Visit the official Santa Cruz web site for
current
community events and activities:
Capitola
Mall
1855 41st Ave., Capitola
(831) 426-9749
Four department stores (Gottschalks, Macy’s, Mervyn’s,
Sears) and over 100 specialty shops and restaurants.
Capitola
Village
The Esplanade, Capitola
(831) 475-7300
The Esplanade runs along the Capitola beach coastline and
is home to many local shops and restaurants.
De
Laveaga Disc Golf Course
Off Braniforte Dr.
(831) 423-7212
Disc Golf games with 27 challenging holes. Bring your own
discs.
Derby
Skatepark
601 Beach St.
Santa Cruz, CA
(831) 425-8578
Outdoor. Free admission. Skate clinics and lessons offered.
Downtown
Santa Cruz – Pacific Avenue
Food, music, shopping, movies, etc.
Farmers’ Market
Downtown Santa Cruz,
Lincoln & Center streets
(831) 335-7443
Wed 2:30-6:30 pm. More than 50 farmers and vendors offering
organic and conventional fruits, veggies, herbs, cut flowers,
eggs, honey, plants, baked goods & bread, fresh fish,
cheese, tofu, pasta and more.
Flea Market/Swap Meet
Skyview Drive-In Theatre
2260 Soquel Dr.
Friday through Sunday, from 5:30 am to 4:00 pm.
The
Perfumer's Apprentice
1319 Pacific Avenue
Create your own signature fragrance.
Golfing
Golf
401 Upper Park Rd.
(831) 423-7212
Aptos/Seascape Golf Course
610 Clubhouse Dr., Aptos
(831) 688-3213
Elkhorn
Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
1700 Elkhorn Rd.
(831) 728-2822
Five miles of hiking trails through grasslands, fresh
and saltwater marshes. Tours available.
Henry
Cowell State Park
101 N. Big Tree Rd, Felton
(800) 777-0369
A beautiful state park located in the middle of a redwood
forest. Camping spaces, self-guided hiking trails, nature
center, and bookstore. Reservations for camping required.
Monterey
Aquarium
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row, Monterey
(831) 648-4888
Considered the finest aquarium in the nation – if
not the world.
Cannery
Row
Monterey
(831) 649-6690
Historic Cannery Row, made famous by John Steinbeck’s
novel of the same name, is home to shopping, dining, entertainment,
wine tasting, activities, and special events.
Kayaking
Monterey Bay Kayaks
693 Del Monte Ave, Monterey
2390 Highway One, Moss Landing
(800) 649-5357
A unique sea kayaking experience that is fun and educational
for people of all ages.
Whale
Watching
Monterey Bay Whale Watch
Fisherman’s Warf, Monterey
(866) 469-4253
(831) 375-4658
Year-round whale watching trips led by marine biologists.
Movies
Del
Mar Theater
1124 Pacific Ave.
(831) 425-0616
Features artistic world cinema and American independent
films. Midnight movies.
Nickelodeon
Theatre
210 Lincoln St.
(831) 426-7500
A unique theater that shows non-traditional, non-commercial
films.
Riverfront
Theater
155 River St.
(831) 460-2599
Santa
Cruz 9 Theaters
1405 Pacific Ave.
(831) 457-3500
Skyview Drive-In Theatre
2260 Soquel Dr.
(831) 475-3405
One of the oldest drive-ins left in California.
Museums and Galleries
Asian Arts Center
261 Redwood Dr.
(831) 335-6503
Children's Learning Museum
(831) 420-1765
Harley Davidson Museum
1148 Soquel Ave.
McPherson Center
705 Front St.
(831) 429-1964
Museum
of Art & History
705 Front St.
(831) 429-1964
Prey
For Art
1115 Soquel Ave.
(831) 459-8891
Santa
Cruz Museum of Natural History
1305 E. Cliff Dr.
(831) 420-6115
Seymour
Marine Discovery Center
100 Shaffer Rd.
(831) 459-3800
Santa
Cruz Surfing Museum
701 West Cliff Drive
(831) 420-6289
Mystery
Spot
465 Mystery Spot Rd.
(831) 423-8897
Located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz.
Within the Mystery Spot you will be baffled as the laws
of physics and gravity cease to exist.
National
Steinbeck Center
One Main Street
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 796-3833
In the tradition of the famous author John Steinbeck, the
National Steinbeck Center draws its inspiration from the
diverse people and the land of the Salinas Valley. Through
the exploration of Steinbeck's work and themes, the Center
provides and supports educational experiences that inspire
audiences to learn about human nature, literature, history,
agriculture, and the arts.
Night Life - Live Music and Dancing
Pick up a copy of the Santa Cruz Metro newspaper for
weekly events.
99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
(831) 459-9999
Bar/Restaurant. Live music, karaoke. Under 21 allowed.
The Attic
931 Pacific Avenue
Café, art gallery, all ages music/performing arts venue
Avenue Bar
711 Pacific Ave.
(831) 426-3434
Club/bar. Live music, pool tables, outside seating/bar,
college nights. Smoking. 21 and over.
Blue
Lagoon Bar
923 Pacific Ave.
(831) 423-7117
Bar/club. Gay/lesbian friendly. Dance, DJ, hip-hop/rap/funk,
house/techno, jazz/blues, karaoke, rock/pop. 21 and over.
Catalyst
1101 Pacific Ave.
(831) 423-1338
Bar/club/restaurant. Live music, dance floor, game room,
pool tables, pin ball, shuffle board table, concerts.
Musicians who have played here include: Neil Young, Beck,
Coolio, Counting Crows, Fiona Apples, Green Day, No Doubt,
Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Tom Petty. 21 and over. Some concerts
are all ages.
Club
Dakota
1209 Pacific Ave.
(831) 454-9030
Bar/club. Gay/lesbian friendly. Dance, DJ, hip-hop/rap/funk,
house/techno, karaoke. 21 and over.
The
Crow's Nest
2218 E. Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
(831) 476-4560
Bar/club/restaurant. Comedy club, dance, DJ, jazz/blues,
Latin/salsa, live music, reggae, rock/pop. 21 and over.
Ideal Bar and Grill
106 Beach St.
(831) 423-5271
Bar/club/coffeehouse/restaurant. Jazz/blues, live music,
reggae, rock/pop. 21 and over.
Kuumbwa
Jazz Center
Cedar Square, Downtown
(831) 427-2227
The Jazz Center is a nonprofit jazz concert and education
organization. Live music can be heard almost every night.
Under 21 allowed.
Moe’s
Alley
1535 Commercial Way
(831) 479-1854
Bar/club/restaurant. Jazz/blues, Live music. 21 and over.
Red Room
1003 Cedar St.
(831) 426-2994
Bar/club. Live music. Smoking. 21 and over.
Rosie
McCann's Irish Pub and Restaurant
1220 Pacific Ave.
(831) 425-5270
Bar/club/restaurant. Nightclub, dance floor. 21 and over.
Seabright
Brewery
519 Seabright Ave. 107
(831) 426-2739
Brewery. Live music. Under 21 allowed.
Vets
Hall
846 Front St
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 454-0478
Dance, gothic/industrial, hip-hop/rap/funk, house/techno,
live music, rock/pop. Under 21 allowed.
Pacific
Edge
104 Bronson St. Ste 12
(831) 454-9254
Indoor rock climbing. Classes for all ages and abilities
offered. Separate weight room and yoga classes also offered.
Paramount’s
Great America
4701 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara
(408) 988-1776
More then fifty rides, shows and attractions – and
the most water rides in the Bay Area.
Performing Arts
Santa Cruz County Actors' Theatre
1001 Center St. #12
(831) 425-7529
Ballet Arts Center
224 Mount Hermon Rd. #C
(831) 438-9447
Cayuga Vault
1100 Soquel Ave.
(831) 421-9471
Four-Eighteen Project
418 Front St.
(831) 466-9770
Fun Institute
(831) 427-4008
Kids On Broadway
131 Belmont St.
(831) 425-3455
Monterey Bay Repertory Theatre
(831) 476-5220
Rio Theater
1205 Soquel Ave.
(831) 423-8209
Roaring
Camp Railroads
Graham Hill Rd., Felton
(831) 335-4484
See California's towering redwood forests from two historic
railroads. Travel by steam train up a narrow-gauge track
through the Big Trees to Bear Mountain or by beach train
down the scenic San Lorenzo River to the sunny beaches of
Santa Cruz.
Roller Palladium
1606 Seabright Ave.
(831) 423-0844
Roller skating rink.
Santa
Cruz Beach Boardwalk
400 Beach St.
(831) 426-7433
The beach boardwalk has amusement park rides, arcades, miniature
golf, shops, food stands, and novelty photos.
Boardwalk
Bowl
115 Cliff St.
(831) 426-3324
Bowling alley, arcade.
Casino
Arcade
Latest games, classic games, skee ball, laser tag.
Neptune’s
Kingdom
Two-Story, 18-hole miniature golf course, arcade.
Santa
Cruz Municipal Wharf
Beach Street
Overlooks the Monterey Bay. Restaurants, shops, boat rentals,
fishing, various city events.
Seymour
Center at Long Marine Laboratory
100 Shaffer Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 459-3854
The Seymour Discovery Center is a research and education
facility of the University of California, Santa Cruz. The
lab serves as a base for field research in Monterey Bay
and the ocean beyond.
Winchester
Mystery House
525 South Winchester Boulevard
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 247-2101
Tour the Victorian mansion, designed and built by the eccentric
Winchester Rifle Heiress, Sarah L. Winchester. See the architectural
marvels and look for the bizarre phenomena that gave the
mansion its name. Also tour the gardens and the state historical
museum.
West
Cliff Drive
(831) 420-5271
A beautiful and scenic road to drive, walk, roller blade/skate,
and bike on. Lighthouse Point overlooks “Steamer Lane”,
a famous surf spot. California sea lions can often be spotted
on Seal Rock. There is a surf museum with vintage surfboards
and displays about the100-year history of surfing in Santa
Cruz.
Westfield
Shoppingtown Valley Fair
2855 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 248-4451
Valley Fair is the closest large-scale mall to Santa Cruz.
Surfing
Surfing
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz County surf page with web cameras, tide charts,
and other relevant information.
Surfin’
Santa Cruz
Everything you need to know about surfing in Santa Cruz
Beaches
Capitola
Beach
The Esplanade, Capitola
(831) 475-7300
Located in Capitola Village along the famous Esplanade, which
is lined with shops and restaurants. Walk along the beach
to the Capitola Wharf. Swimming. Open sunrise to sunset.
Davenport
Beach
Davenport Landing, Davenport
(831) 462-8333
The original site of Davenport, once a thriving whaling town.
Strictly a day-use beach, it is generally less crowded than
many of the north-coast beaches and is a favorite for windsurfers.
Whale watching. Open sunrise to sunset.
East Cliff Coastal Access Points
12th Ave. to 41st Ave., Live Oak
(831) 462-8333
The County has 13 coastal access points throughout the East
Cliff area for ease in reaching beaches. Open daily, sunrise
to sunset.
Lighthouse
Field State Beach
701 West Cliff Drive
(831) 420-5270
The beach features an open, grassy field across from Lighthouse
Point. The area is popular for picnics and family get-togethers.
Main Beach/Cowell Beach
Beach St., Santa Cruz
(831) 429-3747 or (831) 429-3777
Santa Cruz invites sun worshippers to play volleyball or stroll
along miles of sandy beach. Beach-going wheelchairs are available
during summer at Cowell Surfing (on the beach) on a first-come,
first-served basis. Open sunrise to sunset.
Manresa
Uplands State Beach
205 Manresa Rd., La Selva Beach
(831) 761-1795
Enjoy the surf, sand, and sun. Fire rings on the beach. Picnic
tables available. Day-use fee. Tent camping only; no RVs permitted.
Open sunrise to sunset.
Moran
Lake Park
East Cliff Dr. and Lake Ave., Live Oak
(831) 462-8333
Park with coastal access and family picnic area. Open sunrise
to sunset.
Natural
Bridges State Beach
2531 West Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz
(831) 423-4609 This 65-acre park hosts an over-wintering population
of Monarch butterflies. The beach has tide pools and a natural
arch, which gives the park its name. Open 8 am to sunset.
New
Brighton State Beach
1500 State Park Dr., Capitola
(831) 464-6330
Towering cypress and pine provide a sense of isolation and
privacy between campsites. Surf fishing, clamming. Camping,
no RV hookups. Reservations required. Day-use fee. Open sunrise
to sunset.
Pleasure Point Beach
East Cliff Dr. and Pleasure Point Dr., Santa Cruz
(831) 462-8333
This coastal access point is a popular Santa Cruz surf spot.
Open sunrise to sunset.
Red,
White and Blue Beach
5021 Coast Rd., Santa Cruz
(831) 423-6332
Clothing-optional beach featuring day-use facilities and overnight
camping. Open 10 am-4 pm winter, 10 am-6 pm summer.
Rio
Del Mar Beach
Rio Del Mar Blvd., Aptos
(831) 429-2850
A wide strip of clean sand and a jetty. Nearby shopping and
restaurants. Dogs allowed on leashes. Lifeguards in the summer.
Open sunrise to sunset.
Santa
Cruz Harbor Beach
5th Ave. at East Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz
(831) 475-6161
Adjacent to Santa Cruz Harbor. Restaurants. Full service marina.
Charter boats. Catamaran beach storage May-October. Beach
volleyball. Harbor office open 8:30 am-5 pm daily.
Seabright/Castle
Beach
East Cliff Dr. at Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz
(831) 429-2850
A long sandy beach between the Boardwalk and the Santa Cruz
Harbor. Fire rings available. Dogs permitted on leashes. No
alcohol. Open sunrise to sunset.
Seacliff
State Beach
State Park Dr., Aptos
(831) 685-6500
Visitor center at this sunny beach tells the storyof the “Palo
Alto”, a cement-ship-turned-fishing-pier. RV hookups.
Reservations required. Day-use fee. Open sunrise to sunset.
Sunset
State Beach
201 Sunset Beach Rd., Watsonville
(831) 763-7063
A secluded stretch of coastland surrounded by farms. Camping
reservations required in the summer. Day-use fee. No RV hookups.
Open sunrise to sunset.
Twin
Lakes State Beach
East Cliff Dr. at 7th Ave., Santa Cruz
(831) 429-2850
One of the area's warmest beaches, due to its location at
the opening of Schwann Lagoon. Fire-rings, outdoor showers
and restrooms are available. Open sunrise to sunset.
Waddell
State Beach
Hwy. 1, Davenport
(831) 425-1218
Windy beaches preclude sunbathing much of the year but attract
hang gliders and tide pool explorers. Open sunrise to sunset.
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