spending time at. Capitola is a great little beach town with boutique shops, Pizza My Heart, great restaurants and a beach with lifeguards. It is a great place to spend the day or just stop by for an hour or two.
Just a few minutes from the boardwalk is Santa Cruz’s light house and Surfing Museum. This is a great place to check out day or night for a great view and surfing knowledge during the day or an active light house at night.
For those hikers and outdoor enthusiast, there is plenty for you too. Big Basin Redwoods State Park has countless scenic hikes. With well maintained trails, little exposure and scenic surroundings, every hike here is phenomenal; however, I would recommend the 11 mile loop to Berry Creek Falls. This hike features Berry Creek Falls in addition to countless other falls, rivers and lush redwood surroundings. This hike is more accessible than other hikes of similar distance because it is at sea level and in the shade making it much easier than hikes like Mt. Tallac.
Santa Cruz is one of California’s best beach towns for its great downtown, countless beaches, Boardwalk rides, the Wharf and more. It is worth at least a day trip if not a week or two. Take the time to enjoy everything this place has to offer.
