Check these first — Santa Cruz always has something happening you'd never expect.
Official county calendar — comprehensive and updated frequently.
The alt-weekly calendar — best for local music, art, and community picks.
Community event listings across all categories.
Local news outlet with a well-curated events calendar.
Pop-ups, local artisans, Home Sweet Santa Cruz — the best of homegrown community events.
From ancient redwoods to coastal bluffs — Santa Cruz outdoor options are genuinely world-class.
Iconic coastal bluff path. Dolphins, surfers, and the best sunset views in town.
Ancient giants on a flat, stroller-friendly grove loop. Easy for all ages.
Coastal trail with sweeping ocean views. Farmhouse ruins and wildflowers too.
A genuinely magical forest trail — the name doesn't lie.
Deep forest hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains — miles of quiet trails.
Forest trails and meditation classes. A genuinely peaceful escape.
Outstanding birding. Rare plant collections. Stunning hillside campus setting.
Great for Birding
Local guided tours — 3 routes to choose from. History, architecture, great stories.
Beginner-friendly surf school right at Cowell Beach — the most protected, mellow break in town, right next to the Boardwalk. Best spot to learn in Santa Cruz.
Cowell Beach Book Ahead
One of the most respected surf schools in Santa Cruz — Richard has been teaching here for decades. A local institution.
Local Institution Book Ahead
Scenic mountain bike trails around the county — beginner to expert.
Mountain and road bike rentals from a great local shop.
Electric bikes for the hills. See more with less effort.
City-wide electric bike share. Affordable, fun, easy to pick up/drop off.
Santa Cruz punches way above its weight musically. Jazz, indie, Latin, Afrobeat — all within a few miles of each other.
World-class jazz in an intimate 200-seat room. One of the best small jazz venues in the country. 320 Cedar St, downtown.
Jazz Downtown
The big room. National touring acts, local legends, and everything in between since 1969. 1011 Pacific Ave.
Live Music Downtown
Blues, reggae, salsa, funk — the vibe here is always right. 1535 Commercial Way. Check the calendar before you go.
Blues Reggae Eastside
Open-air amphitheater carved into a former limestone quarry on the UCSC campus. Stunning natural acoustics and redwood backdrop.
Outdoor UCSC
Free weekly salsa dancing on the beach/wharf area. All levels welcome — lessons usually included. Sunday evenings.
Dance Free Wharf
Bi-weekly Afrobeats DJ party at the outdoor Abbott Square Market, 725 Front St. Great energy, great people.
DJ Afrobeat Downtown
Craft brewery at 119 Madrone St with a packed live music calendar. Comedy nights too. Solid beer, great atmosphere.
Live Music Brewery
Summer block party on Soquel Ave with live bands, food trucks, and local vendors. Fridays May–August, 5–9 PM. Free.
Block Party Free Midtown
Santa Cruz has a deep creative streak — from Shakespeare under the redwoods to First Friday gallery walks downtown.
Monthly countywide art tour on first Friday evenings. Galleries, shops, and cultural venues all open their doors. Free and walkable downtown.
Gallery Walk Free Downtown
Professional Shakespeare performances at the Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park, surrounded by towering redwoods. A magical summer tradition.
Theater Outdoor Redwoods
The Museum of Art & History at 705 Front St is the cultural heart of downtown. Abbott Square out front hosts markets, music, and community events.
Museum Downtown Community
Pop-up culture, local vendor collaborations, and creative community events. Always something interesting happening.
Pop-Up Community
Craft beer, mountain wineries, food truck rallies, and summer block parties. Santa Cruz takes its food and drink scene seriously.
Monthly food truck event at Skypark with rotating vendors, beer & wine garden, and live music. Last Friday of each month, 5–8 PM.
Food Trucks Scotts Valley
Summer block party on Soquel Ave with food trucks, local vendors, and live bands. Fridays May–August, 5–9 PM. Free admission.
Block Party Free Midtown
Foggy IPAs, pastry stouts, and experimental brews. Dog-friendly beer garden at 820 Swift St with rotating food trucks.
Brewery Westside
Barrel-aged blends and hop-forward beers at 119 Madrone St. Live music calendar, comedy nights, and a creative kitchen.
Brewery Live Music
Award-winning organic brewery since 2005 at 402 Ingalls St. Flagship ales, seasonal brews, and food from Kelly's French Bakery.
Brewery Organic
Belgian-style saisons and specialty beers at 1315 Water St. Small pub with outdoor patio. Bookie's Pizza available on-site.
Brewery Belgian
Walkable urban tasting rooms including Madson Wines, Margins Wine, Birichino, and Big Basin Vineyards. No car needed.
Wine Urban
80+ wineries and 200 growers in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. Wine trails, passport programs, and tasting rooms worth the drive.
Wine Mountains
SUP yoga in the harbor, sunrise flows on the beach, float tanks, redwood retreats — Santa Cruz is a wellness town through and through.
Yoga on paddleboards in the calm harbor waters. Saturday & Sunday at 8:30 AM. $45/person. All levels welcome.
SUP Yoga Harbor
All-levels yoga flow on the seaside roof deck at La Bahia Hotel. Saturday & Sunday 9 AM. Mats provided, space limited.
Yoga Oceanfront
Outdoor all-levels yoga among the redwoods in Felton. Wednesdays & Sundays at 9 AM. $25/person.
Yoga Redwoods Felton
Locally female-owned studio at 406 Mission St with 25+ group classes weekly. Reformer and mat classes with small class sizes.
Pilates Studio
Sensory deprivation float tanks, infrared sauna, cold plunge, and red light therapy. 1395 41st Ave, Capitola.
Float Spa Capitola
Tibetan Buddhist retreat on 108 acres in Soquel. Daily classes, yoga, meditation, and hiking trails. 19 private retreat rooms.
Retreat Meditation Soquel
Premium massage therapy in a historic Victorian at 556 Ocean View Ave. Swedish, deep tissue, prenatal, sports, and craniosacral.
Massage Therapy
75-acre luxury retreat in the Scotts Valley redwoods. Immersive workshops, world-class spa, farm-to-table dining. Day visitors welcome.
Retreat Wellness Scotts Valley
Our favorite spots across Santa Cruz — organized by neighborhood. From breakfast tacos to Michelin-pedigree dinners, there's something for everyone.
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Near Boardwalk & Beach
All walkable from the sand — great for before or after beach time.
Breakfast and lunch right at 125 Beach St. Fresh local ingredients, great coffee, and a laid-back boardwalk vibe. Get the breakfast sandwich.
Breakfast Lunch Boardwalk
Made-from-scratch artisanal ice cream at 913 Cedar St. Seasonal flavors with local ingredients. A Santa Cruz essential.
Ice Cream Downtown
105+ flavors of Michoacana-style ice cream at 1020 Ocean St. A Santa Cruz institution for decades. Kids love it.
Ice Cream Family
Casual beachfront restaurant at La Bahia Hotel, 215 Beach St. Pacific Island-inspired cuisine with ocean views.
Beachfront Dining
Ocean-view dining at the Dream Inn, 175 W Cliff Dr. Seafood and local ingredients. Best sunset cocktails in town.
Fine Dining Ocean View
Perfect stop on the West Cliff walk. Homemade, locally owned, great bite with a view.
Walk-Up West Cliff
Downtown
Pacific Ave and surrounds — the heart of Santa Cruz's food scene.
Farm-to-table — they literally have their own farm. Vegetarian only, casual walk-up. A family favorite.
Vegetarian Walk-Up 🌟 Fav
Breakfast sandwiches, locally owned, walk-up. Creative, satisfying, and fast.
Walk-Up Breakfast
Really yummy sit-down breakfast. Local chain from San Jose.
Sit-Down Breakfast
Locally owned, a true local favorite. No reservations — go early or expect a wait. Worth it.
Local Fav No Reservations
Food hall: vegan, Cat & Cloud coffee, pizza, Pana Arepas, Belly Goat Burgers, and more.
Food Hall Many Options
Coffee by day, ramen/pho/fried chicken sandwiches/craft cocktails/music by night. Hip and local.
Day + Night Hip
Local, walk-up, live shows, beer garden, cool vibe. Hawaiian comfort food done right.
Walk-Up Beer Garden
Yummy, casual Turkish street food. An underrated gem downtown.
Turkish Casual
Asian-Chinese with a twist. Super yummy walk-up beside the Redroom bar.
Walk-Up Asian Fusion
Downtown sushi favorite. Fresh and well-made.
Sushi
Solid local taqueria. Reliable, filling, and authentic.
Taqueria
Authentic Mexican at 55 Front St — a 70-year tradition since 1955. The real deal.
Mexican Downtown
Curries, tandoori, and biryani at 1501 Mission St. Consistent, flavorful, and a solid lunch option.
Indian Mission St
Local coffee shop at 131 Front St with homemade bagels and fresh pastries. Cozy neighborhood spot.
Coffee Bakery
Midtown & Seabright
The locals' neighborhood — some of the best food in town lives here.
They smoke their own meats in-house. Veggie options too. Local and genuinely yummy.
Local Deli
One of the best breakfast spots in town. Get there early — walk-up only.
🌟 Best Breakfast Walk-Up
Favorite Italian restaurant in town. Best sourdough bread. Period. Reservations essential.
🌟 Best Italian Reservations
Local café, cute vibe. A nice neighborhood spot for coffee or a light bite.
Café
Favorite local sushi spot. Walk-up only. Fresh, well-priced, worth the wait.
🌟 Fav Sushi Walk-Up
Detroit-style pizza. The best pizza in town. Local, no-frills, outstanding.
🌟 Best Pizza Detroit Style
Westside
Near the university and Natural Bridges — laid-back neighborhood gems.
Oaxacan cuisine and mezcal. Elevated, soulful, and unlike anything else in town. Reservations needed.
Oaxacan Mezcal Reservations
Great local coffee with the best breakfast burrito in the county. No debate.
🌟 Best Breakfast Burrito
Outdoor, local, good food and coffee. Chill westside hangout.
Outdoor Local
From the bread maker at Michelin-starred Manresa. Exceptional bread, pastries, and food.
🌟 Michelin Pedigree
Dinner only. Great vibe, outstanding pizza, walk-in only. A westside institution.
Dinner Only Walk-In
Small, cozy, hearty portions. Excellent Thai — consistently good value.
Thai Cozy
Aptos & Capitola
10–15 minutes south — worth the short drive for destination-worthy meals.
Yummy, well-made Italian food. Locally owned and consistently excellent. Reservations needed.
Italian Reservations
From the chef/owner of Michelin-starred Manresa. Reservations essential. A destination meal.
🌟 Michelin Star Chef Reservations
California cuisine with lovely service. Relaxed and well-executed.
California Cuisine
Same owners as Cavalletta. Really well done food. Reservations needed.
Reservations Capitola
Ride the funicular down to a restaurant overlooking the river. Feels like dining in a beautiful house. If staying within 2 miles, book their free old-fashioned taxi!
🌟 Experience Free Taxi Reservations
Greek/Mediterranean, great wraps and salads, walk-up. Reliable and fresh.
Walk-Up Mediterranean
Local Markets & Coffee
Stock up, grab a coffee, or hit the farmers market — all homegrown Santa Cruz.
Started right here in Santa Cruz — now in the Bay Area too. Great ready-made food and organic groceries.
Started in SC
Local, organic, ready-made. Vegan and meat options. One of the best local markets in town.
Local Organic
Running Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at various locations.
Wed Fri Sat Sun
Started right here in Santa Cruz — now a national name. World-class pour-overs, sunny courtyard.
Started in SC