Q: How do I get to UC Santa Cruz?
A: Via car

Click here for our maps and directions web site.

If you are using an online service to get directions, enter the following address for UC Santa Cruz: 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064.

If you're driving from Southern and Central California and:

You're closer to HWY 5: Take Route 5 North to Route 46 West to HWY 101 North. At Salinas, take route 183 West to Route 1 North to Santa Cruz.

If you're closer to HWY 101 North: Take HWY 101 North, to Route 183 West to Route 1 North to Santa Cruz.

From Northern California take Route 5 South to Route 80 West to Route 680 South to Route 280 North, then take Highway 17 South to Route 1 North to Santa Cruz.

From the San Francisco Airport , take 380 West to 280 South to Route 85 South to Highway 17 South to Route 1 North to Santa Cruz.

From the San Jose Airport take Route 880 South to Highway 17 South to Route 1 North to Santa Cruz.

From the Monterey Airport take Route 1 North to Santa Cruz.

Once in Santa Cruz , exit Highway 1 North towards Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. Stay in right lane, turn right onto Mission Street (which is also Highway 1 North). Follow Mission for a little over 1 mile. Turn right on Bay Street. Continue on Bay for a little over 1 mile. Bay runs right into main entrance of campus-at the intersection of Bay and High Streets.

Check-in will take place at the Cook House Visitor Center, located at the base of campus. Enter the main entrance of the campus at the intersection of Bay and High Streets. Proceed onto the campus on Coolidge Drive. The Cook House Visitor Center is the red building that will be the second one on your left after entering campus. Park in the lot directly to the right of the Cook House Visitor Center. Upon entering, go upstairs to check in for your campus tour or to receive self-guided tour information.

Weekend Tours

To accommodate the large number of visitors on weekends, our tours do not use the campus tour shuttle, and therefore are completely walking tours. Our weekend tours do include a 30-40-minute Admissions presentation prior to your tour. Upon checking in, you will receive instructions for where to park near the presentation. No parking permit is required for weekend tours.

For local transportation information, Cal Trans traffic reports, etc., please visit Santa Cruz Transit Information.

From the San Jose International Airport

The Santa Cruz Airporter, a private shuttle service, runs eight times a day (9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.) between the San Jose airport and various locations in Santa Cruz, including the entrance to UCSC. Advance reservations are recommended, and the cost is $40.00 one way ($70 roundtrip). For more info call 800-497-4997.

From the San Jose Train Depot

If you are coming into the San Jose Train Depot via Amtrak or CalTrain, you can take the Amtrak bus, which will transport you directly from the San Jose Train Depot to the Santa Cruz Metro bus station. These buses operate daily. One way fare is $6.00; roundtrip fare is $12.00. At the Santa Cruz Metro station you will want to connect to one of the University bus lines, which will take you directly up to the UC Santa Cruz campus and costs $1.00.

From the San Francisco International Airport

Greyhound offers one bus daily between the San Francisco airport and downtown Santa Cruz. Cost is approximately $12.00 one way. Roundtrip is $22.00. For more info call 800-231-2222.

From the Oakland International Airport

From Oakland airport, catch the AirBART shuttle to BART (at the Coliseum), which runs every 10 minutes. Take BART from the Coliseum stop to the Hayward station. About a block from BART is the Greyhound station; take the Greyhound bus to the Santa Cruz station. Total cost is about $12.00 one way. For more information call Greyhound, 800-231-2222, and AirBART, 510-562-7700.

Q: How do I arrange a campus tour?
A: The Office of Admissions offers campus tours year-round on weekdays and selected Saturdays. Reservations are required, and tours fill early (especially during spring holidays). The easiest and most convenient way to make a reservation is online.

If you don't have access to the Internet, you can also make a reservation over the phone by calling (831) 459-4008 (plan to call in advance).

Q: Can I talk to an advisor during my visit?
A: An advisor is available to answer your questions. If you need further information, please phone Admissions at (831) 459-4008. We will be glad to refer you to the academic departments or other offices on campus that can advise you further.

Q: What if I can't get to UC Santa Cruz on a weekday?
A: First, call the Admissions Outreach Office at (831) 459-4008 to see if there are any tours available on the weekend that you're planning to visit Santa Cruz. Tours are offered on selected Saturdays throughout the year. Our Saturday tours are always at 10AM, and are all-walking tours. Please access the Campus Tours web site to make your reservation.

You also have some other options:

Self-Guided Tour: A self-guided tour of the campus is available. It includes all areas of the campus but is organized in sections so you can decide how much you want to see, depending on time and your interests. The whole tour takes about three hours and has been designed as a driving-walking tour.

You can pick up a copy of the self-guided tour at the Admissions Outreach Office or request one by calling (831) 459-4008.

Also check out the Virtual Tour of UC Santa Cruz for more information and a detailed campus map.

Q: What do the campus tours offer?
A: The campus tours are an hour and forty-five minute, combination walking and shuttle tours. They are led by current UC Santa Cruz students who are extremely knowledgeable about the campus and its programs.

The tours visit the colleges, the Science Library (and other Science buildings), one to two residence hall rooms, and available open lecture halls and also highlight recreational/sports facilities and music and performing arts facilities as well as the Student Union, the student services building and McHenry Library.

Tours include a moderate amount of walking, so we recommend that you wear comfortable walking shoes and layer your clothing, as Santa Cruz weather does tend to be cool due to our proximity to the Pacific Ocean.

Also, if you have special disability-related needs we ask that you notify us when you're making your reservation so that we may accommodate your special needs as best we can.

Q: Will the guide be able to answer my specific questions about my course of study?
A: Although the campus tour guides are extensively trained to have a general base of information on UC Santa Cruz, they are not experts in every one of our approximately 60 majors.

If you want information about a specific program that UC Santa Cruz offers, we recommend that upon making your reservation, ask for the telephone number of the department you're interested in. You may receive additional advising from the departments directly.

Q: What overnight lodgings are available in Santa Cruz?
A: University Inn and Conference Center is a convenient, affordable hotel in Santa Cruz. Amenities include Continental breakfast, an outdoor swimming pool, an exercise room, and free in-room movies. The facility, which is leased by UC Santa Cruz, also serves as a residence hall for students during the academic year.

For other accommodations, please contact the Santa Cruz County Conference & Visitors’ Council.

Q: What else can I do while in Santa Cruz?
A: On Campus