Welcome TO SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Santa Cruz County is known for embracing diversity, in all forms. Steeped in progressive roots, this classic laid-back region of California offers rejuvenating travel experiences for visitors from near and far: wrapped up in a classic west coast vibe. Discover locally-made products at a farmer’s market, sip pinot noir at a boutique winery, mix effortlessly with locals at an outdoor micro-brewery, hike a breezy forested redwood trail at a state park, or find a wide expansive beach for a sunset stroll. Be sure to check out the Top Ten Must-See Spots in the region and gain memories along the way.
Getting Here
An easy drive south of San Francisco, Santa Cruz County is accessible by car via Highway 17 through the Santa Cruz Mountains, or via California’s scenic Highway 1.
Nearby Airports
The nearest major airports to Santa Cruz County are San Jose Mineta International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and Oakland International Airport.
Travel Itineraries
Discover the best of Santa Cruz County with one-day, three-day, and five-day itineraries curated for families, couples, and solo travelers.
Santa Cruz County
Destinations
70 miles south of San Francisco, 35 miles north of Monterey, and unabashedly left of center, you’ll find great surf, sandy beaches, redwood-covered mountains, laid-back towns, organic farms, and a burgeoning beer and wine scene. It’s impossible to pick one place to visit in Santa Cruz County. Take a quick cruz of them all!
Picture Yourself Here
Get inspired and start planning your next visit to Santa Cruz County. #VisitSantaCruz
Mark your calendar! The last King Tides of the season are January 1 – 3!
The extreme low tides expose tide pools rarely seen and allow for miles of beach walking and extended exploration. PLEASE remember to watch your step, leave the creatures alone, check the weather, and be ocean safe! Check the @visitsantacruz story and bio link for more on King Tides, where to go, and how to enjoy them responsibly! 🌊🐚🐙
We’ll list the low tides below – but remember, extreme lows and highs can happen on the surrounding couple of days as well.
Low Tide Dates & Times:
January 1: Low tide @ 3:08pm; -1.5
January 2: Low tide @ 3:55pm; -1.7
January 3: Low tide @ 4:41pm; -1.7
#santacruz #kingtides #tidepools #californiakingtides #visitsantacruz
No filter. No music. Simply Santa Cruz on this gorgeous winter morning.
Enjoy the magic. ✨
#santacruz #visitsantacruz #westcliff #winter #goodmorning
It’s got its own special magic. 🌊 Here’s to savoring the last bit of 2025 and looking forward to more slowdowns by the sea in 2026. 🙏
Video 📹 | @dgsc
#santacruz #visitsantacruz #oceantherapy #ocean #surfing
Wising you a very Merry Christmas from Santa Cruz County!
Photo 📷 | @beningramvisuals
#merrychristmas #santacruz #visitsantacruz #westcliff
Caught in a moment of December scenes. 📸
Photos 📷 | @desireexc
#santacruz #visitsantacruz #december #winter
Happy winter solstice. Longer days coming soon! ☀️
Video 📹 | @dgsc
#wintersolstice #visitsantacruz #santacruz #westcliff #winter
More exploring. 🌾
More sunsets by the sea. 🌅
More slowing down. 🌲
More noticing. 🌙
More Santa Cruz. 🌊
What do you want more of in 2026?
Videos 🎥 | @dgsc
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #2026 #newyear
You really can’t beat it. 🫶🏼
Videos 📹 | @dgsc
#visitsantacruz #december #santacruz #santacruzcounty #winter
Forest = for rest. Who’s ready for a redwood recharge? 🔌
Need a place to rest in the redwoods? Try these spots:
📍 Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, 101 N Big Trees Park Rd, Felton
📍 Fall Creek Unit, 1101 Felton Empire Rd, Felton
📍 The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, Aptos Creek Road, Aptos
📍 Big Basin Redwoods State Park, 21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek
📍 Byrne-Milliron, 809 Browns Valley Rd, Corralitos
Intro 📹 Clip | @dgsc
#forest #santacruz #visitsantacruz #redwoods #santacruzcalifornia
Snow on the mind… Here’s a little throwback to 2023’s snowy surprise in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Shoutout to @beningramvisuals for hunting down all the best shots! 📸
Do you think we’ll get a little dusting ❄️ this winter? We sure hope our friends inland get some soon! 🏂⛷️
Oh, December… We 🫶🏼 you. A look back so far…
Redwoods, sunsets, low tides, Yuletides, delicious season meals, the best views, and all the festive cheer.
#santacruz #visitsantacruz #decembertoremember #december
Santa Cruz Mood 🚀 Guide: sea, salty air, redwoods, good food & drinks, walks & lunch with ocean views, winter sunsets 🔁. #winterblues🌊
What are you adding to the list?
Here are the spots featured:
1. Pleasure Point 🌊
2. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 🌲
3. Margarita from Low Tide at the brand new luxury hotel in Santa Cruz, @labahiahotelandspa 🍹
4. @pacificcookiecompanysantacruz 🍪
5. West Cliff Drive over Cowells 🏄♂️
6. @zeldasonthebeach in @capitolavillage 🏖️
7. Beer Can Beach in Aptos 🌅
#winterinsantacruz #winter #santacruz #visitsantacruz
See you soon? #wintermagic is real in Santa Cruz County. Where’s your favorite spot to catch a winter sunset? 🔥🌅🍬
Videos 🎥 | @dgsc
#winteriscoming #wintersunset #santacruz #capitola #sunset #sunsets #santacruzcounty #visitsantacruz
Consider yourself busy January 1 -3 for the next King Tides! Here’s a peek at yesterday’s King Tides from Pleasure Point. December won’t quit with the beauty! 💜
Want to learn more about King Tides? Check our bio 🔗 and start planning your stay in Santa Cruz County this winter!
#kingtides #lowtides #santacruz #santacruzcounty #visitsantacruz #december
We’re already experiencing some of the best of winter in Santa Cruz County and it’s still fall! Low tides, crazy sunsets, big waves, waterfall hikes, and quiet moments on the coast. Cheers to another great season ahead!
Videos 🎥 | @dgsc, @beningramvisuals
#winterinsantacruz#winterloading #winter #santacruzwinter #visitsantacruz #sunsets #waves #december
It’s very important…
Winter means:
🦀 King Tides (December 4-6 and January 1-3)
🌅 The best sunsets! From 🔥 to 🍬
🦋 Monarch Butterflies at Natural Bridges and Lighthouse Field
🌲 Amazing hiking conditions! Mushrooms, banana slugs, waterfalls… it’s all there!
🎄 Plus, loads of holiday magic! The Lighted Boat Parade on the 6th, Winter Wonderland at the Boardwalk, the Holiday Lights Train, and tons more! Check our bio 🔗 for Holiday Events.
What do you love about winter in Santa Cruz County?
Video 📹 | @dgsc
Photos 📷 | @thecuratedfeast, @dgsc, @beningramvisuals
#winterinsantacruz #winter #santacruz #visitsantacruz #winter #wintermagic #sunsetseason #wintertravel
December’s color palette 🎨 might be our favorite. Which pic is your fave?
Photos 📷 | @beningramvisuals / @thecuratedfeast / @dgsc
#decmeber #sunsets #santacruz #santacruzcounty #visitsantacruz #cottoncandysky #sunset #sunsetseason
Happy Thanksgiving from Santa Cruz County! 🫶
#visitsantacruz #santacruzcounty #happythanksgiving #thanksgiving #santacruz
Shop small this holiday season & support local businesses like these! Santa Cruz County is bursting with unique boutiques, creative curators and artists, and one of a kind products and designs. Where are you shopping this season? Tell us below!
Shoutout to a few of the amazing shops featured: @botanicandluxe, @artisansscruz, @pacifictradingco, @sockshopandshoeco, @bookshopsc, @zinniasgiftboutique, @shophomework, @lumengallery_capitola, @clementine_andco, @katalinasbythesea, @annieglass & more!
#shopsmall #smallbusinesssaturday #holidayshopping #visitsantacruz #supportlocal #santacruzcounty #choosesantacruz
Whether it’s little legs or full bellies, sometimes you just need a mellow hike. And with family time upon us, opt outside and get some fresh air in Santa Cruz County! Here are 6 hikes that are sure to please:
🐄 EAST GLENWOOD – RED LOOP: Glenwood Preserve
🌊 OLD COVE LANDING TRAIL: Wilder Ranch State Park
🌲 REDWOOD GROVE LOOP TRAIL: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
🐟 SPRING BOX TRAIL: Pogonip
🌿THE RIVER TRAIL: Fall Creek Unit
🥾BYRNE & LEONARD BARTLE TRAILS: Byrne-Milliron
Check our story now with a link to our blog that shares more on these locations including what parents will love, and what kids will love, about these hikes! Happy trails!
Video 📹 | @dgsc
#hikes #santacruz #santacruzcounty #visitsantacruz #thanksgivinghike #familyhike #familytime #optoutside #fallcreek
Sunsets this time of year >>>>> 💌
Have you caught one yet? 🌅
Video 📹 | @beningramvisuals | @hellobeningram
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #santacruzsunset #lighthousefieldstatebeach #lighthousefield #itsbeach #westcliff #westcliffdrive
Starfish, nudibranch, anemone, octopus – the gang’s all here! There is something so magical about the King Tides of late fall/winter in Santa Cruz County! Mark your calendar, the next King Tide dates are December 4-6, and January 1-3. 📆
The extreme low tides expose tide pools rarely seen and allow for miles of beach walking and extended exploration. PLEASE remember to watch your step, leave the creatures alone, and be ocean safe! Check the @visitsantacruz story and bio link for more on King Tides, where to go, and how to enjoy them responsibly! 🌊🐚🐙
We’ll list the low tides below – but remember, extreme lows and highs can happen on the surrounding couple of days as well.
Low Tide Dates & Times:
December 4: Low tide @ 4:04pm; -1.6
December 5: Low tide @ 4:54pm; -1.8
December 6: Low tide @ 5:45pm; -1.7
January 1: Low tide @ 3:08pm; -1.5
January 2: Low tide @ 3:55pm; -1.7
January 3: Low tide @ 4:41pm; -1.7
Photos 📷 | @thecuratedfeast, Liz Birnbaum
#santacruz #kingtides #tidepools #tidepooling #californiakingtides #starfish #seastar #visitsantacruz #lowtide #kingtides #pleasurepoint
How it started vs how it ended. 👌 Drop a comment if you love this time of year in Santa Cruz too! 🫶
Photos 📷 | @dgsc | Nov 18
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #morninight #redwoods #sunset #pleasurepoint #fall #winter #sunset
We know, you haven’t had your turkey or tofurkey yet, but it’s already time to start planning your holidays in Santa Cruz County! From the Lighted Boat Parade to the @beachboardwalk’s Winter Wonderland, and @roaringcamp Holiday Lights Train to Holiday Markets, Santa Cruz County is decking the halls for the season!
Check our bio 🔗 and story for some of the top ways to celebrate the holidays in Santa Cruz County!
And don’t forget to #shopsmall this season in Santa Cruz County! 🎄🎁
#santacruz #visitsantacruz #santacruzcounty #happyholidays #christmas #merrychristmas #holidays
