We put together our complete Santa Cruz Weekend getaway guide with some of our favorite spots. We love visiting this coastal town and appreciate the relaxing vibes where you can soak up the sun and eat yummy food. You can balance it out with a hit of adrenaline along the boardwalk before you get right back to relaxation :) The best part is how close it is to most of us in the bay area making it an ideal location for a weekend away!

Our top 3 beach spots!

Natural Bridges

This is a scenic spot you won’t want to miss! It is a small hike down from the parking lot with bathrooms. From there you can walk to the tide pools about 5-10 minutes away. To get to the tide pools, we recommend walking through the gated community and follow the signs to the tide pools. It’s legit because the guard at the visitor center told us to do that. You will see star fish, sea anemone, crabs, fish, and urchins. Be sure and check the tide and try to go when it’s low tide! From October to the end of November, the park’s Monarch Butterfly Nature Preserve has thousands of butterflies in the Eucalyptus Grove. The monarch trail during this time is straight magic!

Pleasure Point

This is definitely more of a surf spot and is 10 miles south of Santa Cruz. If you have surfers in your family it’s ideal! The reason why I like it is because it’s usually 5-10 degrees warmer and not as windy as almost all the beaches in the BAY! There are no bathrooms close by and you do need to walk down stairs to get to it. There is street parking with no fee. So remember this beach on a colder day, so you and your littles can stay warm!

Capitola State Beach

Capitola is picturesque with the vibrant colors of all the shops and restaurants along the shoreline. It’s such a cute town! There are plenty of yummy places to eat within walking distance- lots of taco spots! After your meal, be sure and head to Beach Break by Marianne’s for delicious ice cream. This beach does get busy especially on weekends because it is a popular spot. It’s best to get there earlier in the day if you need to park close and don’t want to spend a long time searching for parking. There are some paid parking lots and metered street parking nearby.

Looking for Brunch?

The Buttery

This gem deserves some attention here. I literally can’t go to Santa Cruz anymore without a stop at the Buttery. Their melt in your mouth baked goods, savory croissant breakfast sandwiches, French toast, or hash brown tots will settle your brunch craze. They have nice outdoor seating and a big grassy area behind the restaurant. The kids can play while you wait for food. It’s really ideal! There is usually a line but it moves fast and is totally worth it. Especially when you can just play with your kids or let them run around until it’s time to eat.

Linda’s Seabreeze Cafe

You can try and go right when it opens or right when it closes to avoid the wait. However, the Home fries and cinnamon rolls are worth the wait! Can you tell how much we love brunch?!

Need a place to stay?!

Beach Haven at Seabright is a family-friendly and pet-friendly 3 bedroom home just 1 1/2 blocks away from the beach! It’s just right for families who want to get to the beach! The house comes equipped with toys, games, beach supplies, baby gates, a pack n play, and a high chair. Traveling is hard enough with children so it’s nice to be able to leave the big items home. It makes for a much more relaxing stay! Everything in the home is updated, new, and nice! We love the cozy fireplace and outside deck with hot tub and gas bbq! Take me back!

Cozy living space with calming natural palette

Our top recommended activities

Mystery Spot

This gravitational anomaly is a fun, little, mysterious place hidden deep in the Redwood Forest. The Mystery Spot has always been on my list to checkout and I am so glad we did. It just took 6 years to finally do and I finally got to figure out what that bumper sticker was on everyone’s car. We had an awesome time! The tour guide was super friendly and had a great variety of corny mystery spot related jokes that kept the group engaged and made it fun for all ages.

The tour is about 45 minutes long but there's also a gift shop, a food stand and picnic area. There is a hiking trail you could do as well called Bud and Emma's trail.

The tour is not wheelchair/stroller accessible. There is a moderately steep hill to get to the cabin. My 4 year old did okay but 1-2 year olds would have a hard time. Trying to carry my almost two year old through the house and hold him during the tour was a challenge. He wasn’t as entertained and just wanted to walk around which he couldn’t since he would end up tumbling down the hill or cabin (which he did hah).

If you have a weak stomach, this may not be for you. Because of the spot's strange gravitational nature, the tour can make you a bit dizzy/nauseous/disoriented -- nothing too crazy, but the feeling is definitely there. Not to mention all the windy roads to get here.

Tickets are $8 a person. Children under 3 are free. Book online before you go, I can’t stress that enough! There is no cell phone reception so make sure you print a copy of the email or screenshot it on your phone. Parking is $5 (cash or check only…as well as tickets if you don’t book before going).

The mystery spot is located just 10 minutes from the Boardwalk. We made a day out of it by stopping at the Mystery Spot on our way in and then headed to the Boardwalk for the rest of the day.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

This is such a great place for a day of fun or as part of your weekend getaway with family. One of the perks is the free entrance! There is an arcade building, a mini golf building, bowling and plenty of fun rides, food and drinks.

The rides for kids are pretty awesome. My almost 2 year old was actually able to ride everything that my 4 year old rode. There are 11 kiddie rides and 16 family rides (ones that littles can do with you). There are several rides where those under 36” riding with a chaperone, one may ride for free. Check their site to find out which rides so you don’t double pay.

Individual tickets are $1 per point. Most rides are 4-5 points. The unlimited day wristband may be a cheaper option depending on how many rides you want to do. If you plan on coming at least twice a year, get the season pass. It will pay for itself.

What’s great about the boardwalk is that you can customize your experience. If you are not a big fan of rides, you can just enjoy the beach atmosphere, visit the arcade, or play mini golf. Just grabbing a bite and walking the pier while enjoying the view is nice!

They are not open everyday. Check their site before planning your visit! There is a large parking lot in the front that is $15. If you don’t mind walking, we park at Kennedy Fields. We paid $5 for all day parking.

Starting in June the Boardwalk has so many fun events going on, checkout their site for more details here.

Free Friday night bands on the beach
Free daily entertainment (magicians, acrobats, jugglers, and comedians.)
Free movies on the beach Wednesday nights
Retro Nights-$1.50 rides Monday and Tuesdays after 5pm.
Coca-Cola Nights- $14.95 unlimited rides when you bring in a Coca-Cola product. Wednesdays and Thursdays after 5pm
Unlimited attractions Monday-Thursdays after 5pm. Unlimited access to Laser Tag, Laser Maze, Miniature Golf, Climb N’ Conquer and Fright Walk for only $10.95

Santa Cruz Getaway Guide