Downtown

Santa Cruz

Popular places to visit

Gotta ride this 100 year old wooden roller Coaster on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Enjoy the thrill rides with your kiddos at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk as part of your trip to Santa Cruz. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the biking trails.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The place where you can't stay straight.

Mystery Spot

Find out about the history of Santa Cruz with a stop at Mystery Spot. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the surfing spots.

Mystery Spot
USA-Santa Cruz-Natural Bridges State Beach; Shutterstock ID 101070745

Natural Bridges State Park

You can take time to visit Natural Bridges State Park during your travels to Santa Cruz. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the biking trails.

Natural Bridges State Park
Pier at Santa Cruz, California

Santa Cruz Wharf

After visiting Santa Cruz Wharf, make a plan to see the other sights and activities in Santa Cruz. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the surfing spots.

Santa Cruz Wharf
CWFJJA USA California CA Santa Cruz clock tower and trolley on Pacific Avenue

Pacific Avenue

During your visit to Santa Cruz, you can browse for the perfect souvenirs at Pacific Avenue. Wander the beautiful beaches in this family-friendly area.

Pacific Avenue
EN5XP1 Street scene in autumn with shops art galleries on Ocean Avenue Carmel Monterey County California

Ocean Street

During your visit to Santa Cruz, you can enjoy retail therapy at Ocean Street. Wander the area's beautiful beaches or simply enjoy one of its top-notch restaurants.

Ocean Street

Things to do

Santa Cruz Redwoods Forest Therapy

Redwoods Forest Bathing

P5,239
per adult
Redwoods Forest Bathing
Rock Climbing 2 - Beyond the Basics

Outdoor Rock Climbing - Level 2

P7,005
per adult
Outdoor Rock Climbing - Level 2
Mermaid family photoshoot Santa Cruz

Mermaid Experience & Photoshoot

P12,950
per adult
Mermaid Experience & Photoshoot
See all activities in Santa Cruz

Top hotels in Downtown

Ocean Pacific Lodge

Ocean Pacific Lodge

2 out of 5
301 Pacific Avenue Santa Cruz CA
Stay at this motel in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and 2 hot tubs. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular attractions ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,286 reviews)
We enjoyed our stay

Reviewed on Jan 17, 2026

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Ocean Pacific Lodge
Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection

Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection

4 out of 5
611 Ocean St Santa Cruz CA
The price is P6,856 per night from Jan 29 to Jan 30
P6,856
P7,937 total
Jan 29 - Jan 30
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,185 reviews)
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Reviewed on Jan 20, 2026

Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection
Seacliff Inn Aptos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

Seacliff Inn Aptos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

3.5 out of 5
7500 Old Dominion Court Aptos CA
The price is P6,480 per night from Feb 3 to Feb 4
P6,480
P7,515 total
Feb 3 - Feb 4
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Aptos. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Our guests praise the restaurant and the helpful ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,052 reviews)
Place was nice and

Reviewed on Jan 21, 2026

Seacliff Inn Aptos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Chaminade Resort & Spa

Chaminade Resort & Spa

4 out of 5
1 Chaminade Ln Santa Cruz CA
The price is P7,469 per night from Feb 1 to Feb 2
P7,469
P11,029 total
Feb 1 - Feb 2
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this spa resort in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the restaurant and the helpful ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,001 reviews)
Clean, friendly staff, excellent amenities

Reviewed on Jan 21, 2026

Chaminade Resort & Spa
Dream Inn Santa Cruz

Dream Inn Santa Cruz

4 out of 5
175 W Cliff Dr Santa Cruz CA
The price is P12,686 per night from Feb 9 to Feb 10
P12,686
P14,478 total
Feb 9 - Feb 10
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this beach resort in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and a beach locale. Our guests praise the restaurant and the helpful staff ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,000 reviews)
This was our 2nd trip to Santa Cruz and we only stay on this hotel. Will go again soon!!!

Reviewed on Jan 20, 2026

Dream Inn Santa Cruz
La Bahia Hotel and Spa

La Bahia Hotel and Spa

4.5 out of 5
215 Beach Street Santa Cruz CA
The price is P15,051 per night from Jan 28 to Jan 29
P15,051
P20,189 total
Jan 28 - Jan 29
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this luxury hotel in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and 3 restaurants. Popular attractions Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Capitola ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (93 reviews)
Beautiful rooms, comfortable beds, friendly staff.

Reviewed on Jan 18, 2026

La Bahia Hotel and Spa
See all 1,150 properties in Downtown
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighbourhoods around Downtown

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Mission Hill

While visiting Mission Hill, you might make a stop by sights like Mission Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park.

Mission Hill
Downtown, Santa Cruz, California, USA, during autumn. The image shows the street with trees in fall colors, buildings, and a bus. The photo shows the city's architecture.

Downtown Santa Cruz

Unique features of Downtown Santa Cruz include the beaches and restaurants. Make a stop by Pacific Avenue or Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History while you're exploring the area.

Downtown Santa Cruz
This is a small state park at the northern end of Santa Cruz' scenic West Cliff Drive and a little over a mile from the Boardwalk, wharf and Main Beach. A couple of times a year you can see Monarch butterflies during their migration. They are not in the numbers of years past, but you'll still see some. If you walk north towards the rocks during low tide you will find some amazing tidepools full of sea anenomes, sea urchins, starfish, crabs, hermit crabs, and all sorts of marine life. The tidepools are on a ledge, so the tide needs to be quite high

Westside Santa Cruz

Westside Santa Cruz is known for its stunning beaches, and with sights like Monterey Bay and Pacific Avenue, you won't get bored spending a day wandering around this part of Santa Cruz.

Westside Santa Cruz
CWFJJA USA California CA Santa Cruz clock tower and trolley on Pacific Avenue

Beach Hill - Beach Flats

Beach Hill - Beach Flats might not have many top sights, but Main Beach and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Beach Hill - Beach Flats
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Lower Ocean

If you're looking for some top things to see and do in Lower Ocean and surrounding area, you can visit Pacific Avenue and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Lower Ocean
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Circles

While there might not be top attractions in Circles, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Cowell's Beach and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center.

Circles

Downtown