# Things to see in Santa Cruz, California (United States): 38 places and when to go

> Santa Cruz, California is a city in United States with around 148,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 38 places in and around it, mainly Food and drink (11), Nature (10), History (9). The best known are Monterey Bay, Mystery Spot and SS Palo Alto. The best time to come is March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 14 h 31 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 28. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/santa-cruz/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-08
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **Where:** United States · 36.9719, -122.0264
- **Population:** About 148,000
- **Places:** 38 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- **What people come for:** [Food and drink](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/gastronomia/) (11) · [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/naturaleza/) (10) · [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/historia/) (9) · [Wildlife](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/fauna/) (8) · [Museums and art](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/museos/) (4) · [With kids](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/familia/) (3)
- **Best time:** March to October.
- **Also possible:** November to February.
- **Nearest airport:** SFO San Francisco, 78 km as the crow flies

## What to see in Santa Cruz, California

The places in and around Santa Cruz, California, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.

- [Monterey Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterey-bay/): Bay of the Pacific Ocean in California, United States · 22 km
- [Mystery Spot](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/mystery-spot/): Tourist attraction in Santa Cruz, California · 5.4 km
- [SS Palo Alto](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/s-s-palo-alto/): 1919 American concrete ship · 10.0 km
- [The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/the-forest-of-nisene-marks-state-park/): State park in California, United States · 14 km
- [Giant Dipper](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/giant-dipper/): Historic roller coaster in Santa Cruz, California, USA · 1.3 km
- [Lighthouse Field State Beach](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/lighthouse-field-state-beach/): State beach in Santa Cruz, California · 2.3 km
- [Manresa State Beach](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/manresa-state-beach/): State park in California, United States · 16 km
- [Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/roaring-camp/): Tourist railroad in California · 8.3 km
- [Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/santa-cruz-beach-boardwalk/): Amusement park in Santa Cruz, California · 1.2 km
- [Mission Santa Cruz](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/santa-cruz-mission-state-historic-park/): Mission in Santa Cruz, California · 638 m
- [Coast Dairies State Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/coast-dairies-state-park/): Protected beach in Santa Cruz County, California · 15 km
- [Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/ellicott-slough-national-wildlife-refuge/): United States National Wildlife Refuge · 18 km
- [Glenwood, California](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/glenwood/): Ghost town in Santa Cruz County, California · 16 km
- [Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/museum-of-art-history/): Museum in Santa Cruz, California · 301 m
- [New Brighton State Beach](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/new-brighton-state-beach/): State beach in Santa Cruz County, California, United States · 8.4 km
- [Twin Lakes State Beach](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/twin-lakes-state-beach/): State beach in Santa Cruz, California, USA · 2.4 km
- [Wilder Ranch State Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/wilder-ranch-state-park/): California State Park on the Pacific coast near Santa Cruz · 11 km
- [California Powder Works Bridge](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/california-powder-works-bridge/): History · Architecture · 4.6 km
- [Felton Covered Bridge](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/felton-covered-bridge/): Historic bridge in California, USA · 9.6 km
- [Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/santa-cruz-museum-of-natural-history/): Museum in Santa Cruz, California · 1.7 km
- [Santa Cruz Surfing Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/santa-cruz-surfing-museum/): Surfing museum in Santa Cruz, California, USA · 2.3 km
- [San Lorenzo Valley Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/the-san-lorenzo-valley-museum/): Historic church building in Boulder Creek, Santa Cruz County, California · 18 km
- [Aptos Creek Fire Road](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/aptos-creek-fire-road/): Hiking · 15 km
- [Bargetto Winery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/bargetto-winery/): Winery · 6.9 km

And the other 14, by what you come to do:

- **Food and drink**: [Beauregard Vineyards Tasting Room and Winery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/beauregard-vineyards-tasting-room-and-winery/), [Bonny Doon Vineyard Tasting Room](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/bonny-doon-vineyard-tasting-room/), [Bruzzone Family Vineyards](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/bruzzone-family-vineyards/), [Discretion Brewing](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/discretion-brewing/), [Heart O' the Mountain](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/heart-o-the-mountain/), [Odonata Wines](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/odonata-wines/), [Pleasant Valley Vineyards](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/pleasant-valley-vineyards/), [Sante Adairius Santa Cruz Portal](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/sante-adairius-santa-cruz-portal/), [Soquel Vineyards](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/soquel-vineyards/), [Zayante Vineyards](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/zayante-vineyards/)
- **Hiking**: [Cowell-Wilder Regional Trail](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/cowell-wilder-regional-trail/)
- **History**: [Hinds Victorian Guest House](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/hinds-victorian-guest-house/), [Santa Cruz Looff Carousel](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/looff-carousel/), [Santa Cruz Hostel](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/santa-cruz-hostel/)

## When to go to Santa Cruz, California

The best time to visit Santa Cruz, California is **March to October**; also possible: November to February. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Possible | 9 h 44 |
| February | Possible | 10 h 38 |
| March | Best time | 11 h 43 |
| April | Best time | 12 h 57 |
| May | Best time | 13 h 59 |
| June | Best time | 14 h 31 |
| July | Best time | 14 h 18 |
| August | Best time | 13 h 25 |
| September | Best time | 12 h 13 |
| October | Best time | 11 h 02 |
| November | Possible | 9 h 59 |
| December | Possible | 9 h 28 |

In June there are 14 h 31 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 28. In June, 38 of the 38 places are at their best.

When to go to United States in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/#cuando-ir).

## Getting to Santa Cruz, California

The nearest main airport is San Francisco International Airport (SFO, San Francisco), 78 km as the crow flies. How to get around United States (train, car, bus) is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/#moverse), and what to sort out before you leave is in [its checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/#antes-de-salir).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=36.9719%2C-122.0264)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=36.9719%2C-122.0264)

## Other towns nearby

- [pescadero](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/pescadero/): 7 places · 36 km
- [Gilroy](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/gilroy/): 34 places · 37 km
- [San Jose, California](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/san-jose/): 61 places · 40 km
- [Monterey, California](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterrey/): 27 places · 43 km
- [Salinas, California](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/salinas/): 10 places · 47 km
- [Mountain View](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/mountain-view/): 25 places · 49 km

And all of United States, in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is there to see in Santa Cruz, California?

The best known: [Monterey Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterey-bay/), [Mystery Spot](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/mystery-spot/), [SS Palo Alto](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/s-s-palo-alto/), [The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/the-forest-of-nisene-marks-state-park/), [Giant Dipper](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/giant-dipper/). In all, 38 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.

### When is the best time to visit Santa Cruz, California?

March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 14 h 31 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 28.

### How do you get to Santa Cruz, California?

The nearest main airport is San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 78 km away. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=36.9719%2C-122.0264) opens the route on the map.

### How do I add it to my trip?

Create a trip with Santa Cruz, California as the destination and these 38 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright), licensed under the ODbL, from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/), CC0, cities from [Natural Earth](https://www.naturalearthdata.com/) and airports from [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/data/). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).