In Santa Cruz County, an appetite for adventure usually comes with an appetite for something delicious, and the best beach days make room for both. From long afternoons swimming and surfing to sunset walks along the shoreline, the county’s beaches offer endless ways to spend a day outside. And when it is time to fuel up, some of Santa Cruz County’s best restaurants, cafés, and local favorites are waiting nearby.
Welcome to Adventure Appetites, a new series pairing great Santa Cruz County adventures with the food that fuels them. In this first installment, we are pairing some of the county’s best beaches with nearby places to eat, showing you how to build the perfect beach day from start to finish. Grab breakfast before heading to the sand, pick up lunch to keep the adventure going, or settle in for a well-earned meal when the sun goes down. From Manresa and Pajaro Dunes to Capitola, Rio Del Mar, Seabright, and Main Beach, here is where to spend the day at the beach and where to follow your appetite afterward.
Manresa State Beach & Pajaro Dunes
The South County coast is made for a full day of adventure. Manresa State Beach and Pajaro Dunes offer long, flat stretches of sand with plenty of room to spread out, play in the waves, and explore the rolling dunes that give this part of the coastline its distinctive character. It is the kind of place where you can arrive with a beach bag in the morning and still find something new to explore by afternoon, whether you are swimming, surfing, building sandcastles, beachcombing, or simply wandering the shoreline. With camping at Manresa State Beach and lodging at Pajaro Dunes Resort, this stretch of coast is especially well suited to a family campout or a full weekend of beach adventure.
After a full day by the water, make the short drive to The Hangar in Watsonville for a refuel that lets everyone choose their own adventure. This former aviation hangar has become a lively food and drink destination with a variety of options gathered together, making it an easy place to land when everyone is hungry but craving something different. Settle in at Beer Mule for a drink and a full kitchen, grab a New York-style slice or Detroit-style square from Slice Project at The Hangar, or go for tacos at Tacos El Fuego. For something sweet, Mr. Z’s Crêpes & Teas serves sweet and savory crêpes alongside teas and other treats. With so many ways to refuel in one place, The Hangar makes a particularly good final stop after a South County beach day: everyone can follow their appetite, and the adventure can continue a little longer.
Capitola Beach
Capitola Beach sits at the heart of one of Santa Cruz County’s most charming seaside villages, where a day at the beach can easily stretch into an afternoon of exploring. Lounge on the sand beneath the colorful Venetian cottages, swim in the sheltered ocean cove, or wander out onto the Capitola Wharf for views of the coastline. Just beyond the beach, the Esplanade and surrounding village are filled with shops, cafés, restaurants, and places to pause for a little more exploring. With everything within easy walking distance, Capitola makes it easy to settle in for an entire beach day without ever having to go far for your next adventure.
For the classic Capitola pairing, there is Pizza My Heart. The original location opened beside Capitola Beach in 1981, and beachgoers and surfers have been stopping in for slices ever since. Grab a slice or a whole pie and carry it back toward the water for a Santa Cruz County tradition that has been fueling beach days for decades. If you are craving something different, Left Coast Sausage Worx serves hearty sausages and hot dogs just off the Esplanade, while La Marea Cafe & Pizzeria makes an especially good stop for an earlier beach day with coffee, sourdough bagels, pastries, and pizza. In Capitola, refueling is simply part of the fun, giving you another reason to wander the village, return to the beach, and keep the day going.
Rio Del Mar State Beach
Rio Del Mar is an Aptos icon and one of those beaches where it is easy to settle in for the entire day. Grab a spot at one of the covered picnic tables, spread out on the wide stretch of sand, or follow the shoreline toward Seacliff State Beach to see the historic Cement Ship sitting just offshore. It is also a beautiful place to experience the coast at either end of the day, whether you arrive early for sunrise or stay late for sunset. And when hunger strikes, you do not have to go far to find something good to eat.
For a fittingly delicious pairing, make it a pie day at Venus Pie Trap, located just steps from the beach. The neighborhood favorite serves New Haven-inspired pizza pies alongside sweet pies, making it an easy stop for lunch, a mid-beach-day treat, or something to take back to the sand. Nearby, Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen | Beachside offers a more leisurely option for cocktails and coastal fare, while longtime favorite Pixie Deli serves sandwiches and other casual beach-day favorites. Whether you are fueling up between swims or settling in for a meal after watching the sunset, Rio Del Mar gives you plenty of ways to keep your appetite satisfied without straying far from the water.
Seabright State Beach
Seabright State Beach is a great choice for a beach day with plenty to explore beyond the sand. Set between the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the harbor, the beach offers easy access to the water, long stretches of sand, and views of Walton Lighthouse and the boats moving through the harbor. Spend the afternoon swimming and lounging, walk toward the lighthouse, or use the beach as a starting point for exploring the surrounding waterfront.
Make the most of the day by stopping at Seabright Deli before heading to the beach. Known for house-smoked meats and creative sandwich combinations, the neighborhood deli offers hearty lunches that fulfill your every craving. Try their Rainbow Wrap or their sandwiches named after Santa Cruz favorites, including the Giant Dipper and Castle Beach. Do not sleep on the sides and desserts, either. Everything is homemade, including favorites like brisket chili and banana bread pudding. Pick up a sandwich and a few extras before settling onto the sand, and you have a substantial picnic ready whenever hunger strikes. It is an easy way to spend more time outside without having to interrupt the day to go looking for lunch.
Main Beach & Cowell Beach
Main Beach and Cowell Beach put you at the center of Santa Cruz’s quintessential beach experience. Spend the morning learning to surf at Cowell, play in the sand beside the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, or settle in for an afternoon of sun and people-watching with the Pacific all around you. With the Boardwalk, Wharf, and downtown Santa Cruz all within easy reach, this is a beach day that can easily turn into an entire day of exploring.
When it is time to eat, you can keep things casual or enjoy some of the best oceanside dining in the county. The Picnic Basket, directly across from Main Beach, is made for a grab-and-go beach lunch, with sandwiches, salads, bowls, pastries, coffee, and ice cream that you can take back toward the water. For an elevated finale, head to Jack O’Neill Restaurant at the Dream Inn, where sweeping views of Monterey Bay provide the backdrop for a sit-down meal. After a day spent in the waves or on the sand, it is a fitting place to linger over dinner and watch the coastline from a different perspective.
Keep Feeding Your Adventure Appetite
From sunrise to sunset, Santa Cruz County makes it easy to build a beach day around both adventure and good food. Whether you are grabbing breakfast before heading to the sand, picking up lunch to keep the fun going, or settling in for dinner after a full day by the water, there are plenty of ways to fuel your appetite for adventure and refuel along the way. This is just the beginning of Adventure Appetites, with more Santa Cruz County adventures and the local places that make them even more delicious still to come.