Santa Cruz in California is no doubt one of the best summer towns in the USA. With the cool sea breeze, rainless summer months, and home to one of the best old school amusement parks, there are so many amazing things to do in Santa Cruz, which makes it the perfect getaway for your family during the summer holidays. But what many people don’t know is that a weekend in Santa Cruz, California is a great adventure any time of year!
In fact, the town, which is quiet throughout the year, gets really busy to the point where most of the hotels and motels got booked out. So, if you’re planning a visit to this lovely summer town, you may be better off during the off season. All of the top Santa Cruz attractions are open year round, plus you will find better rooms and lower prices. If you are considering spending 2 or 3 days in Santa Cruz soon, grab your coffee and read on!
Santa Cruz does have a lovely beach and boardwalk, which we will get to, but this town has a whole lot more to offer. In case you are wondering, I interned in the area for quite some time, and share all of the best beaches in California for a summer vacation. In Santa Cruz, the beach gets a day, but here’s my suggestion for an amazing 3 days in Santa Cruz, California.
Santa Cruz 3 Day Itinerary –Day 1
For this 3 days itinerary, I assume that you arrive in the morning and leave in the evening on Day 3. But since I never mention the time here, you can obviously tailor the itinerary to suit your own plan!
Wilder Ranch State Park
Upon checking into your hotel in Santa Cruz, I don’t recommend heading directly to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk because I think you’ll need a full day to enjoy everything there. Maybe you’re all pumped up for the adrenaline rush way before you arrive, so feel free to switch between Day 1 and Day 2, but anyway…
Wilder Ranch State Park is amazing in terms of the number of short hikes, and the coastal landscape. There are easy trails with brilliant views over the coast. If you’re cycling, this state park also has a few trails for you to tackle. In fact, the San Francisco Chronicle has declared Wilder Ranch to have the best mountain biking in California. Most of the trails can be completed within a few hours, so it’s perfect for the first day.
Right at the entrance, you’ll also find a historic ranch, which features a Victorian farmhouse, and several other historic buildings, with live re-enactments, demonstrations, and free docent led tours on the weekend . If you are into history, it is a great way to learn about early farm life in California.
During my hike there, some hikers told me that they saw a coyote by the trail. Be aware of your surroundings while hiking! And remember to bring your own water!
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
On your way back from Wilder Ranch State Park, you’ll pass by Seymour Marine Discovery Center. It’s a community-supported marine science education center of the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC).
Before you get to the entrance, the skeleton of a huge 20-meters blue whale will catch your attention. Right beside it lies a skeleton of a grey whale as well.
What makes this center different is that, instead of showing you exhibitions and stuff, they actually took the effort to let visitors interact and learn things in a more interesting way. You can learn about their research programs, the behaviors of the seals, roles of sea creatures in the ecosystem and more.
I’ve got to say that this is probably one of the best things to do in Santa Cruz with kids.
Enjoy Sunset in West Cliff Lighthouse
Although technically, Santa Cruz is facing south, the atmosphere in West Cliff can get very lively during the sunset hours. Residents having their evening jogs, families having picnics by the beach, and dogs fetching the tennis balls in the sea are all common. You will see this place is one of the local’s favorite Santa Cruz attractions.
Consider renting a JUMP electric bike to bike along the West Cliff trail.
The lighthouse itself is a surfing museum, check it out if you’re visiting before the closing hours.
Santa Cruz Downtown For Dinner
The vibrant Downtown is very busy during the summer, especially at night. It gets very chilly at night due to the freezing sea breeze, so bring a jacket any time of year.
The great news for food lovers is that the whole Downtown is filled with restaurants of various cuisines. You can find pizzas, cafes, to Japanese and Korean cuisines here.
And if you have no idea which one to go for, I recommend Woodstock’s Pizza which serves the best pizza, in my opinion, in the entire town.
Santa Cruz 3 Day Itinerary – Day 2
Have Breakfast in Santa Cruz Wharf
While some of the restaurants in Santa Cruz Wharf open at lunch time, there is a restaurant that I particularly fancy. It’s Dolphin Café, located at the very end of the wharf. They serve the best chowder in town.
The main reason for visiting the wharf in the morning is that you’ll get the chance to see the California Sea Lions lying on the decks below the wharf. And on a good day, you might even find several dozens of them throughout the entire wharf.
They’re so huge, and chubby, makes you feel like squeezing them.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Now, this is the main Santa Cruz attraction and the engine that drives the summer traffic in this very town. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been around for more than 100 years and is welcoming tens of thousands of visitors every summer. At least one of your 3 days in Santa Cruz should be spent here.
What outsiders don’t know is that the Boardwalk is open all year round, including from 12-7 on weekends and school holidays through the winter months. While the temperatures get cooler, it still climbs into the low 60s most days. A jacket and your adrenaline will keep you going for the fun!
The signature wooden trail roller coaster, the Giant Dipper has been around for more than 100 years and is still operating as the main ride now.
If you’ve watched Bumblebee or Us, you might be familiar with this place. If you are a bit older, you may remember it from The Lost Boys.
Other than the 40+ amazing rides in the park, you’ll also find all sorts of old school stalls selling snacks like corndogs, popcorns, ice creams, turkey legs, and more. And did I mention the game stall?
For this, I recommend visiting in the morning if you wish to try most of the rides there, at least in the summer. That’s because the queues can get very long at noon, all the way until evening.
If amusement parks are not your thing, then read on for the alternatives!
Santa Cruz 3 Day Itinerary – Day 2 Alternatives
Take The Sailing Tour
The sailing tours in Santa Cruz bring you to the Monterey Bay. This is where you’ll most likely be seeing whales. In fact, it’s not really difficult to see the whales in this area, because they’re just so plentiful.
Well, I would say the main point of the sailing tours is whale watching, but you’ll also see a flock of shearwater birds migrating between California and New Zealand, and sea lions easily. Go check out O’Neill Yacht Charters or Chardonnay Sailing Charters.
The only thing I didn’t like is the freezing sea breeze, which gets worse when the boat travels fast.
Defying Law of Physics in Mystery Spot
As the name suggests, this attraction is mysterious, as in the law of physics doesn’t work quite the same way as you’re used to. Located in the redwood forests, the seemingly strange phenomenon was discovered back in 1939 and later opened to the public for visit in 1940.
Remember to make a booking before you go, as it gets busy during the summer, and sometimes got fully booked out. There’ll be a tour guide to explain and demo everything you see inside the compound.
Visit The Mystery Spot website here for more information on the opening hours! It’s fun for all ages!
Make Your Own Tie-dye Shirts
What’s better than to dye your own shirts with your favorite colors and pattern? Well, you can do that in A Brighter World in Santa Cruz!
Located in the Downtown, you’ll be able to choose from a wide variety of tie-dye shirts on the rack. Or if you prefer, you can try to dye your own shirts with a little help from the staff.
You don’t necessarily have to buy the shirt you dyed, but I can’t think of a reason to not take that shirt home with you. It makes the perfect souvenir of your weekend in Santa Cruz. If you are not from the US, you may be wondering what’s a tie-dye shirt. You’ve probably seen them before, but didn’t know what they were called r how they were made. Now you know!
Santa Cruz 3 Day Itinerary – Day 3
Take the Roaring Camp Railroads
During your visit to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, you might notice that giant old school train stopping at the entrance. If not, you’ll probably see the track of the train there.
And that’s the very track of the Roaring Camp Railroads. The train takes you from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk all the way to Felton on a 3-hours round trip. This is one of the oldest historic lines in California, and mustn’t be missed on your first weekend in Santa Cruz.
Back in 1875, this train was used to carry timber, picnickers, and tourists to the Big Trees. From the Boardwalk, you’ll pass through the steel truss bridge built in 1909, San Lorenzo River Gorge, and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park before arriving in the Roaring Camp in Felton.
And if you need more information for booking the train, just go ahead and ask the guest service center in the Boardwalk. They have the flyers over there.
Grab a Dessert in Penny’s Ice Creamery
Ever wondered how ice cream was made? Located at the Downtown, it’s the only ice cream shop that makes ice cream from scratch in the house. If you visit at the right moment, you’ll be able to observe the process of ice cream making right in front of your eyes.
With all-organic ingredients, you’ll have a variety of choices to choose from.
Go ahead and grab this wonderful summer dessert while escaping the heat if you visit in summer. Even if you visit in the off-season, there is always room for ice cream!
Join the Wine Tasting Tour
If winery and brewery tours are more of your thing, then joining the wine tasting tours might not be a bad idea. Since it’s a less popular activity, you can take your time to decide whether you should go for one.
There aren’t many tour providers for this activity, but the most well-known one would be The Santa Cruz Experience. Psst, you’ll also get access to wineries which are not open to the public as well!
Wrapping It Up -Your Weekend in Santa Cruz
So how does this 3 day Santa Cruz itinerary sound? Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know what you think.
By the way, there are quite a few more things to do in Santa Cruz. We haven’t even talked about Natural Bridges State Park (which you see in the photo), Santa Cruz Mission, the amazing beaches, any of the museums in the area, or exploring the surrounding Redwoods State Parks. So if you are considering spending more than 3 days in Santa Cruz, you will find enough to fill your time.
I hope you’ll make some amazing summer memories in Santa Cruz, California!
P.S. If you are looking for other weekend options in California, check out these Fabulous Southern California Weekend Getaways.
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About the Author
Yen is a full-time university student who always takes full advantages of his holidays to travel for new experiences. He’s been to New Zealand for Working Holiday before having his road trip, volunteered in Kathmandu, Nepal and exchanged in California along with several backpacking trips through Southeast Asia. Having spent months in foreign countries, he gives in-depth travel tips and guides in his travel blog, Wandering Journal. You can also find Yen on the Wandering Journal Facebook page, and on Instagram!
