UC Santa Cruz is a lively hub of culture and recreation, benefiting from its spectacular setting between the redwood forests and miles of scenic beaches. There is so much to do on and off campus, the choices seem endless.

• Located on California’s Central Coast, 75 miles south of San Francisco and 30 miles southwest of San Jose, Santa Cruz is a medium-sized (population 56,000) town with its own vibrant personality. Since UC Santa Cruz was established here in 1965 on the site of the former Cowell Ranch, the university and the town have influenced each other to create its current diverse population of artisans, scientists and scholars, outdoor enthusiasts, students, and computer industry professionals. Enjoying a moderate climate with 300 sunny days a year and low humidity, Santa Cruz is also a popular vacation destination. Travelers come from all over the world to enjoy the county’s 29 miles of beaches, ringed by mountains covered with redwood trees; picturesque seaside vistas; and the laid-back ambience of the town that has been nicknamed “Surf City.”
• On a clear day, the eastern side of campus offers stunning views of the city of Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay. In addition, Santa Cruz has a prominent cyclist community, and many parts of the UCSC campus are connected via an extensive network of bikeways and walking paths.

• UC Santa Cruz offers a full range of recreation and athletics programs, including NCAA Division III collegiate teams, athletics clubs, intramural leagues, and a recreation program that has been called one of the best in the world by Outside magazine. As an NCAA Division III institution, UC Santa Cruz does not offer athletic scholarships.

   

  Recreation and sports facilities include:

  An Olympic-sized pool; playing fields
  A jogging track
  Rooms for martial arts and dance
  A new state-of-the-art fitness center with sweeping views of Monterey Bay
  Tennis, racquetball, and basketball courts
  Two fully equipped gyms
  Boating facilities
• UC Santa Cruz sponsors numerous public theater, dance, and musical performances throughout the academic year in venues both on and off campus. Also, in the summer, our acclaimed professional theater company, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, gives performances outdoors in the Festival Glen.

• The UCSC Arboretum has gardens with plants from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, as well as California natives, cactus and succulents, and a world conifer collection.

  For Art enthusiasts there are two primary art galleries on campus: the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery at Porter College, and the Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery at Cowell College. Open during the academic year, both schedule exhibitions of work by contemporary artists and important collections of historic interest.

  The 25 -acre Farm, a project of the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems, is located on the hilly slopes to the west of the main entrance road, 14 . Fruit trees, vegetables, flowers, herbs, berries, and other crops are used to study organic methods of sustainable agriculture. Similar work is done at the four-acre Alan Chadwick Garden just below Merrill College, 6 . Produce is sold at the main campus entrance late spring through early fall on Tuesdays and Fridays. Both facilities are open year-round 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and welcome visitors.

  The Seymour Marine Discovery Center at Joseph M. Long Marine Laboratory is major research facility for UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of Marine Sciences, and is located three miles from campus at 100 Shaffer Road at the west end of Delaware Avenue in Santa Cruz. Visitors can learn about marine life in Monterey Bay and the Pacific through aquaria, exhibits, and touch tanks. On view is the skeleton of an 87-foot blue whale, the largest blue whale skeleton on display in the world.