Where to Stay in Santa Cruz

Our Favorite Hotels

Luxury Hotel: Hotel Paradox β€’ Boutique Hotel: Capitola Inn
β€’ Distinctive lodging: Capitola Hotel
β€’ Cheap Hotel: Ocean Pacific Lodge
β€’ The ” W Hotel” provides accommodation. This property can be reached at +34 932 95 28 00. β€’ The holiday home is Opal Cliff Beach House. β€’ Best Pool: Dream Inn Santa Cruz

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Best Areas to Stay in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is a quintessential Californian beach town, facing the Pacific some 70 miles south of San Francisco. It’s best known for its lengthy sandy beaches, excellent surfing, the attractions of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park (like the vintage Giant Dipper), the UC Santa Cruz campus, and a flourishing LGBT scene.

The main action and lodging in the city is located on or near the Boardwalk/Beach neighborhood, while Downtown is roughly a mile inland and centered around Pacific Avenue. Just across the San Lorenzo River, which divides the city, lie the hip Midtown and Seabright neighborhoods, while the primarily residential coastal area from Santa Cruz Beach is referred to as Westside. We’ve also covered Capitola, the upscale seaside town 6 miles east of Downtown Santa Cruz, and the San Lorenzo Valley to the north, dominated by the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains. There are no 5-star hotels in Santa Cruz, but there are a handful of high-end 4-stars, plus several top-quality boutique hotels, charming bed and breakfasts, and average chain hotels. Santa Cruz has an excellent bus system, with $2 basic fares and all-day passes for $6. Though you really don’t need a car to explore most of the areas discussed below, it’s more convenient to drive if exploring the San Lorenzo Valley.

The Best Places to Stay in Santa Cruz

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Best Neighborhoods in Santa Cruz for…

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    • Best Neighborhood for First Timers: The Boardwalk and Beach
      While the town of Capitola offers pleasant charm, those visiting Santa Cruz to experience its primary attractions would do well to stay in the lively Santa Cruz Boardwalk/Beach neighborhood where most lodging is found and easy access is provided to the renowned shoreline and adjacent Boardwalk amusement park. An array of quality dining and drinking options line Beach Street amidst the energetic summer atmosphere featuring events such as beach volleyball competitions and the β€œBands on the Beach” concert series. Additionally, the historic Santa Cruz Wharf stretching over half a mile into the bay houses excellent seafood restaurants and shops, being the longest pier along the West Coast. Its central location also aids travel to other nearby communities.
    • Most Romantic Locale: Capitola
      Though it can become crowded in the summer, Capitola Village is certainly the most scenic place to stay in the area with its small Mediterranean-style cottages and cafes lining the waterfront and an array of independent boutiques and romantic restaurants in the center – long-time favorite Shadowbrook is one of the best dining experiences for a memorable night out. The spread of charming inns and B&Bs here also lends itself to romance – especially the Inn at Depot Hill
    • Prime Neighborhood for Nightlife: Downtown
      While the beachfront can get fairly lively, especially during summer and on weekends, Pacific Avenue in Downtown Santa Cruz is the city`s hub for nightlife activities – most of the spots are conveniently located within stumbling distance of one another. Here you`ll find the Redroom, with its main bar downstairs and a restaurant and lounge upstairs, the popular dive bar Asti, lively nightclubs such as Motiv and the Catalyst Club, the live venue the Blue Lagoon, and world-renowned jazz performances at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center. Westside gets an honorable mention for its excellent microbreweries, like Humble Sea Brewing Co and Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, as well as numerous wine tasting rooms (which includes MJA Vineyards and Sones Cellars)
    • Best Neighborhood for Food and Restaurants: Downtown
      It’s hard to beat Downtown Santa Cruz again when it comes to eating. Standouts include the Mexican and Spanish plates at Lupulo Craft Beer House, upscale New American restaurant Alderwood Santa Cruz, wine-shop/restaurant combo Soif,Penny Ice Creamery, and the Abbott Square Market food hall. Verve Coffee Roasters is one of many hip cafΓ©s, while Walnut Avenue CafΓ© is a classic spot for breakfast. Downtown Santa Cruz’s Farmers’ Market (year-round on Wednesdays) also boasts tasty local food pop-ups.
    • Best Neighborhood for Shopping: Downtown & Soquel
      Pacific Avenue in the downtown area continues to excel in shopping, with numerous eccentric stores and independent businesses to explore. An O’Neill Surf Shop is located here in the Cooperhouse Shopping Center; the chain was founded in Santa Cruz in 1959 by renowned California surfer Jack O’Neill. Bookshop Santa Cruz is another favored location, along with women’s fashions at Pacific Trading Co, and lifestyle store Artisans & Agency. The Santa Cruz Antique Faire is typically held monthly on Lincoln Street, between Pacific and Cedar streets. Otherwise, the best place for antiques is in the old town of Soquel (5 miles east of Santa Cruz), especially along Soquel Drive – there’s a cluster of fine antique shops here, such as Center Street Antiques.

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    • Best Neighborhood for Local Vibe: Westside
      We love the laid-back businesses, cafΓ©s and craft breweries of Westside, especially along Mission Street and Swift Street – you’ll almost always be mixing with locals here. The Swift Street Courtyard at 402 Swift St (an old brussels sprout packing plant) is home to urban tasting rooms for six local wineries, plus Kelly’s French Bakery,Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery, and El Salchichero’s handcrafted charcuterie. There are great local cafΓ©s like Westside Coffee Co (inside Almar Shopping Center), and Emily’s Good Things to Eat, cool restaurants like Vim Dining and Desserts, and interesting stores like the Santa Cruz Shirt Outlet and Noe Surfboards, as well as the wacky Court of Mysteries at 515 Fair Avenue, a bizarre-temple like complex built by a couple of eccentrics in the 1930s.

€› Item: Safe and Unsafe Areas of Santa Cruz
.€� Santa Cruz is reasonably safe based on California standards, though customary precautions should be taken at night. The Boardwalk/Beach area can get lively at night, and theft does occur (car break-ins are also an issue). The key areas to avoid are the Beach Flats (bounded by Beach, Third, and Cliff streets), and Lower Ocean Street regions. Like many California cities, Santa Cruz city center hosts a sizable homeless population. Capitola is generally the safest place in the vicinity.

The 6 Best Neighborhoods in Santa Cruz for Tourists

1. The Boardwalk/Beach

a beach filled with lots of colorful umbrellas

The sandy beach remains a main draw for Santa Cruz, stretching widely on both sides of the century-old wooden pier, the Santa Cruz Wharf. There are volleyball areas on the beach, and the water is usually warm enough and safe for swimming during the summer season. The pier itself is packed with fresh fish stalls, seafood eateries, and gift shops, while the iconic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, just eastward, boasts a vintage arcade, amusement park, mini golf course, laser tag, and free concerts during the summer. Among the bumper cars, donut stands, and heritage carousels, the constant favorite is the Giant Dipper, a wooden rollercoaster built in 1924. Other options include the free of charge Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center. Staying in this area means there`s plenty of choice when it comes to lodging, and getting to Downtown is straightforward by taxi or bus. This neighborhood can get lively at night, and theft may possibly be an issue here – your hotel should be able to advise you on the current situation.

2. Downtown Santa Cruz

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The downtown region of Santa Cruz, located north of Laurel Street, is situated on the west side of the San Lorenzo River, approximately a mile north of the coastal areas – it has a distinct personality comprised of businesses, art galleries, restaurants, and bars along the tree-lined primary corridor, Pacific Avenue. A weekly farmers` market is held here, and there are excellent choices for dining – standouts are Snap Taco and the sweet treats at Pacific Cookie Company. Attractions include the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History and the adjacent Octagon Building on 118 Cooper St, which leads into the Abbott Square Market.Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park resides at the northern end of Pacific Avenue, conserving the remnants of the Spanish MisiΓ³n la Exaltacion de la Santa Cruz, founded in 1791. There is also the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, a venue for performing arts, and the Kaiser Permanente Arena, hosting games for the NBA G-League Santa Cruz Warriors and Santa Cruz Derby Girls (a roller derby team). A few B&Bs and inns can be found in Downtown; the nearest hotels are located in the Beach/Boardwalk area, or across the river in Midtown/Seabright.

3. Seabright/Midtown

a blue and white lighthouse next to a body of water The area of Midtown Santa Cruz lies just across the San Lorenzo River from Downtown, centered along Soquel Avenue east of Ocean Street. In recent years, it has become somewhat of a hipster neighborhood, with various cool cafes and restaurants, bike shops, and live music venues present. To the south, the adjacent neighborhood of Seabright is best known for Seabright Beach, a sandy stretch of coastline between the mouth of the San Lorenzo and Santa Cruz Harbor. The tiny commercial center of the neighborhood can be found around Seabright Avenue and Murray Street, with a cluster of bars and restaurants located two blocks from the beach. Points of interest incorporate the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and the highly acclaimed brewpub Seabright Social. Remaining in Midtown or Seabright is a bit more relaxed than over in Santa Cruz proper, with a good selection of modern hotels in Midtown and cheaper motels along the river

4. Westside

a sandy beach next to a body of water

Santa Cruz’s Westside is most well known for its surf breaks, not least at Cowell Beach’s Steamer Lane. A monument stands on the cliffs above, near the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum (housed in the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse), at a scenic viewpoint called Lighthouse Point. From here West Cliff Drive links a string of lesser-visited coves and beaches that indent the coast to Natural Bridges State Beach. Here waves have carved openings through coastal cliffs to form arches, though three of the four structures referred to as β€œbridges” have collapsed, with just large stacks jutting from the ocean today. The park is also renowned for its annual migration of monarch butterflies, while the Natural Bridges Visitor Center features exhibits on the local area. Further along the coast sits the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, which owns one of the world’s largest displayed blue whale skeletons. Inland, Mission Street is the heart of commercial activity in the neighborhood, lined with coffee shops, breweries, and stores. There aren`t many places to stay in the primarily residential Westside, and other than Mission Street there aren`t many places to eat and drink – it`s best to explore the neighborhood from elsewhere by bicycle or vehicle.

5. Capitola

a small boat sitting on top of a sandy beach

Affluent Capitola is a charming coastal community located east of Santa Cruz, its small center and beach separated by the Soquel Creek. On the west side sits the old pier, Capitola Wharf, topped with the Wharf House Restaurant, while candy-colored β€œVenetian Village” cottages line the sand behind it. On the east side stands the main commercial district, including a number of waterside restaurants along the Esplanade. Capitola is also a great place to learn to surf, with mostly gentle waves and Capitola Beach Company supplying rentals and lessons. Other attractions include the Capitola Historical Museum, set in the old schoolhouse, and the annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival.

6. San Lorenzo Valley

a train traveling through a wooded area

The San Lorenzo River rises to the north of Downtown in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with its winding valley harboring several forest parks and sights along the way, best explored by car on Hwy-9. Santa Cruz’s Pogonip Open Space is a vast area of meadows, woodlands, creeks, and 11 miles of trails that borders the river just north of the UC Santa Cruz campus. It eventually merges into the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and the adjacent family-friendly Roaring Camp Railroads in the town of Felton, which features narrow-gauge train rides and the standard-gauge Santa Cruz Beach Train down to the Boardwalk and back. Not far from the park entrance is the quirky Bigfoot Discovery Museum, while further north the river is traversed by Felton Covered Bridge, spanning 80 feet and the tallest covered bridge in the US. Felton also boasts a weekly farmers’ market on Tuesdays. The Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center in Ben Lomond and San Lorenzo Valley Museum in Boulder Creek can be found further up the valley. Boulder Creek is also known for its live music scene, especially bluegrass and folk. At the far northern end of the valley lies Big Basin Redwoods State Park. The San Lorenzo Valley offers a real contrast with the beach districts – staying here is all about the woods and the quiet. There are a handful of relatively cheap hotels and rustic resorts up here, but most accommodation comprises RV parks and campgrounds. You’ll need a car to get around conveniently.

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Welcome to my travel website! I’m Mary Howard, an American who has been exploring the world full-time for 8 years.

Together with my husband, Intan, we often find ourselves in our second home, Bali, but our adventures take us to exciting destinations all over the globe.

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