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8 Fun Things to Do in Santa Cruz, California

Bindu swetha
Santa Cruz, surrounded by coastal redwoods and Monterey Bay, displays the perfect blend of South California’s beach town and North California’s rugged looks. With numerous craft breweries and modern eateries, Santa Cruz offers a lot of fun-to-do activities!

West Cliff

The three-mile pathway spreads from the Santa Cruz Wharf to Natural Bridges State Beach with a lot of secluded beaches on offer.

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You can stroll at the scenic multi-use pathway and enjoy the colorful hues of sunset.

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Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

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The backdrop for many Hollywood movies, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, has a traditional funfair look with multiple classic rides like the Looff Carousel and Giant Dipper roller coaster.
The Broadwalk is open daily from May to August in addition to holidays and weekends throughout the year. Don’t forget to grab the Salt Water Taffy and the Fried Twinkies!

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Santa Cruz Surfing Museum

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Housed inside a little lighthouse along the West Cliff, the surfing museum showcases 120 years of surfing history. You can stand outside the museum to watch the surfers in action.

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Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

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If you wish to stroll through the 40-acre grove of redwoods, then you must visit the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.
The park is spread across a 4,650 acres area with hiking, horseback riding, swimming and camping activities on offer. Do visit the natural swimming pool at the Garden of Eden.

Wilder Ranch State Park
The Old Cove trail at the Wilder Ranch State Park is a 2.5-mile trail has steep coastal bluffs and scenic views of Pacific.
You can also visit the Fern Grotto Beach which is a secluded beach cove that has an island sea cave filled with ferns.

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Shark Fin Cove

With turquoise waters and namesake rock formation at the offshore, the Shark Fin Cove, has a dramatic fin-shaped outcrop. The cinematically beautiful beach has a sea cave alongside sky-high coastal bluffs.

Bigfoot Discovery Museum
The Bigfoot Discovery Museum has a nostalgic collection of Bigfoot toys and pop culture items such as ‘The Six-Million Dollar Man’.
The plaster casts of oversized feet and a huge map with colored pins to highlight the recent sighting regions are the major highlights of the place.

Abbott Square Market

The bustling local market has a huge collection of local eateries and cocktail bars. The cuisine varies from Neapolitan pies to West-African vegan dishes!
You can start your day at the Cat. Cloud. Companion brewery and end at the Front & Copper. You can also visit the Museum of Art & History where events and live music are the norm!