Local Attractions

• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Located on a mile-long stretch between Monterey and San Francisco, families can enjoy fun in the sun with various rides and attractions to choose from. The park features two classic rides that are National Historic Landmarks, the 1911 Looff Carousel and the 1924 Giant Dipper rollercoaster.

There are also exciting indoor attractions such as Laser Tag at Section 7. The Casino Fun Center includes state-of-the-art video games, while Neptune's Kingdom offers pool tables.

Please note that The Boardwalk is open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day and then weekends and holidays during autumn and spring. Indoor attractions such as the Boardwalk's Grand Arcades are open year-round with the exception of December 25.

Address: 400 Beach Street 95060
Phone: 831 426 5590
Directions: 75 minutes south of San Francisco, 45 minutes north of the Monterey/Carmel area and 30 minutes from the San Jose area. Take Highway 17 or Highway 1 to Santa Cruz and follow the street signs to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

• Santa Cruz Surfing Museum

Open Daily: not Tue or Wed
Address: Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse , West Cliff Dr
Phone: 831 420 6259
Directions: Take Hwy 17 until it ends onto Ocean St, turn right onto Soquel Ave, turn left onto Front St, go straight ahead and then left onto Pacific Ave, turn right onto Beach St, then turn left onto West Cliff Drive.

• Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park

Mission Hill is the birthplace of Santa Cruz and the first permanent European settlement in Santa Cruz County as well as the religious, commercial, industrial and agricultural centre of the county until the gold rush era. Mission Santa Cruz was established in 1791 and built between the years of 1822 and 1824, mostly by the work of Native Americans in what was then known as "Alta California". These Native Americans were the residents of what is now Santa Cruz County's oldest building. The single-story adobe structure, made from mud and straw bricks, has been restored to its original appearance, as a reminder of the past.

Holy Cross Church, the successor to the Mission, replaced the ruins of the adobe chapel with a wooden church in 1857, and the wooden church with the present brick one in 1884-1887. The park itself is an ideal place to enjoy a relaxing walk through beautiful surroundings. There are also a number of spots to have a picnic.

Thu, Fri, Sat, and Sun only
Address: 144 School St 95060
Phone: 831 425 5849
Directions: Take Hwy 1 north to its intersection with Mission Street and turn left. Turn left on Emmet Street next to Mission Plaza and right on School Street.

• Museum of Art and History

Exhibitions at MAH feature a variety of art and design, including sculpture and photography, as well as social and historical issues that give an insight into the region and its people.

Daily:
Address: McPherson Center, 705, Front St
Phone: 831 429 1964
Directions: The museum is located in downtown Santa Cruz at the intersection of Front and Cooper Streets. From Highway 17, continue down Ocean Street to Water and turn right. Turn left sharply at the town clock. Continue on until you see the museum building. From Highway 1 entering Santa Cruz from the South, follow the same directions. From Highway 1 entering Santa Cruz from the North, turn right at Laurel Street and continue until you turn left at Front Street, the Museum is on the left 3 blocks down.

Nearby Activities

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Local Transportation

• Clam Chowder Cook Off

During Clam Chowder Cook Off a panel of culinary and celebrity judges choose the winning soups based on flavour, colour and consistency and a cash prize is awarded to the team sporting the most original costumes. Arrive early at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and see the teams concocting their chowder creations, which are available to sample from lunchtime onwards.

Event Date(s): February 20, 2011*
* To Be Confirmed.
Venue Name: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Address: 400 Beach Street 95060
Phone: 831 426 5590
Directions: 75 minutes south of San Francisco, 45 minutes north of the Monterey/Carmel area and 30 minutes from the San Jose area. Take Highway 17 or Highway 1 to Santa Cruz and follow the street signs to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

• Shakespeare Santa Cruz

The 2010 festival sees the production of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost and Othello alongside The Lion in Winter by James Goldman.

An important educational aspect of the season is the Weekend with Shakespeare conference, comprised of lectures and discussions and includes an open forum with the directors and actors.

It is a long-standing tradition for the audience to bring blankets, cushions, or low-backed and short-legged beach chairs for use in the glen. A limited number of beach chairs are available for hire and modified Adirondack chairs can be rented.

Date(s):
July 20, 2010 - August 29, 2010
July 20, 2011 - August 29, 2011 *
* To Be Confirmed.
Venue Name: UCSC Performing Arts Theatre
Address: University of California, 1156 High Street 95064
Phone: 831 459 0111
Directions: By Road: take Highway 1 or 17 (I-880), to Santa Cruz. Both will turn into Mission Street. Take Mission Street to Bay Street, then turn north on Bay up to High Street. Turn left on High Street and proceed up Empire Grade and turn right on Heller (through UCSC's West Entrance).

• Capitola Art & Wine Festival

It's no surprise that after almost 20 years, this festival still manages to draw a mix of visitors every year. First there are delicious wines on offer courtesy of various Santa Cruz Mountain wineries. Then the entertainment bill that includes live soul, Latin and jazz acts is always a sure hit. And who could forget the art and intricate crafts stalls where visitors can buy one-of-a-kind wares and meet the talented artists who crafted them.

Date(s):
September 11, 2010 - September 12, 2010
September 11, 2011 - September 12, 2011 *
* To Be Confirmed.
Location: Santa Cruz

• Open Studios

Love pottery or photography? Or is it sculpture that gets your pulse racing? At the annual Open Studios, organised by the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County, a wealth of artists specialising in various disciplines open their doors for free. Art Tour information is made available through the 15-month Artist Guide/Calendar which costs US$20 and benefits local arts and arts learning programmes.

For more information, please visit the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County Open Studios website.

Date(s):
October 3, 2010 - October 18, 2010 *
October 3, 2011 - October 18, 2011 *
* To Be Confirmed.
Location: Santa Cruz

• World Qualifying Series - O'Neill Coldwater Classic

The second tier is the World Qualifying Series (WQS), which has around 40 competitions annually. The top WQS surfers strive to make enough championship points to break into the following year's championship tour, but events are also a great opportunity for local surfers to showcase their skills.

Date(s):
November 2, 2010 - November 8, 2010 *
November 2, 2011 - November 8, 2011 *
* To Be Confirmed.
Location: Santa Cruz

• Santa Cruz Fungus Fair

Organized by Santa Cruz Natural History Museum, the fair celebrates its 36th year in 2010 with a jam-packed programme including mushroom exhibits, cooking demonstrations, lectures on a range of issues such as medicinal mushrooms and hands-on activities for children, including Fungus exploration tables and clay mushroom building.

Date(s):
January 9, 2011 - January 10, 2011 *
January 9, 2012 - January 10, 2012 *
* To Be Confirmed.
Location: Santa Cruz
Venue Name: Louden Nelson Community Center
Address: 301 Center Street 95060
Phone: 831 420 6177