It’s that time of year! 🎅🏄‍♂️ We’ve got a ton of fun holiday events you don’t want to miss! Check our bio link and story for some of the best of the season!

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store this month:

🎄 Winter Wonderland at @beachboardwalk: now – January 5
🚂 Holiday Lights Train with @roaringcamp: December 7-8; 14-23
✨ Holiday Lights at the Fairgrounds: now – December 23rd
⛵️ Lighted Boat Parade at the @santacruzharbor: December 7th
🩰 The Nutcracker: December 21-22

Plus, holiday parades, winter markets, breakfasts with Santa, reindeer run, toy trains, Christmas carols and concerts, wreath making, tree lightings, tree walks, and so much more! Check our blog for dates, times and details!

What holiday events are you going to this season?

#happyholidays #merrychristmas #december #decemberevents #holidayevents #christmas #christmasiscoming #christmasevents #surfingsanta #santacruz #visitsantacruz #santacruzcounty #hohoho

Extremely grateful for this wildly beautiful place we call home. 🫶

Happy Thanksgiving from Santa Cruz County!

Photos 📷 | @dgsc / @beningramvisuals / @thecuratedfeast

#santacruz #santacruzcounty #thanksgiving #happythanksgiving #grateful #visitsantacruz

Fall Creek hikes right now > most. 🌲🌿🍄‍🟫

📍 Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
🥾 Fall Creek Trail to South Fork Trail to Lime Kilns ruins

Approximate 3 miles out and back from the Fall Creek parking lot, this hike is great for the whole family! Banana slugs, mushrooms, salamanders, newts, little waterfalls, and rushing creeks and streams are all fan favorites on this peaceful hike through the redwoods.

#thankful #santacruz #felton #henrycowell #fallcreek #hike #hiking #visitsantacruz #redwoods #waterfalls #limekilns

Pink sunsets must be trending too… 💖

Video 🎥 | @beningramvisuals / @hellobeningram

#pink #pinksunset #pinkponygirl #pinkponyclub #pinkskies #pinksky #beach #chappellroan #twinlakes #thatsmypark #santacruz #visitcalifornia #visitsantacruz #wintersunset #fallsunset #sunsetseason

3️⃣ New Spots You NEED to Try! 🚨 We’ve rounded up three of the hottest spots in Santa Cruz right now. Add these to your next visit and tell us what you think!

1. @afterhourssc! Although this spot isn’t brand new, their cocktails menu is, and it is OFF the charts! You’ll find delicious, one of a kind, crafted and innovative cocktails here plus, sometimes a little something extra like the house-made mochi garnish on the Chanel Vintage cocktail or the absolute BEST lemon lavender shortbread cookie accompanying the Aptos Fog – both cocktails are featured in this video and are an easy 10/10! This spot is a must-try! And shoutout to head bartender and cocktail king, @allenbjur, and the lead baker from @11thhourcoffee, @square.cakes, who dreams up the best After Hours cocktail sidekick treats! 🙌
📍 1001 Center Street, #1, Downtown Santa Cruz

2. @bottegadellago! Italian foodies rejoice! This authentic Italian Gourmet Market & Deli in Live Oak is growing a quick fanbase, and with one visit, you’ll see why! Fresh sandwiches, paninis, pizza, gelato, pastas, salads, and more, the deli is a perfect spot for grab and go eats. Shop the market for pantry items and ingredients direct from Italy. The “LAMERICANO” sandwich with Italian ham, salami Genova, smoked pancetta, muffaletta, and provolone is 🤌!
📍 1701 Portola Drive, Live Oak, Santa Cruz

3. @nicosicecream! Welcome to @downtownsantacruz, Nico’s! This is not your average ice cream shop; this New Zealand-style ice cream blends real fruit with vanilla soft serve and the simplicity is somehow uniquely delicious! Choose your fruit – blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry – and then pick your topping: sprinkles, coconut flakes, graham cracker dust, Tajín, or chamoy. It’s a smooth, flavorful treat that you definitely need to add to your Downtown Santa Cruz list!
📍 111 Locust Street, Downtown Santa Cruz

Have you tried any of these spots yet? Tell us below!

#santacruzeats #santacruz #afterhourssc #11thhour #labottegadellago #nicosicecream #liveoak #dowtownsantacruz #visitsantacruz #new #newspots #cocktails #italiandeli #icecream

All you hikers feeling good right now? We sure love this time of year in the Santa Cruz Mountains! 🌲🥾

Videos 🎥 | @beningramvisuals / @hellobeningram

Locations featured:
📍 Felton
📍 Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
📍 Glenwood Open Space Preserve
📍 The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park

#felton #henrycowell #glenwoodopenspacepreserve #nisenemarks #thatsmypark #hiking #hikers #fall #winter #santacruzmountains #santacruzcounty #aptos #scottsvalley #sanlorenzovalley #visitsantacruz

November sunsets 🌅 > most.

📍 Natural Bridges State Beach
📍 Lighthouse Field State Beach

#facts #oceancalm #santacruz #naturalbridges #lighthousefieldstatebeach #itsbeach #novembersunset

King Tides are almost here! Don’t miss the lowest (and highest) tides of the season: November 15-17 and December 13-15, 2024!

We’ll list the low tides below – plus a few extra bonus dates that will also be a great time to explore.

The extreme low tides expose tide pools rarely seen and allow for miles of beach walking and extended exploration. PLEASE remember to watch your step, leave the creatures alone, and be ocean safe! Check the @visitsantacruz story and bio link for more on King Tides. 🌊

Low Tide Dates & Times:
November 14 @ 3:12pm (-0.7 ft)
November 15 @ 4:01pm (-1.2 ft)
November 16 @ 4:51pm (-1.4 ft)
November 17 @ 5:42pm (-1.3 ft)

December 12 @ 2:21pm (-0.7 ft)
December 13 @ 3:09pm (-1.2 ft)
December 14 @ 3:56pm (-1.5 ft)
December 15 @ 4:43pm (-1.5 ft)
December 16 @ 5:29pm (-1.4 ft)

Cover Photo 📷 | @thecuratedfeast, Liz Birnbaum

#santacruz #kingtides #tidepools #tidepooling #californiakingtides #starfish #seastar #visitsantacruz #lowtide #kingtides #pleasurepoint

It’s simple, really… What do you rate this Davenport morning up the coast?

📍 Highway 1 in Santa Cruz County
📍 Waddell Beach 🏄‍♂️
📍 Shark Fin Cove with @whalecitybakery 🥐

#davenport #highway1 #californiacoast #centralcoasting #visitcalifornia #santacruz #santacruzcounty #california #originalroadtrip #goodinc #visitsantacruz #whalecitybakery #waddellbeach #sharkfincove #happyplace

Welcome back, monarchs! Take a peek at today’s Monarch Grove Trail view at Natural Bridges. 😍 It’s early in the monarch butterflies’ arrival to Santa Cruz, so we hope to see these numbers soar over the next few weeks!

Have you seen the monarchs? First timer or 100th timer, this is a fall/winter must-see in Santa Cruz!

Quick Info:

📅 According to a Docent Naturalist, monarchs tend to arrive at Natural Bridges in mid-October, have peak observation numbers in late-November and early-December, and migrate out of the area by mid to late-January and sometimes into February.

📍The Monarch Grove Trail located at Natural Bridges is open for self-guided monarch tours during park hours (8am to sunset.) Parking is $10.

👀 Pay attention to the weather. The minimum temperature a monarch needs to fly is 55 degrees. Temperatures below 55, mean you are more likely to see monarch clusters hanging like leaves off the eucalyptus trees, which can also be quite mesmerizing. But please note, when the monarchs are clustered it is easy to pass them up! Make sure you look closely.

Videos taken today, October 29, 2024
Cover Photo 📷 | @thecuratedfeast, Liz Birnbaum, 2023

#monarchbutterfly #monarch #monarchbutterflies #naturalbridges #monarchgrovetrail #monarchs #butterflies #naturalbridgesstatebeach #fall #winter #santacruz #santacruzcounty #visitsantacruz #santacruzbucketlist

Guess what’s coming early this year???? King Tides! 🌊🐚🦀 Mark your calendars for the lowest and highest tides of the year: November 15-17 & December 13-15. Read our blog (in bio link) or check our story for details on where and when to go and how to enjoy safely and responsibly this season!

Video & Cover 📷 | @beningramvisuals / @hellobeningram

#kingtides #californiakingtides #lowtide #tidepooling #pleasurepoint #comingsoon #santacruz #fall #tidepools #visitsantacruz

Davenport just hits different in the fall… What are your go-to Highway 1 stops this time of year? 🌊🎃🥧🍂🌾🍓🥐

Location 1️⃣: Waddell Beach 🚙🌊
Location 2️⃣: @swantonberryfarm 🥧🍓
Location 3️⃣: @rodoni_farms_santacruz (Rodoni Farm Fresh Produce)

#davenport #fall #autumn #swantonberryfarm #pie #strawberries #pumpkinpatch #slowcoast #freshpie #highway1 #visitcalifornia #originalroadtrip #centralcoasting #santacruz #santacruzcounty #visitsantacruz #santacruzbucketlist

Santa Cruz… what a wonderful world. 🫶

Videos by | @dgsc + @beningramvisuals

#santacruz #wonderfulworld #montereybay #ocean #surf #sunrise #rainbow #clouds #visitca #visitsantacruz #centralcoasting

Oh, the river side of @capitolavillage… 🫶 Do you know this part of the village?

Incredible restaurants like @shadowbrook_restaurant, @trestles_capitola, @lamareacafe, and @avenuecafe__ are tucked away from the beachfront but have every bit of Capitola Village charm!

Photos 📷 | @dgsc

#capitola #soquelcreek #river #capitolavillage #traintrestle #capitolacalifornia #visitcapotitola #visitsantacruz