THINGS TO DO IN SANTA CRUZ

Character & Quirk - that's what you'll find in Santa Cruz, CA! And these are the things to do in Santa Cruz that make this beach town what it is!

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

(CC) Camille and CR hawlaske

Of all the things to do in Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk probably says it best! It used to be one of the oldest beachside amusement parks in the West - now, it's the only one left.

But it's also one of the best there ever was! It stretches along the beautiful white-sand Santa Cruz Beach for a full half-mile, and it's a half-mile filled with fun in the sun!

Santa Cruz Beaches

If you're exploring Santa Cruz to find beaches, I guarantee you won't be disappointed! Heading for the beach is an iconic "things to do in Santa Cruz!"

You'll find four main beaches in the Santa Cruz area, each with its own personality:

It's hard to say which beach is more reknowned,

• Santa Cruz Beach (at the foot of the Boardwalk)
• Or Steamer Lane (of international surfing fame).

But you'll also find

• Natural Bridges State Beach (known for its naturally carved stone arches & Monarch butterflies)
• And Lighthouse Field State Beach (purported birthplace of American surfing & home to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum).

Things To Do In Santa Cruz: Surfing

And that brings us to SC's famous surfing!

(CC) Gregory Melle

According to no less than the royal family of Hawaii (where surfing began), SC has enjoyed over 100 years of surfing history, beginning when 3 princes of the royal Hawaiian family introduced surfing to the area in 1885.

Since that time, Santa Cruz has more than earned its title of Surf City! And now they have a plaque to prove it. In 2009 the Kawananakoa family presented the city with a bronze plaque commemorating the event - So there, Huntington Beach!

MORE THINGS TO DO IN SANTA CRUZ

As for the rest of Santa Cruz' attractions, here are a few of my favorites:

• Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf - another 1/2 mile-long stretch (this time reaching out into the water instead of alongside), the wharf offers family-owned fish markets & seafood restaurants, boutiques, fishing & crabbing off the side, sea lions underneath, & beautiful vistas

• West Cliff Drive - a 2.5 mile path overlooking the Bay where you can stroll, jog, or ride your bike, enjoying the people-watching & whale watching, the salt-water infused breeze, & the view

• Santa Cruz Surfing Museum - inside the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, you'll find the first of its kind surfing museum; be sure to step around to the point & watch the surfers at Steamer Lane as well

  (CC) Melissa Goodman

• Neighborhood around the Boardwalk - wander the streets of the neighborhood and you'll definitely feel like you've stepped into a time when beach towns along the coast were as numerous as boutique-y shops are today

• Downtown Santa Cruz - tree-lined, pedestrian-friendly streets housing Yuppie shops, cafes & bistros, art galleries, nightclubs, & street performers

• Seymour Marine Discovery Center - a working research facility, the Center sports hands-on exhibits featuring the everyday tools of scientific exploration

• Monarch Butterflies - the Monarchs migrate every Fall to 2 places in Santa Cruz, Natural Bridges SB & Monarch Grove; truly a sight-to-see throughout the winter

  (CC) Melissa Goodman

  
  

• Of course, Whale Watching - as well as the watching of other marine mammals like otters, porpoise, dolphin, sea lions . . .
  
  

  

  
  
  
  
  

• Pumpkin Farms - Fall is my favorite time of year & nothing says Fall like pumpkins & gourds; visit Santa Cruz in the Fall & you'll discover more varities of pumpkin, squash, & gourds than you ever thought possible
  

  
  

• Train to Roaring Camp Railroads - for something different to do, take the Santa Cruz Beach Train from the Boardwalk up to the Redwood groves

I've "shown you mine" (favorite things to do in Santa Cruz, that is), now it's your turn! Just click on this link to share your Santa Cruz favorites.

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