Santa Cruz sits between San Francisco and Monterey, so day trips run north up the coast, south around the bay or inland over the mountains. Distances below are from downtown Santa Cruz, and prices are in US dollars. On summer weekends Highway 1 slows to a crawl between Santa Cruz and Aptos, so allow extra time. Monterey and Cannery Row Monterey is about 45 miles south, roughly an hour without traffic.

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.

Santa Cruz suits couples who like sea air, redwoods and an easy pace. The romance here is mostly outdoors: sunset on the water, a cliff walk and a dinner with a view. Prices are in US dollars, and operators change schedules by season, so check before you book. A Sunset Sail Chardonnay Sailing Charters sails from the FF Dock at the Santa Cruz Harbor. Its yachts, Chardonnay II and Chardonnay III, are both 70 feet long.

Santa Cruz has a handful of paid attractions that run on a schedule, plus several free ones. This page lists the main ones with the figures that matter when you plan: hours, fares and parking. All prices are in US dollars and can change, so confirm on the operator’s site. Roaring Camp Redwood Forest Steam Train Roaring Camp Railroads is at 5401 Graham Hill Road in Felton. The Redwood Forest Steam Train takes 75 minutes and departs daily.

Santa Cruz works well for families because several of the best stops are outdoors, close together and cheap or free to enter. Prices are in US dollars and can change, so check each site before you go. The Boardwalk The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is free to enter, and rides need a wristband or tickets. Wristbands run from about $34.95 to $69.95 depending on the date. Rides have minimum heights, and the Giant Dipper wooden coaster asks for about 50 inches, so measure children and check the chart at the entrance.

Santa Cruz packs a lot of looking into a small area. The Boardwalk and Wharf are on the Monterey Bay shore, downtown on Pacific Avenue is a few blocks inland, and West Cliff Drive and Natural Bridges run to the west. Prices are in US dollars and can change. West Cliff Drive and Lighthouse Point The cliff path gives wide views over the bay. Below Lighthouse Point is Steamer Lane, a surf break for experienced surfers that is fun to watch from above.

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.

Santa Cruz is easy to explore on foot. The routes below are self-guided, flat or gently graded, and mostly free. Distances come from park and city pages and can vary by route. West Cliff Drive The paved coastal path runs from the Wharf past Lighthouse Point to Natural Bridges, roughly 3 miles each way. It is flat and has ocean views the whole way. The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum at 701 West Cliff Drive is on the route and is open noon to 4pm, Thursday to Monday.