Santa Cruz day trip

Santa Cruz is the classic Bay Area beach day. It sits on the north shore of Monterey Bay, which faces south and is usually warmer and less windy than the open coast at Half Moon Bay. The town has a historic seaside amusement park, a half-mile wooden wharf, world-famous surf breaks and redwood forests just inland. It is about 45 miles from Palo Alto, close enough for a full day without an overnight.

This guide covers the drive over Highway 17, what to do at the Beach Boardwalk, the reopened wharf, where to watch surfers, Natural Bridges State Beach and the old-growth grove at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.

Driving Highway 17

From Palo Alto, take Interstate 280 south or Highway 85 to Highway 17 in Los Gatos, then follow 17 over the Santa Cruz Mountains to the coast. The whole trip is about 45 miles and usually takes an hour. The mountain section is a four-lane road with tight curves, a concrete median and little shoulder. It has a reputation for crashes because people drive it too fast. Keep a steady speed, leave room and stay out of the left lane unless you are passing.

Timing matters. Summer weekend mornings bring heavy beach traffic southbound and Sunday afternoons jam northbound. Leaving Palo Alto before 9 a.m. and heading home either before 3 p.m. or after sunset makes a big difference. There is no train from Palo Alto, so you need a car. You can compare rental car deals if you need one for the day.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The Boardwalk opened in 1907 and is California's oldest surviving amusement park. It runs along the beach from near the wharf to the mouth of the San Lorenzo River at 400 Beach Street. Two of its rides are National Historic Landmarks, both declared in 1987.

• The Giant Dipper is a wooden roller coaster that opened in 1924. It is the ride on most postcards of Santa Cruz.
• The Looff Carousel dates from 1911 and still has its original 342-pipe organ, built in 1894. Riders reach for brass rings as they spin.

There is no admission charge to walk the Boardwalk or use the beach. Rides are paid with tickets loaded onto a Boardwalk card or with an all-day ride wristband, both sold at the park and online. Payment inside the park is cashless. Parking in the Boardwalk lots is a flat daily rate.

Rides run daily in summer. Outside summer the schedule is mostly weekends and holidays and some days have only limited rides, so check the hours on the Boardwalk website before you go. The arcades, mini golf and bowling alley give rainy days a backup.

The Santa Cruz Wharf

The Santa Cruz Wharf stretches about half a mile into the bay and is often called the longest wooden wharf on the West Coast. It was built in 1914. On December 23, 2024, storm waves knocked a 150-foot section at the far end into the sea. The rest of the wharf reopened soon after and repairs to the damaged end followed. The city held a ribbon-cutting in April 2026 to celebrate their completion.

Walk out for seafood restaurants, souvenir shops and the sea lions that haul out on the beams below. Look back from the end for the best view of the Boardwalk and the beach. Driving and parking on the wharf is possible but limited, so walking from the Boardwalk is usually easier.

Surfing and West Cliff Drive

Santa Cruz is one of the birthplaces of surfing in mainland America. Steamer Lane, the break off Lighthouse Point, is one of the best known waves in California and a great place to watch skilled surfers from the cliff top. The small lighthouse on the point is a landmark in its own right.

West Cliff Drive follows the cliffs from the wharf area toward Natural Bridges with a paved path for walking and biking. A storm-damaged stretch was closed for more than two years and reopened in August 2025 with a new seawall. It is the best walk in town, with sea lions, pelicans, surfers and views across the bay to Monterey on clear days.

Want to try surfing yourself? Cowell Beach, beside the wharf, has gentle waves that suit beginners. Local surf schools rent boards and wetsuits and run lessons there. You can book a surf lesson ahead of time to lock in a morning slot, which is usually when the waves are cleanest.

Natural Bridges State Beach

At the western end of West Cliff Drive, Natural Bridges State Beach is known for its wave-carved sea arch, tide pools and monarch butterflies. The park is open from 8 a.m. to sunset and charges a vehicle day use fee.

The monarchs are the big draw in fall and winter. They gather in a eucalyptus grove that is protected as California's only State Monarch Preserve, usually arriving in mid-October and leaving by mid-February. Late October through November is often the best time to see them. A boardwalk and viewing deck lead into the grove. The visitor center is open daily from October through January and on fewer days the rest of the year.

The tide pools are part of a marine protected area, so the rule is look but do not touch or take. They are best when the tide is 2 feet or lower. Swimming is not recommended. There are no lifeguards and rogue waves can surge over the rocks without warning. Check the Natural Bridges page for details.

Henry Cowell Redwoods

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton is about 15 minutes inland from the beach and makes a perfect morning or late afternoon add-on. Its 0.8-mile Redwood Grove Loop is a flat walk through old-growth coast redwoods, including the Fremont Tree, which you can step inside. Bring a flashlight for that. The park is open from sunrise to sunset and charges a vehicle day use fee. Dogs are not allowed on the Redwood Grove Loop.

Next to the park, Roaring Camp Railroads runs a steam train up through the redwoods to the top of Bear Mountain. Its other line, the Santa Cruz Beach Train to the Boardwalk, is not running in 2026 and is due to return in spring 2027. For more redwood options, see our redwood forests guide.

A sample day

1. Leave Palo Alto by 8:30 a.m. and drive over Highway 17.
2. Walk the Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell before the crowds.
3. Drive to the beach, park once and spend late morning and lunch on the wharf.
4. Spend the afternoon at the Boardwalk on a ride day or walk West Cliff Drive to Natural Bridges.
5. Watch the surfers at Steamer Lane near sunset, then head home after the traffic eases.

With kids, flip it and give the Boardwalk the whole afternoon. Our guide to Palo Alto with kids has ideas for the days in between.

Staying the night

Summer weekends fill up early in Santa Cruz, but staying over lets you surf or walk West Cliff in the early morning and skip the Sunday traffic. You can compare Santa Cruz hotels near the beach or in the hills. Santa Cruz also works as a first stop on the way to Monterey and Carmel, about 45 minutes to an hour farther around the bay.

Frequently asked questions