Bucket List: Top 11 Best Things to See and Do in Santa Cruz, CA, USA

The stunningly tropical town of Santa Cruz is a popular summer destination known for its breathtaking beaches, surfing, and environment. In addition, there are plenty of the best things to do in Santa Cruz, CA, from visiting amusement parks to exploring wildlife and forests. To learn more about Surf City, here are the 10 best things to do in Santa Cruz, CA.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a classic seaside amusement park on Beach Street in Santa Cruz, California, beside Main Beach and Monterey Bay. Opened in 1907, it blends historic charm with modern rides. Highlights include the wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster, Looff Carousel, Sky Glider gondola, arcade games, mini golf, laser tag, and summer concerts and movies on the sand. Visitors also enjoy surfing, volleyball, and seaside dining along the promenade.

To get there, drive via Highway 1 or Highway 17 from San Jose; there are paid lots and street parking in the area. Public transit options include Santa Cruz METRO buses from downtown and the Santa Cruz Wharf area, as well as seasonal shuttles from park-and-ride locations during busy weekends and holidays. Admission is free; pay for ride tickets and wristbands.

Santa Cruz Main Beach

Santa Cruz Main Beach sits along Monterey Bay beside the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, California. The wide sandy shoreline faces gentle Pacific swells, making it popular for beginner surfing, boogie boarding, and family swimming under lifeguard watch.

Visitors stroll the wharf for sea lions, rent bikes along West Cliff Drive, play arcade games and rides at the historic boardwalk, or watch sunset over the pier and distant redwood-covered hills. Volleyball courts, fire rings, and picnic areas encourage daylong stays, while seasonal concerts and movies add energy in summer.

From downtown Santa Cruz, it’s a short walk; drivers take CA-1 to the Ocean Street exit, follow signs to Beach Street, and use nearby parking lots or buses from the Santa Cruz Metro Center.

Wilder Ranch State Park

Wilder Ranch State Park sits on the northern edge of Santa Cruz, California, along Highway 1 overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The park preserves a historic 19th-century dairy ranch with restored barns, a Victorian farmhouse, a blacksmith shop, and farm animals, as well as coastal terraces and marine habitats.

Visitors hike or bike miles of trails through grasslands to sea cliffs, watch surfers at Four Mile Beach, explore tide pools, picnic, or join living-history demonstrations and ranger programs. Wildlife sightings include sea otters, harbor seals, pelicans, and migrating whales.

To reach it, drive north from downtown Santa Cruz about two miles on Highway 1 and turn into the signed entrance, or cycle the scenic coastal path; regional buses stop nearby. Parking fees apply, and foggy mornings often clear by afternoon.

Santa Cruz Wharf

Santa Cruz Wharf is a historic wooden pier extending into Monterey Bay in the city of Santa Cruz, California, about 70 miles south of San Francisco. Built in 1914, it’s one of the longest publicly owned piers on the West Coast.

Visitors stroll past sea lions lounging on pilings, watch surfers, fish for halibut, or browse gift shops and seafood restaurants serving clam chowder and fresh Dungeness crab. Boat rentals, whale-watching tours, and sunset views are highlights, and the nearby Beach Boardwalk adds classic amusement rides.

To get there, drive via California Highway 1 and follow signs to Beach Street; parking lots sit at the wharf entrance. From downtown Santa Cruz, it’s a short walk or bike ride, and regional buses stop nearby all year.

Roaring Camp Railroad

Roaring Camp Railroads sits in the redwood hills of Santa Cruz, California, in Felton beside Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The historic narrow-gauge steam railway recreates an 1880s logging town. Visitors ride vintage Shay locomotives through towering coast redwoods to Bear Mountain, or take the Santa Cruz Beach Train down the San Lorenzo River canyon to the Boardwalk and Monterey Bay.

At the depot, you’ll find a blacksmith shop, a general store, gold panning, picnic areas, and seasonal events like the Harvest Festival and the Holiday Lights Train. Easy walking trails and river views make it family-friendly.

Getting there: drive about 10 minutes from Highway 17 via Graham Hill Road, or 20 minutes from downtown Santa Cruz; parking is on-site. Tickets are available online or at the depot.

Seymour Marine Discovery Center

Seymour Marine Discovery Center sits on the bluffs of Long Marine Laboratory at the western edge of Santa Cruz, overlooking Monterey Bay near Natural Bridges State Beach. Operated by the University of California, Santa Cruz, it combines a small aquarium, outdoor exhibits, and research facilities.

Visitors see touch tanks with sea stars and anemones, a giant blue whale skeleton, shark and otter displays, and panoramic coastal trails where dolphins and migrating whales are sometimes spotted. Daily talks explain ocean conservation and local marine science projects.

The center suits families and curious adults alike. From downtown Santa Cruz, drive west along West Cliff Drive or Mission Street, then follow signs to Delaware Avenue. It’s about a ten-minute drive, or reachable by bike and city buses.

West Cliff Drive and the Surfing Museum

West Cliff Drive is a scenic coastal road on the west side of Santa Cruz, California, running about three miles from the Santa Cruz Wharf to Natural Bridges State Beach. The route hugs cliffs above the Pacific, with walking and biking paths, benches, and viewpoints for sea lions, surfers, and sunsets.

At its northern end stands the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum inside the historic Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse at Lighthouse Field State Beach. Exhibits trace local surf culture, famous breaks like Steamer Lane, and pioneering riders.

Visitors can picnic, watch competitions, explore tide pools, or relax on nearby beaches. Reach it via Highway 1, exit Bay or Mission Street, then follow signs to West Cliff Drive; parking and city buses serve the area daily, year-round.

Mystery Spot

The Mystery Spot is a quirky roadside attraction hidden in the redwood hills about 10 minutes north of downtown Santa Cruz, California, near the community of Scotts Valley. Discovered in 1939, the circular hillside zone appears to defy gravity: people lean at impossible angles, balls roll uphill, and heights look distorted. Visitors join guided tours through a tilted cabin and outdoor platforms where visual illusions and disorientation are demonstrated. Expect optical tricks, souvenir photos, and a small gift shop selling themed merchandise.

To get there, drive via California Highway 17, exit at Mount Hermon Road, then follow Mystery Spot Road uphill. Parking is limited, so reservations are recommended. From San Jose, the drive takes about 40 minutes; from San Francisco, roughly 90 minutes.

UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanic Garden

UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanic Garden sits on a hillside at the northwest edge of Santa Cruz, California, beside the University of California campus and overlooking Monterey Bay. The 135-acre living museum specializes in Mediterranean-climate plants from Australia, South Africa, Chile, and California.

Visitors stroll themed gardens—Protea Garden, Australian Rock Garden, Succulent Garden—and shaded redwood groves. Seasonal blooms, birdwatching, photography, and quiet picnicking are popular. Educational tours, plant sales, and volunteer days run year-round, while spring brings dramatic South African and Australian flowers.

From downtown Santa Cruz, drive up Bay Street, turn onto High Street, then follow Arboretum Road to parking. Local buses stop at the campus entrance, followed by a short uphill walk or bike ride. Hours vary; a small admission fee supports conservation and research programs on-site today.

Santa Cruz Shakespeare

Santa Cruz Shakespeare is an outdoor professional theater company performing each summer in The Grove at DeLaveaga Park above Santa Cruz, California. The wooded hillside amphitheater features Shakespearean classics, contemporary adaptations, family programs, picnicking terraces, and sweeping views of Monterey Bay.

Visitors arrive early to explore trails, browse merchandise, attend pre-show talks, and watch actors warm up in the open. Performances run at sunset; blankets and jackets are recommended due to coastal breezes. From San Jose, drive 35 minutes via California State Route 17 to Park Way, then follow the signed parking lots and shuttles to the venue.

Without a car, take the Highway 17 Express bus to downtown Santa Cruz and rideshare uphill. Accessible seating and concessions are available nightly. The season typically runs from July through September evenings.

References

• Alexander, Seaver, (2021), 14 Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Santa Cruz, Planetware
• (2021), 10 Best Things to Do in Santa Cruz, California, Vacation Idea
• Appelbaum, (2021), 17 Best Things to Do in Santa Cruz, CA — Top Activities & Places to Go!, Family Destinations Guide

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