Multi Day Trips Around Santa Cruz

October 31, 2026

Santa Cruz makes a good base for a long weekend or a longer coastal drive. This page sketches three routes and the practical details that decide them: parking, buses and park status. Prices are in US dollars and can change.

A Three-Day Santa Cruz Plan

Day 1, the shore. Spend the morning on the Boardwalk, which is free to enter, then walk the Wharf and finish with West Cliff Drive and Lighthouse Point at sunset. The Wharf is about half a mile long and sells seafood.

Day 2, redwoods. Drive up Highway 9 to Henry Cowell Redwoods for the 0.8-mile Redwood Grove Loop, then ride the 75-minute Redwood Forest Steam Train at Roaring Camp in Felton. The Mystery Spot, at 465 Mystery Spot Road, fits in the afternoon.

Day 3, Monterey. Drive about 45 miles south to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where adult tickets are $65 and advance booking is recommended.

Highway 1 to Monterey and Big Sur

Santa Cruz to Monterey takes about an hour without traffic. Big Sur lies further south, and Highway 1 conditions there change, so check Caltrans before you fix any itinerary.

Mountains and Coast Loop

Combine Henry Cowell and Roaring Camp, Wilder Ranch and West Cliff Drive over a couple of days. In winter, add Año Nuevo for the elephant seals, which can be seen only on a guided walk from December through March. Castle Rock State Park, inland on Skyline Boulevard, is the place for hiking and rock climbing. Wilder Ranch has intermittent trail work, so check its State Parks page first.

San Francisco to Santa Cruz

Driving down from San Francisco, take Highway 1 through Half Moon Bay, Pescadero and the Pigeon Point lighthouse, then reach Año Nuevo and Santa Cruz. Highway 1 slows to a crawl between Santa Cruz and Aptos on busy summer weekends, so allow extra time.

Big Basin

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is about 25 miles from downtown by Highway 9 and Highway 236. After the 2020 fire, the park allows limited day use only, and all campgrounds are closed. Reserved day-use parking is $8, and reservations open up to 60 days ahead. Walkers, cyclists and bus riders need no reservation. There is no potable water or cell service, and dogs are not allowed on trails. Camping or lodging inside the park is not possible.

Getting Around Without a Car

Local Santa Cruz METRO buses cost $2 cash, with a day pass at $6 cash or $5 with Tap2Cruz contactless, and a 31-day pass at $65. Route 35 runs along Highway 9 to Scotts Valley and stops at Henry Cowell. The Highway 17 Express runs to San Jose Diridon for $7 one way.

Parking at the Wharf

The winter rate runs from 27 September 2026 to 10 April 2027, at $1 per hour for the first 4 hours, then $2 per hour, with a $12 daily maximum. On Tuesdays you get two hours free with a validation stamp from a wharf business. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day are free.

Check park details on the California State Parks Big Basin page and fares on the METRO fares page . Find a place to stay on Booking.com .