Santa Cruz Top Attractions and Things To Do

Santa Cruz Top Attractions and Things to Do

Santa Cruz Attractions and Outdoor activities

Top Things To See and Do in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Bicycles on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Main Beach & Cowell Beach.

Telescope overlooking Main Beach

Santa Cruz Wharf.

West Cliff Drive & the Surfing Museum

Natural Bridges State Beach

Roaring steam train camp railroad.

Santa Cruz Redwoods

Wilder Ranch.

Nisene Marks State Park.

Castle Rock State Park.

Land of the Medicine Buddha.

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History.

Santa Cruz Surfing Museum.

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center.

Dolphin and Whale Watching Cruises. …

What is Santa Cruz CA known for? Santa Cruz is widely known for its spectacular beaches, nice weather, surf culture, and vibrant arts and culture community. Visitors can participate in an abundance of outdoor activities, including birdwatching, biking, hiking, and rock climbing.

What to see and do in Santa Cruz? Santa Cruz is known for its rugged coastline, its beautiful beaches, and cliffs. The Beach Boardwalk is the number one attraction, it’ a famous amusement park that offers a variety of games and rides right on a mile-long stretch of sandy beach.

Santa Cruz is a popular and relaxing getaway thanks to its location and countless attractions, including a beach boardwalk, beach activities and great surfing location known for al servers . Check out Santa Cruz Surfing Museum that offers pictures of surfers challenging huge waves, or watch surfers jumping off the cliff to catch big waves away from the beach. You may also enjoy a lunch or dinner at one of Sant Cruz beach restaurants .

For families with kids, we recommend visiting Año Nuevo State Park, home to massif Elephant Seals, or take a tour of Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History which is the oldest public museum in Santa Cruz. It offers interactive educational experiences for children, families, and adults alike (entrance fees may apply).

Don’t miss out on the seaside village of Capitola. The seaside village of Capitola is truly a hidden gem and yet, it is unknown to most visitors. This was the first beach resort in California. The original beach resort still exists, but in a more colorful seaside European-style village tucked into a hillside between an old bridge and the ocean and has quaint shops and restaurants.

Take a peaceful stroll along

the picturesque riverbanks and under the old bridge (one of the oldest in the country). Wandering through this charming village and its bayfront promenade is like going on a treasure hunt.

Where Santa Cruz has it got its name from? In 1769 the Spanish explorer Don Gaspar de Portola discovered the land area which is now known as the City of Santa Cruz. He called the rolling hills above the river Santa Cruz, which means holy cross.