Getting to Santa Cruz
All roads lead to Santa Cruz County! Approximately 90 minutes south of San Francisco, Santa Cruz County’s laid-back, west coast vibe offers a classic California experience.
BY CAR
From the north: Travel to Santa Cruz County by car from the San Francisco Bay Area via scenic Highway 17 or iconic Highway 1 along the coast, which is approximately 75 miles/120 km south.
From the south: Driving from southern California, Santa Cruz County is approximately 349 miles/562 km north of Los Angeles and 30 minutes north of Monterey.
Local Area Highways
Highway 1
Highway 5
Highway 9
Highway 17
Highway 101
Highway 129
Highway 152
Highway 156
Highway 280
Highway 880
ROAD CONDITIONS
For current road conditions, contact the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans)
Tel: 1.800.427.ROAD (7623)
Highway 1 Road Conditions in Big Sur
WEATHER INFORMATION
National Weather Service
San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey
Tel: 831.656.1725
BY PLANE
The nearest major airport is San Jose Mineta International Airport, 30 miles/48 km northeast of Santa Cruz. San Francisco International Airport is approximately 60 miles/96 km north of Santa Cruz, and Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport is approximately 65 miles/104 km north of Santa Cruz. The Monterey region is serviced by four major U.S. airlines (Alaska, Allegiant, American, and United).
San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC)
1701 Airport Blvd.
San Jose, CA 95110
Tel: 408.392.3600
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)_
806 South Airport Boulevard
San Francisco, CA 94128
Tel: 1.800.435.9736 or 650.821.8211
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)
1 Airport Drive
Oakland, CA 94621
Tel: 510.563.3300
Monterey Regional Airport (MRY)
200 Fred Kane Drive
Monterey, CA 93940
Tel: 831.648.7000
AIRPORT SHUTTLE SERVICE
Early Bird Airport Shuttle
Early Bird Airport Shuttle
Tel: 831.462.3933
Reuben’s Airport Shuttle
831.325.5836
Santa Cruz Airport Rides
831.888.7653
Santa Cruz Shuttles
831.421.9883
BY BUS AND TRAIN
Catch the Santa Cruz Metro’s Highway 17 Express at Diridon Station or at San Fernando and 7th Streets in San Jose to Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz. Departs numerous times daily.
Local Bus Schedules
Diridon Station is a transportation hub in San Jose and is served by Caltrain, ACE, VTA light rail, and Amtrak trains. The bus plaza at the station is served by Amtrak Thruway, Greyhound, Monterey–Salinas Transit, Santa Cruz METRO (Highway 17 Express), and Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) buses.
- Parking information
- Electric vehicle charging stations map and information
- Bicycle lockers
- Local bus routes