Famed for its twenty-nine miles of beaches, Santa Cruz lures visitors with surf, sun, and a Coney Island-esque beach boardwalk. Food wise, it leans very casual for settings, but the quality of food can be quite elevated. The weather is generally pleasant, and it’s a great place to tour on bikes.
Map view here.
Lodging
There is an ocean view from every guestroom at the Dream Inn ($169–$629), a beachfront high-rise that was originally built in the 1960s. After a full renovation circa 2020, the hotel reopened with a whimsical retro-surfer décor, which nods to the inn’s origins and Santa Cruz’s history as a surfing mecca. I haven’t seen the rooms, but the public spaces are very cute, and the **restaurant is good and has great views.
Just across the street from the Dream Inn, the West Cliff Inn ($195–$425) is a good choice for a quieter, more romantic getaway, in a historic Victorian mansion. Down the street La Bahia looks rather nice – though I’m told it’s exorbitantly expensive and the menu is not great.
Chaminade Resort & Spa is the other ‘higher end’ hotel option that often comes up. While a bit corporate, it’s a pretty spot up in the hills. We haven’t tried the restaurant yet, looks like a good cocktail option with an ocean view – though I’ve heard consistently the service is poor.
Food
- The **Alley-Oop (320 Cedar St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060) is a fun new “speakeasy” hidden down an alley. The interior is well done, dark and elegant, and the long cocktail list is fun. The food is supposed to be good as well. Popular – aim to arrive right when they open at 5 to avoid a wait.
- **Bad Animal (1011 Cedar St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060) is a fun ‘concept’ location with a very well curated selection of used books, a wine store, and an ambitious restaurant. They’ve put a lot of effort into a small, locally sourced menu, serve natural and more obscure wines, dress the tables well.
- *Big Basin Vineyards – Tasting Room & Wine Bar (525 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060) is right between the Boardwalk area and the sketchier part of downtown. It’s a bit of an Oasis for that neighborhood, but prices are very high for wine that is just okay.
- **Copal (1203 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060) opened in the summer of 2020, focused on Oaxacan cuisine, and in particular moles. It’s a fairly fine dining experience for the area. Outdoor seating is limited and can be very loud (road traffic). Food is a little hit and miss, really depends on what you order.
- *Crow’s Nest Restaurant (2218 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95062) at Twin Lakes State Beach is a casual dining option down near the harbor with a good outdoor patio overlooking the beach and boats. They have a daily happy hour with 50% off appetizers (3-6 pm). Quality of the food and drinks isn’t very good, but it’s a fun scene.
- *El Jardin (655 Capitola Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95062): a fairly run of the mill Mexican place. Large space and easy parking. Not bad, but doesn’t particularly stand out for the food.
- **Home Away (4901 Soquel Dr, Soquel, CA 95073) is the less formal, companion restaurant to Home. Food is actually quite elevated, but you order at the counter. Very tasty!
- **Hook & Line: centrally located downtown, a popular seafood spot. Nice setting, fairly large, expensive.
- **Hula’s Island Grill (221 Cathcart St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060) is a cheerful, casual place with curbside outdoor dining at the edge of downtown. Hawaiian and Asian food, big cocktail list.
- **Marianne’s Ice Cream (1020 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060) has a huge range of flavors. Looks tasty, I’m told it’s popular with kids.
- *Sawasdee Thai Cuisine (5050 Soquel Dr, Soquel, CA 95073) is fairly marginal, not a place I’d seek out.
- **Steamer Lane Supply (644-670 W Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95060) A seaside snack shack dishes up affordable, from-scratch, handheld meals across from Steamer Lane, the city’s most iconic surf break. It’s all food-truck style, with Poke bowls, fresh fish tacos, and panini-pressed quesadillas scrambled eggs. There are outdoor picnic tables popular with the stroller set. Very casual.
- **Sushi Garden (820 Bay Ave, Capitola, CA 95010) is a favorite of my parents. Setting is unremarkable (in a shopping center), but they have a 30+ long list of creative rolls and good bento boxes.
- **Swift Street Courtyard: this is “an oasis of chic yet laid-back hipness” according to Santa Cruz Life. A semi-industrial area, it’s packed with families and hip youngsters, and has a lot to choose from. Good wine tasting/bar hopping option. I’ve eaten at:
- **11th Hour Coffee Westside, which has an outdoor dining area and serves bowls, salads, open faced sandwiches.
- **Apéro Club, which specializes in natural wine and has a bohemian vibe. Not the most remarkable wine selection, but points for trying!
- **Izakaya West End, serving fancy, Japanese-ish options. It’s a very large space, with a nice heated patio.
- **Venus Spirits: Since opening his westside distillery in 2016, Venus Spirits owner Sean Venus has racked up awards for his organic, small-batch spirits including single-malt whiskeys; California’s only blue agave spirits; and signature, floral gins that dial down the juniper for softer botanicals such as cardamom and citrus. The modern-stylish restaurant features excellent cocktails and food, with a regularly changing menu. Expensive.
Activities & Shopping
- **Berdels (1233 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060) Very cute local surf shop, wide selection, lots of locally sourced stuff.
- **Land of Medicine Buddha offers a range of Buddhist events and retreats, but for more casual interactions it’s a lovely spot for a hike in the redwoods.
- **Seymour Marine Discovery Center is part of UCSC, a small museum of sorts explaining local sea life. Check in advance for tour times – they give a short tour several times a day of the dolphin area. It’s a pretty seaside spot, with interesting exhibits and a nice walk around the grounds.
- I’m a fan of **Wilder Ranch State Park – it’s just past the beach area (super easy to get to on bikes), reasonably flat, with lots of walking/biking trails and pretty coves with sandy beaches. There are several surfing spots, and you’re likely to see otters and seals. Don’t miss Fern Grotto beach.
Articles
- https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-santa-cruz-california (Dec 2025)
- https://nymag.com/urbanist/article/santa-cruz-california-beaches.html
Davenport
Davenport is a hamlet on the coast – a collection of homes surrounded by farmland.
- **Swanton Pacific Ranch U-Pick Apples is a bit inland and – you guessed it – a place to pick a wide range of apples, as well as pumpkins at the right time of year. Open Friday-Sunday, run by Cal-Poly. It’s not a huge place, but it’s an easy rustic stop.
- **Davenport Roadhouse is a classic stop – thankfully under new management (circa 2025/2026) and featuring a better menu and some visible renovation aspects. It’s still a bit rustic, but trending towards cute.
- **Swanton Berry Farm is a good stop for dessert – cheesecake, shortbread, cobbler, and in the right seasons you can pick your own fruit.
Felton
I have fond memories of camping in **Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, an oasis of giant redwood trees. It’s beautiful, tends to be sunny, and the campgrounds are spacious and private.
At nearby **Roaring Camp, you can ride a historic steam train through the redwoods. A line connects through central Santa Cruz. It’s a fun experience, great with kids.
Continuing on up the hill, the **Trout Farm makes for a fun afternoon. It’s a big pool area, perfect for lounging. Don’t miss the frozen palomas. The restaurant is apparently very good too.
Moss Landing
We really enjoyed our ‘family tour’ of Elkhorn Slough with **Kayak Connection, which offers guided tours and kayak rentals (from $35 for a four-hour rental). Safe, easy paddling with lots of seals and otters.
**Sea Harvest, right next to it, offers good seafood to go, with a wide menu and big, if rather windy, patio.
Pescadero
North of Santa Cruz, **Costanoa was a favorite for years. They have normal camping, cabins, and nicer glamping with nice BBQ areas, social amenities. On my 2024 visit, it was much fancier – an “eco-adventure resort” – with fairly premium pricing. There’s a decent restaurant on site, Cascade (reserve in advance, request indoor dining) with burgers, seafood dishes, sandwiches, and the like.
I love the beaches nearby, and visiting **Año Nuevo State Park during Sea Lion pupping season.
