Outdoor Recreation

The Santa Cruz area's waterways range from calm, glassy sloughs to pounding surf, offering opportunities for family members at all levels of skill to enjoy surving, kayaking, sailing, fishing, kiteboarding or windsurfing. Land sports are popular in Santa Cruz too, with excellent venues for mountain biking, hiking, skateboarding, rock climbing, camping, horseback riding, and golf.

Wilder Ranch State Park has trails for hiking, biking, and equestrian use, a historic ranch center, and six miles of pristine coastline.

Natural Bridges State Beach features a beautiful display of monarch butterflies October-February. The beach has low-tide tidepools and natural arch made of stone.

Shopping & Dining

Santa Cruz is home to a wide variety of stores. Shoppers can stroll along Pacific Avenue, sampling its boutiques and galleries, check out the seaside-themed stores along the wharf, and then take a short drive to he small mountain towns of Ben Lomond, and Boulder Creek for tiny, family-owned business where unique collectibles are sold.

Centered on Pacific Avenue, Downtown Santa Cruz features shopping, restaurants, movie theatres, and cultural activities.

Along the scenic santa Cruz Wharf is a collection of gift shops, restaurants, and fishing charter companies. Wild Pelicans strut along the railings, and sea lions can be viewed though holes cut in the floor.

There are about a dozen wineries and tasting rooms in Santa Cruz county including Bonny Doon, just a hop, skip and a jump from campus.

The Santa Cruz Farmers' Market offers fresh, local produce, flowers, baked goods, and specialty food items. Wednesdays (downtown) 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., year-round.

Arts & Entertainment

There is always something happening in santa Cruz in the arts, from street fairs, to world music festivals, to avant-garde theatre. The Santa Cruz art world presents a lively showcase year-round, daytime and evening, weekends and weekdays.

Located downtown, the Museum of Art & History features changing exhibitions of contemporary art and santa Cruz history. Docent-led tours, lecures, family activities.

The famous and perplexing Mystery Spot is a spot 150 feet in diameter, located in the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains, where the ordinary laws of gravity and perspective do not apply. Or Do They?

Fun with Family or Friends

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is an old fashionsed, family-style seaside amusement park, featuring roller coasters and other rides , a carousel, arcads, food, and souvenir shopping. Open daily from memorial to Labor Day; weekends and holidays during fall, winter and spring.

Six miles north of Santa Cruz, Roaring Camp Railroads is a family-friendly, fun ride through towering redwoods on two historic railroads. Visit an 1880's logging camp.