Santa Cruz (California)

Santa Cruz is a coastal city (population about 65,000 in 2019) in Santa Cruz County, at the north end of Monterey Bay in California, about 40 miles (64 km) south of San Jose and 75 miles (120 km) south of San Francisco.

Understand
Santa Cruz is best known as a countercultural hub, with a bohemian feel and youthful vibe, and fun weekend tourist attractions like the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the dubious Mystery Spot. The rather relaxed beach lifestyle is supplemented by some remaining high tech industry and a vibrant university culture. The University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) is regarded as one of the premier centers of higher learning in the region and was once well known for its strong emphasis on the arts and humanities.

The beaches north and south of Santa Cruz are considered some of the more pristine areas of natural beauty in central California. The beautiful beaches and the rather mild climate play a central role in local culture. Most visitors leave Santa Cruz amazed by the city's beauty and ambiance.

Climate
A variety of conditions prevail, depending on the beach, few are suited for swimming due to temperature and current, several are considered an expert surfer's cold cold paradise. Don't expect a beach culture like Southern California, with bikini babes and children swimming in the surf; for much of the year, it's considered perfectly normal to wear a sweater and long pants to the beach.

By plane
The nearest airport is in San Jose. To get to Santa Cruz, take either the Santa Cruz Airport Flyer, or the free airport shuttle to Santa Clara, the train or bus to Diridon Station and the Highway 17 Express bus. San Francisco International Airport and even Oakland  aren't much farther away, and sometimes have cheaper flights. The Airport Flyer goes to SFO and Caltrain provides a route from SFO to San Jose, though with a transfer with BART in Millbrae. For private aircraft, there'a runway about  northwest of downtown, near Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.

By car
from &  Highway 17  south from San Jose is the most direct route when driving from the more populated parts of the Bay Area. It is a winding and very dangerous road over the mountains, arguably the most hazardous in the state shared during the week with heavy gravel trucks, so heed the speed limits take it easy and arrive alive. Accidents are very common, but the road is a bit safer since the addition of concrete barriers some years ago. Beware of fog, as well as "hurried" drivers, and drive with caution, especially when roads are wet. Going into San Jose Hwy 17 becomes I-880 at its intersection with I-280.

to To merge from Highway 17 to Highway 1 in Santa Cruz to continue south, you must merge three times on the dreaded "fish hook". This causes the beginning of the dreaded commute from "over the hill" to the coast for many. Congestion usually lasts M-F 3PM until 6PM, from just south of 41st Ave. on Highway 1, spilling back onto Highway 17 going south.

is a slower, longer, and more scenic route over the mountains, but it can get congested, and is often subject to extended periods of closure due to landslide damage during the winter. It's also very popular with both bicyclists and motorcyclists, so if driving a car over it be sure to be vigilant.

A much more beautiful, but slower, approach to Santa Cruz is on Highway 1, either from the north, San Francisco and Pacifica (about ), or from the south, Monterey and Big Sur (about ). During stormy seasons, check for rare, but often long-term road closures, although Devil's Slide, the most notorious location for landslides, was bypassed by a tunnel several years ago.

By bus

 * 17- Amtrak Hwy 17 Express to San Jose Diridon Station where passengers transfer to Greyhound, Amtrak, Altmont Corridor Express (ACE), Caltrain, and VTA. This route serves as the Amtrak Thruway bus and a Greyhound Connect (partner) route between San Jose and Santa Cruz. Therefore, tickets for this route can be part of an onward Amtrak or Greyhound ticket to/from Santa Cruz booked through their respective sites or paid for separately.
 * 35 to San Lorenzo Park via Boulder Creek in Scotts Valley on CA-Hwy 9
 * 40 to Davenport on CA-Hwy 1
 * 71 & 91x to Watsonville where passengers transfer to the Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) bus to Salinas (MST #28 or 29). Route 71 goes towards Watsonville on Soquel Dr & Freedom Blvd while 91x travels on CA-Hwy 1.
 * 71 & 91x to Watsonville where passengers transfer to the Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) bus to Salinas (MST #28 or 29). Route 71 goes towards Watsonville on Soquel Dr & Freedom Blvd while 91x travels on CA-Hwy 1.



By train
There is no train service in Santa Cruz. The nearby San Jose Diridon Station is the central station for Amtrak, Altmont Corridor Express (ACE) and Caltrain. Metro's "17 Express" bus serves as the Amtrak Thruway bus (#35) between San Jose and Santa Cruz (see By bus in above).

By foot
The main downtown strip is pedestrian friendly, and it's a 20-minute stroll from there to the beach. Walking to the University of California Santa Cruz from downtown is a little more difficult with a steep climb.

By bus
Santa Cruz Metro provides bus service within the city.

By car
While driving is certainly an option, parking is tight, so be careful to not get ticketed.

By bike
Santa Cruz can be a wonderful town for cycling, but be careful because drivers are no better here than in many other places. Around town and along Highway 1 is easy, but roads in the Santa Cruz Mountains are steep, winding and challenging for many cyclists. Be careful. Collisions between bicycles and cars are often reported. A number of pedestrian and car collisions have also happened in the downtown area.

Do



 * Road Biking - Road cyclists in central Santa Cruz can escape the big city by going out Empire Grade, taking Branciforte to either Glen Canyon or Granite Creek, or even going out Hwy 1. A little to the east, two not so steep roads are Old San Jose Road (bit trafficky / better for descending, reachable from Branciforte via Laurel Glen) or Eureka Canyon (from Corralitos). Good connectors are Bear Creek, Smith Grade, Ice Cream Grade, Hwy 35, or even Mt. Hermon (from Granite Creek to Felton Empire). The worst traffic will be on Graham Hill or most of Hwy 9. To avoid Hwy 9 you'll need to do some climbing, but if that's your thing then try Empire Grade, Mountain Charlie, Zayante, Felton Empire, the wonderful Jamison Creek up from Big Basin Park, or the ridiculous Alba Road. Roads in Santa Cruz can be steep, and expect most to have some extended pitches of over 10%.

Events
Santa Cruz County is home to talented artists, musicians, and writers. Check out some of the locals' favorite art, music, and literary events:



Beaches
Santa Cruz is a beach town, with a beach to match almost any interest. and attract large crowds to the boardwalk area on sunny summer weekends. Flocks of novice surfers balance on their boards in the quiet waters just north of the municipal wharf, in front of the big hotel that locals still call the. Volleyball nets are strung just south of the wharf. The boardwalk amusement area is adjacent to main beach. Heading north, isn't a beach, but the famous surf break in front of the lighthouse. In the summer, its sometimes hard to see what the fuss is about, but the winter can bring big waves and spectators line the rail watching the surfers and the sea lions.

North of the lighthouse are a series of little pocket beaches, some that disappear entirely in the winter. The first one,, and across the street at Lighthouse Field (see www.folf.org) are two of the few places in town that dogs can be run off leash (before 10AM and after 4PM only) you will often dozens of dogs are chasing sticks, balls, and each other. , just north, also allows dogs. Natural Bridges State Beach, whose famous monarch butterflies are discussed above, is a popular windsurfing beach. Natural Bridges is also known for its tide pools - little pockets in the rocky formation just north of the main beach that are exposed at low tide and house all sorts of small marine creatures. Kids love them but keep a close eye on them as the rocks can be slippery and the ocean unpredictable. The name is misleading: one of the two stone bridges collapsed a few years ago. Just south of Natural Bridges is the tiny clothing-optional 2222 Beach.

Heading further north along the coast, you leave the city limits and pass through agricultural fields for before reaching the small town of Davenport, which has a couple of restaurants, a B&B, and a huge cement plant that dominates the skyline. Each turnout along the road marks a beach, many of which are prime surf spots. can be reached by a new bike path from just north of Natural Bridges. Its several nice beaches include and, named after their distances from town. (with parking on the east of highway 1), and  (connected by a passage that closes at high tide),  (another famous clothing optional spot), and. For those who want to tour the beaches, Highway 1 has wide shoulders that are generally safe for cycling.

The beaches north of the Boardwalk, especially those on the open ocean instead of the bay, can have huge waves and strong currents, so care should be taken in the water, even by strong swimmers.

There are lots of beaches south of Main Beach as well, but you'll need another guide for them.

Hiking
Santa Cruz is also surrounded by a great number of open space parks. There are two types of parks to choose from. There are inland wooded parks, (like Henry Cowell State Park) with redwood groves, and swimming in the river and open space preserves built on the coastal hills.

Wilder Ranch is a state park sitting in the hills adjacent to the coast (just west of town on Hwy 1). It has expansive views of the Monterey Bay as well as sweeping views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The ranch also includes many old historic building, staffed with docents to demonstrate the workings of the historic ranch.

The Pogonip is within the city boundaries adjacent to the university and accessible from Spring Street and from Highway 9 (via Golf Club). The Pogonip is an old country club which has reverted to a fairly natural state. It sits on the side of a hill and has great views as well as great natural items. Numerous springs fill the creeks, as well as a special fish pond along the Spring Box Trail.

Buy
Shopping on Pacific Avenue includes surf shops, plant shops, clothing and various boutiques.

Eat
The city imposes a 25¢ fee on all disposable cups – even for a cup of water, which would otherwise be free. You can bring your own water bottle, cup, or coffee mug to restaurants to avoid paying this fee. Some restaurants and cafes may also serve drinks in a non-disposable cup if the order is explicitly placed "for here."

Mid-range




Drink
For its size, Santa Cruz has a large number of drinking establishments from Irish pubs to nightclubs. Many of the bars are located along Pacific Avenue. A serious pub crawl can be done starting at either the Asti (listing below) and ending about 7 blocks away at the Rush Inn or the other way around.

Sleep
Santa Cruz offers everything from cheap drive-up motels along Ocean Street to cute B&Bs to one somewhat shabby high-rise hotel on the beach.

A medley of factors allows for de facto legal camping throughout town on city-owned property. There are encampments scattered throughout town. Downtown alone features an encampment of dozens of tents adjacent to San Lorenzo Park. Many people sleep and live in cars and RVs throughout the area, though some neighborhoods may tolerate it less or more than others.

Camp
For our bohemian friends passing through (keep Santa Cruz Weird!), sleeping on city beaches cannot be recommended. Try the more chill beaches along the cliffs northwest of town, or along the sandy banks of the San Lorenzo, upriver in the gorge, along Highway 9.



Stay safe
There is much crime in the downtown area, often drug-related. You will probably be safe during the day and early evening, but keep your wits about yourself. Mountain lions exist in the more rural areas, but are uncommon. Attacks by mountain lions on humans are much rarer still, but have happened. If you should see one, do not approach it, and if it approaches you in a seemingly aggressive manner, stand as tall as possible and wave your arms; this will usually intimidate it.

During most of the year, the ocean is cold enough to quickly give you hypothermia, and there are dangerous rip currents at many beaches. Unless you're a qualified diver and you've done your homework, you're best off leaving it to the local surfers, who typically wear full-body wetsuits and know what they're doing.

If you are a skilled surfer, be aware that Santa Cruz's surfing culture is unfortunately notorious for its "locals only" attitude, and while in reality most surfers there are perfectly reasonable and friendly, if you are surfing there and you do get into a confrontation, it's best to just walk away.

Go next
Nearby cities:
 * Capitola
 * Scotts Valley
 * Watsonville

Nearby towns:
 * Aptos
 * Bonny Doon
 * Boulder Creek
 * Davenport
 * Felton - you can take a scenic train trip from Santa Cruz to Felton, see the Felton article for details.
 * Soquel

Nearby attractions:
 * Big Basin Redwoods State Park. The oldest state park in California. If features stately redwood groves and the Skyline-to-Sea Trail. Hike from Big Basin Park headquarters to Waddell Creek State Beach. Completely closed in 2020 due to catastrophic wildfire damage, with parts still smoldering six months later.
 * Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo 2.jpg
 * Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo 2.jpg

For a longer trip:
 * Drive up to the mountains of Santa Cruz.
 * Drive 50 minutes south along the coast of Monterey Bay to the city of Monterey.
 * Head up the coast towards San Francisco via Half Moon Bay