BeachesEach beach along the 29 gorgeous miles of coastline here has a distinct personality. Note our guide to the county’s finest.
Capitola Beach
The Esplanade, Capitola Village
Things To Know: It typically gets voted best beach in California. And with its close proximity to the Capitola Wharf, and a slew of other great restaurants and bars around, it’s pretty much one big slice of paradise. To avoid the crowds, the beach on the other side of the wharf is usually less crowded.
Bottom Line: With free shuttle service to your car, you can’t beat it.
Castle Beach
East Cliff Drive at Seabright Avenue
Things to Know: The castle may have fallen over but this hasn’t affected Castle Beach’s great sandy stretch. Located between the Boardwalk and the Harbor, it’s a great place to let the saltwater air flow through your hair and the ocean lap over your feet.
Bottom Line: Can’t beat it.
Davenport Beach
Davenport Landing, Davenport
Things to Know: It’s an easily accessible beach that is popular with the wind surfing set. But it also makes for a nice place to plop down a towel and enjoy the sea and sun.
Bottom Line: Nice locale (Davenport) and great vibe.
Its Beach
West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
Things to Know: Located just below the Mark Abbott Lighthouse, this picturesque plot of sand is probably more often photographed than the Lone Cypress Tree in Pebble Beach.
Bottom Line: Beloved by the locals.
Moran Lake
East Cliff Drive, Live Oak
Things to Know: It’s one of the more overlooked beaches in the county but with its clean sand, great views, easy access, you have to wonder why. So set down your blanket, roll on the sunscreen and kiss your cares goodbye on this stretch of loveliness.
Bottom Line: A secluded treasure.
Manresa State Beach and Sunset State Beach
La Selva Beach and Watsonville
Things to Know: This clean stretch of sand rarely gets too crowded, and if it does, simply move up or down the beach for your plot of sandy privacy. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins that regularly surf the waves and, of course, the priceless sand dollars that wash up on shore. Do keep in mind the waters have a notorious reputation for rip currents but lifeguards are on duty during the summer months. There is also tent camping just up the road from the day-use parking area at Manresa State Beach and Sunset State Beach. Call 831-761-1795 because you’ll need reservations as the spots tend to fill up fast.
Bottom Line: If miles and miles of sand and surf is your thing then Manresa and Sunset have it.
Natural Bridges State Park
2531 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
Things to Know: Though the natural bridge returned to the sea from which it broke, Natural Bridges is still a Santa Cruz treasure. With fascinating tide pools and the monarch butterflies hanging from the eucalyptus trees up the hill, the locale never ceases to inspire generations of beachgoers.
Bottom Line: Must-see.
New Brighton State Beach
1500 State Park Drive, Capitola
Things to Know: A great campground nestled in coast cypress and pines make this a beach-camper’s paradise. The campground is always full in the summer, making reservations a must.
Bottom Line: Great for those long summer walks, especially during low tide.
North Coast Beaches
Things to Know: Just a few miles north of the Santa Cruz city limits are some of the most beautiful miles of coastline in the world. The same goes for the beaches that abut the small Brussels sprouts and pumpkin farms that dot the land. Most beaches can be accessed by crude dirt trails or small roads. Park at your own risk.
Bottom Line: These beaches are well worth exploring.
Panther Beach
Highway 1, a mile south of Davenport
Things to Know: Known for its beautiful rock formations and shiny, clean sand, Panther Beach is a memorable adventure.
Bottom Line: A take-your-breath-away beach.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel
210 Pigeon Point Road, off Hwy 1, Pescadero
(650) 879-0633, e-mail
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Things to Know: Twenty-five miles north of Santa Cruz, you can relax in a cliff-top hot tub with a panoramic view of the ocean and then fall asleep gazing up at one of the tallest lighthouses in the U.S. Close to natural attractions including Pescadero Marsh, Butano State Park, and Año Nuevo State Reserve, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel offers affordable shared or private accommodations in the restored 18th-century lighthouse keepers’ quarters, perfect for families, groups, couples or individual travelers.
Bottom Line: Captivating pitstop during your travels.
Pleasure Point Beach
East Cliff Drive, Live Oak
East Cliff Drive and Pleasure Point Drive, Santa Cruz
Things to Know: Another aptly named beach, or series of beaches, though the shores here are mostly used as jumping off points into the varied surf. But a little left of Jack O’Neill’s green cliff house (yes, that’s the world-famous wetsuit maker) is a nice little protected beach that makes for a sunny spot after the morning fog has burned off.
Bottom Line: Perfect pleasure.
Privates
East Cliff Drive, Capitola
Things to Know: Like its name, Privates isn’t a public beach. But this fact hasn’t kept clothing optional enthusiasts and longboarders from enjoying its charms. For $20 you can buy a key to the place that will last a year. If the lock is broken or the gate has been left open—which is usually the case—you get in for free. Go down a well-kept path (presumably paid for by the key fees) to a wooden staircase that leads right down to the water.
Bottom Line: Fun—and if you’re itching to get out of all your clothes, there is a little cove to the left that caters to nude Frisbee players and beach lovers of all shapes, sizes and reposes.
Red, White and Blue Beach
5021 Coast Road., Santa Cruz
Things to Know: This beach’s patriotic-sounding name is actually a misnomer. Red, white and skin tone is more like it for this nude-friendly beach that caters to freedom-loving sun worshipers. Call 831-423-6332 for camping reservations.
Bottom Line: A refreshing alternative.
Rio Del Mar Beach
Rio Del Mar Blvd., Aptos
Things to Know: Another wide-open space beach. The surf is milder than Manresa but this doesn’t preclude the nasty riptides that have towed numerous unsuspecting swimmers into the deep. Watch out for them and remember to always swim sideways if you get caught in the current.
Bottom Line: Perfect beach to curl up under an umbrella and read a good murder mystery.
Santa Cruz Main Beach
Beach Street, Santa Cruz
Things to Know: Boasting volleyball nets, yards and yards of sunscreen-swathed sunbathers and the faint cries of roller coaster riders mixed with lolling surf, Main Beach, directly in front of the Boardwalk, is pretty much how it used to be 80 years ago, except for the size of the swimsuits.
Bottom Line: If you left your heart in Coney Island, Santa Cruz Main Beach is where you’ll find it.
Seacliff State Beach
State Park Drive, Aptos
Things to Know: Who would have known a cement ship could float. Well, it did for a while before they brought the Palo Alto to its final resting place. Now it’s more cement pier than boat, more pelican and cormorant hangout than floating casino, and more a historical point of interest than the nightclub it used to be after it “sank.” And that suits everyone just fine. Surf perch and halibut have been known to be caught off its sides making this a popular hook, line and sinker spot. Down the road there are RV hook-ups for overnight stays as well as some interesting fossils imbedded in the cliffs.
Bottom Line: Absolutely original.
Twin Lakes State Beach
This is a smart and swinging beach that caters to families, kite flyers, picnickers and the like, and is said to be one of the warmest beaches in the county. It is also a great place at night around a bonfire. Great vibe.(East Cliff Drive at 7th Ave., Santa Cruz.) Photo: Charles Mixson 
Waddell State Beach
Highway 1, about five miles north of Davenport.
Things to Know: Great beachcombing, tide-pooling beach, though it tends to get too windy for lying in the sun. Every sort of sport except skiing seems to be practiced here including hang gliding, windsurfing and kite surfing.
Bottom Line: Plenty of adventure here.
Surfing: Surf Schools, Surfboard Rentals, Surfing StoresClub Ed Surf School and Rentals, Inc.
Cowell Beach, located on the beach between the wharf and the Santa Cruz Coast Hotel. Open during the summer 8am to 6pm. (Call 464-0177 or visit club-ed.com .)
Photo: Kelly Vaillancourt 
Cowell’s Beach ’n’ Bikini Surf Shop
411: Surf lessons, rentals and close to the best beginner break in the area. 30 Front St., Santa Cruz, 831-427-2355.
O’Neill Surf Shop
411: Jack O’Neill is well known locally, and internationally. His three local shops are the perfect spot to acquire all you need for your surfing experience. With three great locations, there’s plenty to choose from here—great clothing options and more. Don’t miss this local treasure. 1115 41st Ave., Santa Cruz; 110 Cooper St., Santa Cruz; 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz; 831-475-7500.
Richard Schmidt Surf School, Inc.
411: If you want to surf with the best then Richard Schmidt is your man. He’s world-famous for tackling some of the biggest waves ever ridden and is equally at home patiently teaching surfing to kids. Call 831-423-0928.
>Surf Spots_South CountyCapitola Jetty
411: When the swell is up, this spot deserves more than a passing look. A nice left careens in front of the jetty and the right can go on forever, assuming your skag doesn’t hit the kelp-infested water. Also, about a block and a reef away is the infamous Toe’s Over, which needs a huge winter swell and a minus low tide to break. But when it does, it’s pure left and right breaking bliss.
The Hook
411: Named for the copious amounts of kelp in the lineup that “hooks” around skags and booties, this nice little point break also has a lot of surfers that are “hooked’ to the spot. Catch a wave here and you’ll be sitting on someone else by the end of the ride.
Manresa/La Selva
411: Manresa is a mélange of peaks, valleys and sandbars. But a lot of the time the place is epic, breaking left and right and all over the place. Expect a long, grueling paddle during the wintertime to the outside and nil to none during summertime surf—unless there’s a south swell.
Pleasure Point
411: Like its moniker, this place pleasures just about everyone. As a result, it’s generally crowded with everyone from groms to experts, longboarders to ripping ultra thin-glassed rippers. Practice, as always, common courtesy and you should be all right in the outer, best breaks.
Privates
411: Longboard paradise. Clean right-facing lines peel off and make for a great ride that will take you all the way into the break known as Trees and into the Capitola Wharf. Well not quite, but the ride is long and the waves are gentle.
>Surf Spots_Santa Cruz Cowell
411: Everyone’s got to start somewhere, and this place is it. The bunny slope of surfing gets its fair share of beginners but it also has nice sloping waves that go on forever. Easy access and easy attitudes give Cowell a ride that, once mastered, leads to many more beautiful things.
Steamer Lane
411: One of the best classic breaks in the world, Steamer Lane more than lives up to its reputation. With four reef breaks rolled into one spot—The Point, Middle Peak, The Slot and Indicators—the Lane, as it’s affectionately called, has it all, including ogling tourists to catch your every move off the lip and floater. There’s even a surfing museum in the lighthouse, complete with a shark-bitten board.
Natural Bridges
411: Out in front of the most expensive mobile home real estate in the country is also one of the best tube rides available anywhere when the conditions are just right. It’s a speedy right that peaks over an outer reef and peels toward the beach. There are always the butterflies in the park above the break, if you miss the surf.
>Surf Spots_North CountyThree Mile
411: Primo reef break that is usually uncrowded (until now), especially during the weekdays. Named after the number of miles after Swift Street, it cops a great right line, particularly during a winter northwest swell. Three Mile, as with most North Coast spots south of Davenport, includes a long walk through Brussels sprouts fields that flank the ocean.
Four Mile
411: This one is much more popular with a local contingent that tends to stare hard and long at newcomers. Because of its bluff-protected location, Four Mile isn’t affected (as much) by the inevitable afternoon summer winds as most spots on the North Coast. Reaches its full potential during west, northwest 10-foot and above swell.
Scott’s Creek
411: A potent combination of beach and reef break, Scott’s dishes out about every challenge a surfer can handle when it gets pumping. From long paddles and strong currents/rips to sharky waters and unpredictable peaks, Scott’s isn’t for the faint of heart or arms. But when it goes off, it’s heaven on water. Breaks best with a powerful north swell.
Waddell Creek
411: Similar conditions for Waddell Creek as for Scott’s, except during the summer and early fall Waddell is one of the world’s premier wind surfing (and now kite surfing) spots. Catch this right-breaking break early in the morning or keep on driving when it’s blown out.
Rock ClimbingAdventure Out
If you haven't yet hit the waves, now is your time to learn. Or maybe you're more of the rock climbing type. Need a few lessons outdoor survival? Adventure Out is a popular outdoors organization which offers a multitude of outdoor activities—surfing, hiking, climbing, kayaking, biking and more. It's all here. (For more information, call 800-509-3954 or visit adventureout.com .) 
Castle Rock State Park
Highs and Lows: Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, perched along Skyline Boulevard is a premiere bouldering destination and sport climb heaven. Formed from ancient beaches, the sandstone crags have enticing wind-made caves and a variety of bolted routes for about every skill level. Castle Rock proper has a bomber top rope anchor with a variety of routes to challenge the uninitiated.
Pacific Edge Rock Climbing Gym
104 Bronson St. #12, 831-454-9254
Highs and Lows: For about the same price of a health club they offer a wide variety of indoor climbing. Bouldering, face climbs from 5.2 to 5.13, a roof, weight room, even a crack climb, make this one of the premiere rock gyms in the country. It’s also a great place to learn the ropes, practice and keep in shape for the real outdoor adventures.
Pinnacles National Monument
Ninety minutes south of Santa Cruz, 831-389-4485
Highs and Lows: It gets two or three inches closer to Santa Cruz a year thanks to the San Andreas Fault slip-sliding north. Twenty-three million years ago this volcanic formation was in the Mojave Desert, hence the sometimes dicey holds. This is a sport climber’s paradise with mostly one pitch, often run out, knobby-face climbs. However, there are a few traditional routes, especially on the east side of the park.
Yosemite
Highs and Lows: Perhaps the reason why climbers really live here is because of the granite of Yosemite—a mere four-hour drive from here. Another two hours over Tioga Pass and the East Side of the High Sierra.
Skating/BikingKen Wormhoudt Skate Park
Mobbed by Eastsiders on its first day in existence, the new park is a design masterpiece with a full pipe, two bowls with pool coping and tile, a practice bowl and a street course with steps, hubba ledges, wall-rides and metal rails. Perfection in concrete. (225 San Lorenzo Blvd., at Riverside Avenue, Santa Cruz.)
Photo: Nick Borelli, Skater: Tom Remillard 
Scotts Valley Skate Park
361 King’s Village Road, Scotts Valley
411: Considered one of the best skateparks in the county, this portal for skaters offers the most dynamic angles for seasoned skateboarders. But newbies shouldn’t shy away from this hot spot. Great eye candy.
Santa Cruz Bike Park
35 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. (Across the street from the entrance to the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.)
411: A temporary home for BMX riders until a suitable spot is found for a permanent park, the Fun Spot BMX Park boasts a bowed 8-foot-high wall ride and 2- and 4-foot jumps in addition to street obstacles and a total absence of inline skaters. Temporary, but impressive. BoatingCapitola Boat and Bait
1400 Wharf Road, Capitola Wharf, 831-462-2208
411: Be the captain of your boat when you rent a 16-foot skiff and 8 HP motor. Nothing quite beats a day motoring around the bay with a fishing rod at your whim and command.
Chardonnay Sailing Charters
704 Suite A, Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz
831-423-1213 or chardonnay.com
411: This charter offers luxury at a great price. Wine tasting, private charters, whale watching (gray whales in spring, humpbacks in summer) and bay cruises.
O’Neill Yacht Center
2222 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
831-476-5202
411: Offering sailing lessons, rentals and charters on their giant catamaran, O’Neill is tops when it comes to experiencing the bay firsthand.
Pacific Yachting Sailing School & Charter Boating
790 Mariner Park Way, Santa Cruz
831-423-7245 or pacificsail.com
411: Pacific Yachting incorporates team building and more. Eighteen sailboats are on hand and the company will charter sailing beauties from 22 to 43 feet.
Santa Cruz Sportfishing, Inc.
Call 831-426-4690
or visit Santacruzsportfishing.com
411: Fifty feet of pure fishing pleasure greets you onboard the Makaira. Offering some of the best in deep-sea fishing and whale watching.
Santa Cruz Boat Rentals
15 Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf
831-423-1739 or santacruzboatrentals.net
411: Some of the best variety is found here. Featuring 24 wooden skiffs, 17 feet long with 6hp motors.
Scurfield’s Landing/Shamrock Charters
2210 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
831-476-2648 or scurfslanding.com
411: Fishing and whale watching outfit with years of experience plying the Monterey Bay waters. shamrockcharters.com
Stagnaro’s Fishing Trips
32 Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf
831-427-2334 or stagnaros.com
411: One of the original Italian fishing families in Santa Cruz, Stagnaro’s offers fishing trips, whale watching and cruises on the bay that will take your breath away.
KayakingAdventure Sports Unlimited
303 Suite 15, Potrero St., Santa Cruz
831-458-3648, asudoit.com
411: Adventure Sports is the aquatic fun center for kayaking and diving in the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. Certified dive masters and instructors teach SCUBA in a pool heated to tropical temperatures and lead dive trips in the bay. Adventure Sports also offers kayak rental and instruction.
Aqua Safaris SCUBA Center
6896-A Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz
831-479-4386, asudoit.com
411: Aqua Safaris offers complete lines of top-quality equipment, diving and safety instruction, tank gas fills, exotic dive travel adventures and Monterey Bay excursions. The center has a classroom on site as well as rental and retail centers.
Kayak Connection
413 Lake Ave., No. 4, Santa Cruz, 831-479-1121
411: Kayak Connection offers sea kayaking tours of Elkhorn Slough and Monterey Bay, local open coast paddling tours and local overnight sea kayaking trips. Elkhorn Slough (adjacent to Highway 1 in Moss Landing) is one of 17 estuarine reserves in the United States, and is home to saltwater, freshwater and marshland wildlife—you’ll see a lot of seals, otters, loons, egrets, pelicans and other birds there.
Venture Quest Kayaking
#2 Santa Cruz Wharf , 831-427-2267
411: Bring your kayak or rent one here and explore the Monterey Bay. If you want to perfect your surf kayaking skills, take a lesson taught by World Champion Dave Johnston. Venture Quest also offers basic sea kayaking instruction, and sea kayaking tours of the bay are available from just off the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.
State ParksBig Basin Redwoods State Park
The Lowdown: Established in 1902, Big Basin is California’s oldest state park. All levels of hikers enjoy more than 80 miles of trails within 18,000 acres of old growth and second growth coastal redwood forest, where waterfalls and wildlife abound. Bikes are allowed on fire roads only. Horses allowed on equestrian trails, and dogs are allowed on fire roads and in campsites. The park is accessible via Highway 1 north of Santa Cruz, or by taking Highway 9 to Highway 236. Call 800-444-PARK to make camping reservations. Call 800-874-TENT for tent cabins reservations. Backcountry camping available at designated sites.
Castle Rock State Park
The Lowdown: Straddling the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Castle Rock offers 3,600 acres of coastal redwoods, Douglas fir and madrone forest, most of it still in its wild state. Steep canyons and unusual rock formations attract climbers, but 32 miles of trails meandering through lush, mossy forest make for great hiking and horseback riding. Primitive campsites for backpackers are the only camping facilities. Dogs are not allowed on trails or in campsites. No biking on trails. The park is located on Highway 35, two-and- a-half miles from Highway 9. Call 408-867-2952 for camping information.
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
The Lowdown: This park offers 10,000 acres of rugged semi-wilderness, rising from sea level to more than 2,600 feet. More than 30 miles of trails attract hikers, joggers and bikers. While the park’s elevation offers challenging treks, the bottom of the park has flat, forested trails for laid-back hiking and biking. Six primitive campsites accessed by a six-mile trail accommodate backpackers. Dogs are allowed on the entrance road and must be leashed. The park is easily accessible from Highway 1: In Aptos, exit at State Park Drive and head east, turn right on Soquel Avenue and left on Aptos Creek Road. Call 831-763-7062 for more information.
Henry Cowell Redwoods Fall Creek State Park
The Lowdown: Once home to the Zayante Indians, Henry Cowell now accommodates 15 miles of hiking and equestrian trails winding through old-growth redwood forest—the oldest trees in the park are 1,400 to 1,800 years old. The northern portion of the park, Fall Creek, offers 20 miles of trails. Bikes are allowed on the roads and fire roads only. Anglers reel in steelhead and salmon during the winter season. Catch a ride on the Roaring Camp Big Trees Railroad, located next door. Access the park from Highway 9 in Felton and from Graham Hill Road. Call 831-438-2396 for park info; 1-800-444-PARK for camping reservations. No backcountry camping.
Wilder Ranch State Park
The Lowdown: Wilder Ranch encompasses about 5,000 acres of coastal habitat and recreation areas, including 34 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails. State Parks is currently restoring 110 acres of coastal habitat. Since restoration began, wildlife, including hawks, wetland birds and red-legged frogs have retuned to the former ranch. Located north of Santa Cruz on Highway 1. Call 831-423-9703.
Walking/Bike PathsNeary Lagoon
The Lowdown: A drainage area of approximately 850 acres and empties into the lagoon to the ocean. The entrances are located at the end of Chestnut Street, the end of Blackburn Street, and the corner of Bay Street and California Street. There are all sorts of wildlife inhabiting the refuge including mallard and wood ducks, pied billed grebes, a multitude of coots, the world’s meanest geese, several varieties of fish and the occasional great blue heron or hawk. A wooden walkway and trail were recently added and allow a complete circuit around the lagoon. The short walk is less than 1 mile, and is very popular with families with children.
West Cliff Drive
The Lowdown: A two-mile costal walk where you can watch the local surfers and sea otters during the day and view the lights of the Beach Boardwalk and the Wharf at night at one end. At the other end you can hang out at Natural Bridges States Beach, where you can visit the natural wild life and the migrating monarch butterflies.
GolfSeascape Golf Course
610 Clubhouse Drive, Aptos, 831-688-3213
The Lowdown: Located so close to the ocean that you can hear the waves crash as you swing your club. It offers both 18- and 9-hole courses over 6,000 yards, situated between cypress tress to shield you from a windy day. It also has an on-site Nike Golf learning center for golfers interested in taking lessons. Price range: $23-$72 depending on day and time.
DeLaveaga Golf Course
401 Upper Park Road, Santa Cruz, 831-423-7214
The Lowdown: Offers an 18- or 9 hole course and driving range plus cart rentals. The driving range has 40 stalls so you are almost guaranteed a spot. If you buy a County Discount Card you can save each time you play. The card is $50 and if you are a Santa Cruz County resident simply show a valid form of i.d. (driver’s license, water bill) at the pro shop to purchase your card. You save around 25 percent off green fees for one year from the date of purchase. Course prices ranges from $34 to $60 depending on day and time.
Pasatiempo Golf Course
18 Clubhouse Road, Santa Cruz, 831-459-9155
The Lowdown: A semi-private golf club, which makes certain tee times available to the public. It offers a driving range, golf carts, golf instruction, and club rentals. The course has a mandatory dress code, so be sure to dress appropriately. The price ranges from $150-$175 depending on day.
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