Guidebook for Santa Cruz
Food Scene
Our favorite neighborhood spots
Streetlevel atmosphere, sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee. Verve cafes celebrate life and the aesthetics of living, and the way coffee unites us all in an international community.
220 locals recommend
Verve Coffee Roasters
816 41st AveStreetlevel atmosphere, sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee. Verve cafes celebrate life and the aesthetics of living, and the way coffee unites us all in an international community.
A mixture of old-style favorites and what's new and what's comforting with freshness and quality. Everything's made from scratch fresh every day. Delicious coffee drinks, pastries and much, much more!
155 locals recommend
Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria
504 Bay AveA mixture of old-style favorites and what's new and what's comforting with freshness and quality. Everything's made from scratch fresh every day. Delicious coffee drinks, pastries and much, much more!
We have our own neighborhood Starbucks located on East Cliff and 17th Avenue. Perfect for Starbucks lovers!
29 locals recommend
Starbucks
21620 E Cliff DrWe have our own neighborhood Starbucks located on East Cliff and 17th Avenue. Perfect for Starbucks lovers!
Healthy Acai bowls to balance your body and fill you with nutritious goodness.
9 locals recommend
Amazon Juices
1066 41st AvenueHealthy Acai bowls to balance your body and fill you with nutritious goodness.
Crow's Nest Restaurant
2218 E Cliff DrModern eatery serving craft food, beer and wine. The seasonal menu features handmade pasta, local produce, and free range meats. Features 16 beers on tap and seasonal bottles. Open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m
32 locals recommend
East End Gastropub
1501 41st AveModern eatery serving craft food, beer and wine. The seasonal menu features handmade pasta, local produce, and free range meats. Features 16 beers on tap and seasonal bottles. Open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m
Suda is just a nice walk from Bel Air Santa Cruz Beach Home. Fun bar and restaurant.
59 locals recommend
Süda
3910 Portola DrSuda is just a nice walk from Bel Air Santa Cruz Beach Home. Fun bar and restaurant.
Surfers and locals favorite breakfast place. Enjoy eggs your way with all the sides and choose to eat on the patio or in the retro van.
30 locals recommend
Paula's
3500 Portola DrSurfers and locals favorite breakfast place. Enjoy eggs your way with all the sides and choose to eat on the patio or in the retro van.
Fresh, made to order tacos, burritos, breakfast burritos and more you can eat at a picnic table and watch the surfers or take home.
38 locals recommend
The Point Market
23040 E Cliff DrFresh, made to order tacos, burritos, breakfast burritos and more you can eat at a picnic table and watch the surfers or take home.
Dharma's Restaurant
4250 Capitola RdAvanti Restaurant
1917 Mission StPizza by the slice or whole pies.. always check out the daily special pizza.
25 locals recommend
Pleasure Pizza
4000 Portola DrPizza by the slice or whole pies.. always check out the daily special pizza.
Parks & Nature
Beautiful forest of Northern California Redwoods with serene trails for hiking, mountain biking, picnics.
272 locals recommend
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
Aptos Creek RoadBeautiful forest of Northern California Redwoods with serene trails for hiking, mountain biking, picnics.
Monarch Butterflies! Starting in early October, the black and orange beauties start trickling in from colder climates to enjoy our moderate coastal weather. Check the weather before going. The minimum temperature a monarch needs to fly is 55 degrees. Temperatures below 55, mean you are more likely to see monarch clusters hanging like leaves off the eucalyptus trees, which can also be quite mesmerizing.
261 locals recommend
Natural Bridges State Beach
2531 W Cliff DrMonarch Butterflies! Starting in early October, the black and orange beauties start trickling in from colder climates to enjoy our moderate coastal weather. Check the weather before going. The minimum temperature a monarch needs to fly is 55 degrees. Temperatures below 55, mean you are more likely to see monarch clusters hanging like leaves off the eucalyptus trees, which can also be quite mesmerizing.
Our favorite park! Beautiful and spacious park with playgrounds perfect for young toddlers to older children, 2 play structures, swings, tire swing, and a set of steep, long slides. There are grass fields for all kinds of sports, and above the park are soccer fields, and hiking trails.
19 locals recommend
Anna Jean Cummings Park
461 Soquel San Jose RdOur favorite park! Beautiful and spacious park with playgrounds perfect for young toddlers to older children, 2 play structures, swings, tire swing, and a set of steep, long slides. There are grass fields for all kinds of sports, and above the park are soccer fields, and hiking trails.
Enjoy our neighborhood beach just a block down and one street over to 26th Avenue. Enjoy quiet beach time, tidepooling, boogie boarding and world class surf.
23 locals recommend
Moran Lake County Park
22775 E Cliff DrEnjoy our neighborhood beach just a block down and one street over to 26th Avenue. Enjoy quiet beach time, tidepooling, boogie boarding and world class surf.
Explore Santa Cruz
Seymore Marine Discovery Center is one of our favorite local museums. Perfect for families and children! Touch sea urchins, anemones, starfish, and swell shark! Enjoy the breathtaking views from the cliff edge path and if you are lucky... you will see whales migrating.
80 locals recommend
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
100 McAllister WaySeymore Marine Discovery Center is one of our favorite local museums. Perfect for families and children! Touch sea urchins, anemones, starfish, and swell shark! Enjoy the breathtaking views from the cliff edge path and if you are lucky... you will see whales migrating.
Ride the Giant Dipper, Free fall on the Double Dipper! The Boardwalk has rides for all ages and thrill seekers. Arrive at opening to enjoy all the rides with short lines or go Retro nights, Monday and Tuesday and enjoy $1.50 rides. Catch a free concert on Friday nights, or movie on the beach Wednesday nights.
745 locals recommend
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park
400 Beach StRide the Giant Dipper, Free fall on the Double Dipper! The Boardwalk has rides for all ages and thrill seekers. Arrive at opening to enjoy all the rides with short lines or go Retro nights, Monday and Tuesday and enjoy $1.50 rides. Catch a free concert on Friday nights, or movie on the beach Wednesday nights.
Come to the internationally renowned surfing hotspot Steamer Lane, watch surfers, enjoy a run across the lawn and tour the Surfing Museum. The museum has photographs, surfboards, and other interesting artifacts tracing over 100 years of surfing history in Santa Cruz.
75 locals recommend
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
701 W Cliff DrCome to the internationally renowned surfing hotspot Steamer Lane, watch surfers, enjoy a run across the lawn and tour the Surfing Museum. The museum has photographs, surfboards, and other interesting artifacts tracing over 100 years of surfing history in Santa Cruz.
Go early and take the day to take in the wonder of the ocean and ocean life. Be sure to visit the touch pool where you can see and touch many of the plants and animals that live in the kelp forest, and the Kelp forest, which is one of the tallest aquarium exhibits in the world. You'll get a diver's-eye view of sardines, leopard sharks, wolf-eels and a host of other fishes as they weave through swaying fronds of kelp, just like they do in the wild.
668 locals recommend
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery RowGo early and take the day to take in the wonder of the ocean and ocean life. Be sure to visit the touch pool where you can see and touch many of the plants and animals that live in the kelp forest, and the Kelp forest, which is one of the tallest aquarium exhibits in the world. You'll get a diver's-eye view of sardines, leopard sharks, wolf-eels and a host of other fishes as they weave through swaying fronds of kelp, just like they do in the wild.
Come aboard the 65' Team O'Neill catamaran and experience an adventure on the beautiful waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
20 locals recommend
O'Neill Yacht Charters
275 Lake AveCome aboard the 65' Team O'Neill catamaran and experience an adventure on the beautiful waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Shopping
Cameron Marks
402 Ingalls StDiscover unique clothing, home decor, jewelry and more here.
Yvonne
122 Capitola AveOwned by our neighbor! Classic clothing designed for California living
Patine
1001 41st AveUnique pieces. Container events from buying trips in Europe
O'Neill Surf Shop
110 Cooper StGrocery Stores
New Leaf is our local Natural Food market for locally grown produce and products.
New Leaf Community Markets
1101 Fair AveWhole Foods Market
911 Soquel AveSafeway
2720 41st Ave