Things to Do in Santa Cruz, California

October 31, 2026

Santa Cruz is a coastal city of roughly 60,000 people on the north shore of Monterey Bay, about 75 miles south of San Francisco. Surf breaks, redwood forest and a seaside amusement park sit within a few miles of each other, so most visitors combine two or three of them in a day. Prices below are in US dollars and change with the season, so check each operator before you go.

Surf Lessons at Cowell Beach

Cowell Beach, beside the Wharf, is the usual place to learn. Club Ed and Richard Schmidt Surf School both list lessons there, and group or semi-private sessions often cost around $120 to $150 a person. Cowell Beach is one of the two lifeguarded city beaches, along with Main Beach by the Boardwalk. Steamer Lane, below Lighthouse Point, is an advanced reef-and-cliff break, so beginners should watch it from the cliff and learn elsewhere.

Redwoods at Henry Cowell

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is about 6 miles from downtown, up Highway 9 in the San Lorenzo Valley. Day use costs $10 per vehicle, or $9 for seniors 62 and over. The Redwood Grove Loop is a flat 0.8 mile (1.2 km) walk among coast redwoods, and you can step inside the Fremont Tree if you bring a flashlight. Dogs and horses are not allowed on the loop, and the Visitor Center is open 10am to 4pm daily.

The Boardwalk

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is free to walk through, and you pay only for rides. Ride wristbands run from about $34.95 to $69.95 depending on the date, and the Boardwalk calendar shows which days the rides run, since some dates have a reduced schedule. The Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster opened on 17 May 1924, and it shares a National Historic Landmark designation (1987) with the Looff Carousel. Check the height chart before you queue, as rides have minimum heights.

Kayaking and Paddling

Kayak Connection at 413 Lake Avenue, near the Santa Cruz Harbor, rents kayaks and is open 10am to 5pm. Venture Quest Kayaking works from the Municipal Wharf and offers rentals and guided nature tours at seasonal hours. Wear layers, because the bay is cold even on warm days.

West Cliff Drive on Foot or by Bike

The paved path follows the cliffs from the Wharf past Lighthouse Point to Natural Bridges, roughly 3 miles each way. West Cliff Drive reopened in August 2025 after nearly two years of storm repairs. The bluff is still eroding in places, so keep to the path and stay behind barriers.

Safety on the Coast

The Pacific is cold with rip currents and sneaker waves, many beaches have no lifeguards, and sea cliffs are unstable. Never turn your back on the ocean on rocks and low beaches.

Read the park rules for Henry Cowell on the California State Parks page . Compare local outings on GetYourGuide .