Bucket List Santa Cruz

Written By Jennifer Curnutt

What Not to Miss in This Quintessential California Town

Located on a 29-mile stretch of the sunny shores of the Pacific Ocean along iconic Highway 1 lies the quaint, quintessential California town of Santa Cruz. Its laid back surfer vibe and Bohemian flare are deeply rooted in the pivotal role Santa Cruz played in surfing history. Not only was it the birthplace of surfing on the North American continent, it was also where the wetsuit was invented changing the course of surfing forever as surfers could stay out longer and ride longer waves.

However, surfing is not all this coastal town offers. Santa Cruz is home to miles of sandy beaches with sweeping coastal views, towering redwood forests, numerous wineries, a quirky downtown area, and even a wooden roller coaster located on an iconic beach boardwalk that’s been around since 1924.

WHERE TO STAY

Photo courtesy of Chaminade

The Chaminade Resort

Santa Cruz offers a wide array of hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, motels and inns near the popular boardwalk, but I prefer to stay in the more secluded part of town, isolated up in the redwoods overlooking the water where I can escape the noisy hustle of downtown.

The Chaminade Resort & Spa is nestled in a grove of redwood and eucalyptus trees on 300 acres of land perched high above downtown Santa Cruz. It overlooks the city lights with breathtaking panoramic views of both the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

There is a state-of-the-art spa with a private jacuzzi and Himalayan salt sauna on site as well as outdoor fire pits, poolside drink service, a great bar, and world class restaurant with an unparalleled view. For the more adventurous, it offers a fully equipped gym, tennis and pickleball courts, and miles of hiking trails through the redwoods right on the property.

With amenities geared toward both luxury and adventure, it’s the perfect place to lay your head at night during your stay in Santa Cruz.

WHERE TO EAT

Best Breakfast Joint

Mad Yolks - The best breakfast and brunch spot around serving great coffee and fresh breakfast sandwiches including vegan and gluten free options. It’s located right in the heart of downtown near the iconic movie theater making it a fun spot to walk around after you eat.

Other great breakfast and brunch options include The View at Chaminade Resort, Harbor Cafe and Linda’s Seabreeze Cafe.

Best Lunch Spot

Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge – Founded by surf legend Jack O’Neill, this restaurant and lounge can be found at Dream Inn by the wharf and is a great spot to grab lunch full of historic photos and ocean views.

Best Dinner Spots

The View Restaurant & Bar - Located at the Chaminade Resort & Spa, The View offers fresh, seasonal cuisine with breathtaking views of Monterey Bay in the distance and the surrounding forest. They have a great bar and lounge area as well as outdoor seating with fire pits.

Other great dinner choices include Crow’s Nest located right on the beach, Lillian’s Italian Kitchen, Star Bene, and Riva Fish House.

THINGS TO DO

Nestled between the sandy shores of the Pacific Ocean and towering redwoods, Santa Cruz is a beautiful outdoor playground with something to offer everyone. You can spend time relaxing at the beach, catching the waves, exploring museums, playing at its iconic Beach Boardwalk, or hiking in the redwoods. The list of possibilities is endless.

What to Do for Couples

Chardonnay Sailing Charters – Chardonnay Sailing Charters offers romantic, luxury sailing tours along the beautiful Monterey Bay including public and private sunset cruises. It’s the perfect way to relax and unwind out on the water while taking in the stunning views of the Santa Cruz coastline from a unique perspective.

Santa Cruz Wharf - Take a stroll on Santa Cruz Wharf and dine at one of its waterfront restaurants with a view. The current Santa Cruz Wharf was built in 1914 but had six predecessors. It extends half a mile into the Monterey Bay making it the longest pier on the West Coast.

West Cliff Drive Waterfront Walk - Stroll West Cliff Drive Waterfront Walk at sunset – Take a leisurely stroll and catch the sun as it sets against the sparkling waves of Monterey Bay and lights up the sky in shades of crimson and gold.

Visit Capitola Village - Spend the afternoon exploring the charming town of Capitola known for its colorful houses lining the beach commonly referred to as the Village. Take a leisurely stroll along the bench-filled Esplanade Park with its colorful tiles painted by members of the community and breath in the fresh air as you watch the surfers catching waves. There are all kinds of cute shops and restaurants to explore here too.

Wine Tasting - The Santa Cruz Mountains may not be as popular as Napa Valley or Sonoma, but they are home to some great California wineries with sweeping coastal views. Visit one of the local winery tasting rooms like Beauregard Vineyards or Surf City Vintners.

Pebble Beach 17-Mile Scenic Byway - Take a day trip to Pebble Beach and explore the infamous 17-Mile Drive, often referred to as the most beautiful scenic drives in the entire state.

This scenic drive winds through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula hugging the rugged coastline with stunning views of the crystal clear, turquoise waters of the Pacific and bluffs lined with Monterey Cypress.

The road takes you past the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course, the iconic Lone Cypress from which the golf course’s logo was derived, Bird Rock, Shepherd’s Knoll and over 5,000 acres of the Del Monte Forest.

My suggestion is to stop for lunch at the beginning of your drive at the Inn at Spanish Bay. They have a great outdoor terrace overlooking the water and golf course with fire pits. Then take your time exploring the 17-Mile Drive, stopping at all of the major viewpoints along the way. Eventually, make your way to the Pebble Beach Resorts where you can enjoy the views over a drink before having dinner at Stillwater Bar & Grill or one of its other incredible restaurants.

Spa Day at the Chaminade – Enjoy the relaxation lounge at the Spa at Chaminade where you can both get massages and spend time in the Himalayan salt sauna, steam room, and private hot tub.

What to Do With Kids

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is home to the legendary Giant Dipper rollercoaster built in 1924 as well as other fun rides, an arcade, carnival games, shops, eateries, laser tag and bowling.

Admission is free. You just pay for rides and games. You can also purchase a season pass, unlimited ride wrist bands or MyBoardwalk cards for discounted pricing on attractions.

Beach Day - There are numerous beaches in Santa Cruz, many of which have sandy shores and gentle waves making them perfect for a beach day with the kids including:

  • Lighthouse Field State Beach

  • Capitola Beach

  • Cowell Beach

  • Seacliff State Beach

  • Pleasure Point Beach and Tide Pools

Spend the Afternoon at Chaminade - Chaminade is a great spot to spend the day poolside with the kids. There are cabanas and drink service for the adults. Families can enjoy playing pickleball and tennis, or hiking one of the many onsite trails together through the redwoods. There is also a lounge area next to the lobby - a perfect spot to play board games and cards by the fire.

Haunted Forest for Halloween – If you are visiting Chaminade in October, make sure to enjoy its Haunted Forest. This is an annual event where kids dress in costume featuring a fun filled forest walk, music, games, costume contest, food and drinks including a cash bar and local brewery vendors.

What to Do for The Adventurous

Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean on one side and redwood forest on the other, Santa Cruz is an outdoor enthusiast’s playground. With over 21,000 miles of trails, you can never run out of incredible places to hike, and the ocean offers endless activities like swimming, surfing, body boarding, skim boarding, sailing, and more.

Red and Blue Hiking Trails at the Chaminade – The Chaminade offers three hiking trails right on the property including the Red Trail (1.25 miles) and Blue Trail (1.75 miles) through the redwoods or the Green Trail (0.5 miles) that loops around the property. 

The trails are great for hiking and jogging and are pet friendly. There is a protected area around the creek located on the Blue Trail which prevents developers from building in the area which adds to the solitude and quiet as you wind your way through the forest. Both guests and non-guests can use the trial and there is even a treetop obstacle course on site.

West Cliff Drive Waterfront Walk - The West Cliff coastal path is a 3 to 4-mile gentle, heavily trafficked trail that is great for walking or cycling. The trail runs from Swanton Boulevard and West Cliff Drive to the Santa Cruz Riverwalk at Beach Street.

If you’re up for a longer walk, I recommend starting out by exploring Natural Bridges State Park then catching the trail on West Cliff Drive and taking it down all the way to the Boardwalk. It’s a good distance making it a great way to get some exercise while exploring the city by foot.  

Visit a State Park and Go Hiking

There are an astounding 14 state parks in Santa Cruz County including Wilder Ranch, Big Basin Redwoods, Castle Rock, and Henry Colwell Redwoods. Each park offers unique outdoor activities including hiking, bird watching, kayaking, swimming, and more. Below you will find detailed information on many of them.

Whale Watching - Santa Cruz is an ideal spot for whale watching. Resident humpbacks hang out in Monterey Bay year round and approximately 20,000 more whales make their way past the coast of Santa Cruz as they migrate each year, with the peak in mid-January through mid-March. There is also an increased chance of seeing Orca (Killer Whales) from March through April.

Kayaking - There are many places to kayak in Santa Cruz including the harbor, Elkhorn Slough, Channel Islands National Park (including Scorpion Beach, Prisoners Harbor, Anacapa Island), and Natural Bridges State Park. You also kayak at Wilder Ranch which has sea caves and pocket coves.

What to Do for Surfers

As the birthplace of surfing on the North American continent, Santa Cruz is often affectionately referred to as “Surf City.” It is said that around 1885, three Hawaiian princes arrived in California on the shores of Santa Cruz and used redwood boards to ride the waves. The stayed for a few years creating what was considered the first surf community among the locals. So it began - Santa Cruz’s rich surfing history and strong surf culture.

In the 1950s, Santa Cruz resident Jack O’Neill invented the wetsuit allowing surfers to stay in the water much longer, catching longer waves, and further changing the course of surfing forever. By the 1960s, surfing started gaining nationwide attention and of course, Santa Cruz was at its epi-center. Today, that strong surf culture remains.

Here are some things to do for surfers and those fascinated by Santa Cruz’s surf culture.

West Cliff Drive Waterfront Walk – This walk is a great way to immerse yourself in Santa Cruz’s rich surfing history as you pass some of the most famous surf spots Santa Cruz has to offer as well as numerous surfer memorials and tributes, the site of O’Neill’s original surf shop, and the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum.

Visit the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum - A tiny museum located in a 1967 lighthouse housing 120 years of surfing history on West Cliff Drive

Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge - Legendary Jack O’Neill was a local Santa Cruz resident who had deep roots in the surf community having founded the surf wear and surfboard company O’Neill and inventing the wetsuit. He also founded a restaurant located at Dream Inn near the wharf that’s worth stopping by not just for the food and drinks but for the historic photos and views of the Pacific.

Go Surfing - Below are some of the top spots in Santa Cruz to catch the waves.

  • Steamer Lane - Santa Cruz’s classic spot for experienced surfers with powerful waves and home to many surf competitions. It is perhaps the most famous spot to surf in all of Santa Cruz which has gained popularity in recent years, so it can be crowded.

  • Pleasure Point - Located on the East Side, Pleasure Point is a legendary and popular spot with a right-hand point break.

  • Cowell’s Beach - The long, gentle waves at Cowell’s Point break for a long time making this a great spot for long boarding and learning to surf.

  • The Hook - A beloved spot located at 41st and East Cliff Drive with a right-hand break that comes off Cliff Beach’s southerly rocks.

  • Manresa State Beach - Actually located in Watsonville, this state beach is just south of Santa Cruz and is not nearly as crowded. It’s also quite rugged and the break is exposed and sometimes windy so it’s not for beginners.

STATE PARKS

Santa Cruz County has 14 state parks with incredible hiking trails and natural beauty.

Natural Bridges State Park - Located on the Pacific, this park is best known for the beautiful natural bridge located right off its shore in the ocean. Here you will find incredible tidepools full of all kinds of underwater life and abundant urchins and crabs especially at low tide. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the migrating whales or the sea otters and seals who call this place home. The park is home to a Monarch Grove where you can marvel at the Monarch Butterflies as they migrate by the thousands down the California coast from late fall into winter.

Lighthouse Field State Park - The Lighthouse Field State Park is located at the north end of Monterey Bay on West Cliff Drive. It overlooks the popular surf spot known as Steamer Lane and is home to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. It’s a great spot to sit and relax, or take a stroll.

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park - A beautiful state park best known for its 40-acre grove of giant, towering redwood trees, the tallest of which stands 285 feet tall and 16 feet wide. One of the best hikes here is the old-growth Redwood Grove Loop Trail. It is also home to The Meadow Trail, Pipeline Road, Graham Hill Trail and Powder Mill Fire Road.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park & Berry Creek Falls - This is California’s oldest state park established in 1902. It has an astonishing 80 miles of trials and several waterfalls including the impressive Berry Creek Falls. The hike to Berry Creek Falls is 11 miles with a 1,000 feet elevation gain.

Wilder Ranch State Park - A stunning park located on the coastline in a nature preserve with over 35 miles of trails that wind along the bluffs, through coastal terraces, and into the marsh land. There is a historic Victorian home built in 1897, as well as an 1896 water-powered machine shop and farm animals.

The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park - A beautiful state park with rugged canyons and remnants of a once-bustling railroad. There is a small ancient old-growth forest of redwood trees near the Pourroy picnicking area as well as 30 miles of trails including some with steep elevation gains.

Castle Rock State Park - This park includes pine and oak forest, sandstone sculpted by the elements, and high vistas with sweeping views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It’s a great place to hike, backpack, and ride horses. It also has several caverns and boulders making it a great place to rock climb.

BEST TIMES TO VISIT

Santa Cruz has a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and wet winters. Spring and early fall are my favorite times to visit when the weather is mild and it’s less crowded. Summer months attract large crowds with over 3 million visitors annually, and winters can be chilly with quite a bit of rain.

Spring - Spring days are sunny and bright, and temperatures are ideal for being outdoors. It’s also the time of year to catch the wildflowers in bloom especially at one of the many state parks.

Summer - Summer is a fun time to visit. Morning fog keeps day time temperatures in the high 60s, rarely above 76°F. This makes for perfect beach weather and evening strolls. If you’re looking for nostalgic summer fun, the Boardwalk offers summer discount nights.

Fall - Fall is one of the best times of year to visit. The summer crowds have returned home, leaving the beaches less crowded and mostly locals hanging out. With mild temperatures, it’s a great time to get outdoors and to dine al fresco.

Winter - Winter is a great time to visit as its the “off season” for tourism, there are tons of holiday activities, and you can catch the Monarch Butterflies Migration at Natural Bridges State Park. Although temperatures are moderate, you do get quite a bit of rain.

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Jennifer Curnutt
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