Visit Santa Cruz County
  • Places to Stay
  • Places to Eat
    • Restaurants
    • Coffee, Tea & Sweets
    • Wineries, Taps & Tastings
  • Things to Do
    • Arts & Culture
    • Beach Boardwalk
    • Beaches & Parks
    • Outdoor & Wildlife
      • Request Wildlife Guide
      • View Wildlife Guide Online
    • Dog-Friendly
    • Upcoming Events
  • Plan Your Trip
    • Autism Travel
    • Contact Us
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Getting to Santa Cruz
    • Request a Visitor Magazine
    • View Visitor Magazine Online
    • View Map Online
    • Travel Itineraries
  • Lifestyle
    • Blog
    • Destinations
      • Aptos
      • Capitola/Soquel
      • Davenport
      • Pleasure Point
      • San Lorenzo Valley
      • Santa Cruz
      • Scotts Valley
      • Watsonville
      • Monterey Bay
SURF REPORT
LIVE CAMS
weather-icon
73°F
  • SECONDARY NAV
    • Meetings
    • Film
    • Weddings
    • International
    • Press Room
    • About Santa Cruz County
    • Santa Cruz History
    • Relocation

Places to Stay

Places to Eat

Restaurants

Coffee, Tea + Sweets

Wineries Taps and Tastings

Things to Do

Arts & Culture

Beach Boardwalk

Beachs & Parks

Outdoor & Wildlife

Request Wildlife Guide

View Wildlife Guide Online

Dog-Friendly

Upcoming Events

Plan Your Trip

Contact Us

Getting to Santa Cruz

Request a Travel Guide

View Travel Guide Online

View Map Online

Travel Itineraries

Frequently Asked Questions

Lifestyle

Blog

Destinations

Aptos

Capitola/Soquel

Davenport

Pleasure Point

San Lorenzo Valley

Santa Cruz

Scotts Valley

Watsonville

Monterey Bay

Meetings

Film

Weddings

Press Room

About Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz History

Relocation

SURF REPORT
LIVE CAMS
weather-icon
73°F
  • Visit Santa Cruz County Announces 2025/2026 Visitor Magazine

    Visit Santa Cruz County Announces 2025/2026 Visitor Magazine

    Santa Cruz County’s official visitor magazine is now available. This 92-page upscale lifestyle-driven publication illustrates the unique culture of the area that sets it apart from other coastal California destinations. Once produced annually, this vacation planner is now published once every two years. 

    Thoughtfully curated content in the form of bite-sized paragraphs creatively presented throughout the magazine accompanied by photography which captures the majestic yet playful essence of Santa Cruz County is woven throughout the guide. 

    Feature stories focus on the nine ecosystems within Santa Cruz County which can be found at area beaches and parks, the region’s rich history of surfing, how accessible culture and creativity provide flavor and context to the destination, and the ways in which agriculture has impacted the local food and drink scene in dynamic and impactful ways. 

    Leaning into the opportunities for soft adventure and the abundance of nature, editorial is included focusing on different forms of rest and relaxation highlight local spas, parks, forests, beaches and hidden gems in local neighborhoods where peaceful respites can be found. 

    The back of the book section serves to inform visitors about where to stay, eat, and what to do while in-market. Complemented by native advertising from hotels, restaurants, attractions and other local businesses, this section of the magazine features dining and lodging listings highlighting the amenities offered by various restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfast inns, motels, vacation rentals, and campgrounds. Activity listings, signature events, and a redesigned county map in a playful aesthetic are also trademarks of the magazine. 

    With a print run of 55,000 copies, distribution has been expanded to include South Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, Lodi, Fresno and California Welcome Centers throughout the state. Key regional and international airports in both northern and southern California, and international airports in Phoenix and Seattle are also included in distribution plans for the guide. 

    Free copies of the guide can be ordered online at www.santacruz.org, by calling 800.833.3494 or by stopping by the year-around visitor center at 303 Water Street, Suite 100 in Santa Cruz Fridays – Tuesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

    Christina Glynn

    May 6, 2025
    PR – Spring
  • Single-Varietal Cider House Debuts in Co-Share Space 

    Single-Varietal Cider House Debuts in Co-Share Space 

    On Santa Cruz’s westside, in a spirited courtyard housing a coffee shop, boutiques, a bespoke butcher shop, and a few local favorite spots to nosh, a new spot for hard cider has opened in a shared space with Sones Cellars, a local, family-owned winery producing small lots of fine quality, distinctive wines. While single-variety wines are common, Tanuki Cider produces a single-varietal cider made from local apples. 

    Tanuki’s dry farmhouse ciders are grown, pressed, fermented and bottled in Santa Cruz County and made from Newtown pippins sourced at Five Mile Orchards in the mid-county town of Corralitos. Cider-maker Robby Honda has been crafting this unique brew for a decade, resulting in a cider that is bubbly, light amber in color, medium body with a dry finish.  

    Christina Glynn

    May 5, 2025
    PR – Spring
  • New Mural Graces the Mountain Town of Boulder Creek  

    New Mural Graces the Mountain Town of Boulder Creek  

    While Santa Cruz County has an abundance of public murals featuring everything from sea life in honor of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to crate label murals paying tribute to the agricultural region of south county, a unique piece has become a cornerstone of Boulder Creek in the San Lorenzo Valley. Home to old-growth coastal redwood trees, this mountain town has an unofficial mascot: Albert the white peacock.   

    At over 1,200 feet, the mural covers the side of a prominent building on Highway 9 through town, Albert is featured standing prominently among redwood trees bathed in sunlight. Albert became a symbol of Boulder Creek and resiliency, in particular following the CZU Fire in August 2020 when the San Lorenzo Valley was decimated by the destructive blaze. This albino peacock lived in a quiet residential neighborhood where locals kept an eye on his welfare as he made his way around the streets for what locals estimate was three decades. 

    Christina Glynn

    May 5, 2025
    PR – Spring
  • Seymour Marine Discovery Center Debuts Landlocked Blue Whale Using Techology   

    Seymour Marine Discovery Center Debuts Landlocked Blue Whale Using Techology   

    While a massive Blue Whale skeleton exhibit is being restored, augmented reality (AR) is providing visitors to Santa Cruz’s Seymour Marine Discovery Center with a lifelike view of this graceful creature. Employing the latest technology, visual effects studio Halon Entertainment used laser technology to create a three-dimensional scan of Ms. Blue’s skeleton and then created a digital 3-D model of the skeleton and body, seen in the AR experience. Halon Entertainment created computer graphics for films such as “Avatar,” “Jurassic World” and several in the Star Wars series. 

    By downloading an app and scanning a symbol posted near the skeleton, the whale comes to life on screen, as a three-dimensional representation of Ms. Blue’s full body appears just as it would have been when she was alive, as well as her skeleton. This technology-driven exhibit takes the places of the actual skeleton as the bones are being refurbished.  

    The 87-foot-long skeleton has greeted visitors for a quarter century at the entrance of the museum. Nicknamed “Ms. Blue,” the 87-foot-long-skeleton washed ashore on Pescadero State Beach an hour north of Santa Cruz in 1979. The bones were preserved, then cleaned, refurbished, reassembled and mounted outside the aquatic museum. Ms. Blue soon became the center’s mascot, providing a preview to those entering the marine lab of its exhibits: displays of sharks, sea stars, anemones, hermit crabs and other creatures that call the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary which the center over looks, home. 

    Christina Glynn

    May 5, 2025
    PR – Spring
  • Kitchen Corner Opens in Felton  

    Kitchen Corner Opens in Felton  

    Felton-based Chef Jessica Yarr from The Grove Cafe and Bakery has opened a new retail shop adjacent to her popular eatery on Highway 9 in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Featuring new and vintage Pyrex dishware, ravioli presses, and cooking tools hand selected by Chef Yarr, Kitchen Corner has the charm of a private home while maintaining a cozy retail vibe.  

    This boutique culinary store features dishware used at The Grove as well as knives, cutting boards made from food grade recycled plastic, cookbooks and other kitchen tools hand selected by Chef Yarr. Perfect for both novice and serious cooks, The Kitchen Corner also offers cooking and baking classes. 

    Christina Glynn

    May 5, 2025
    PR – Spring
  • Santa Cruz Hostel Completes Renovations 

    Santa Cruz Hostel Completes Renovations 

    Following a $750,000 renovation, the historic Santa Cruz Hostel on Beach Hill is ready to welcome seasonal visitors. The hostel is located two blocks from Santa Cruz’s Main Beach and four blocks from downtown and is comprised of a series of cottages dating back to the 1800s and a heritage rose garden.  

    The complex includes six principal structures – the Carmelita Cottages – which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The two front cottages, constructed circa 1872, are among the oldest surviving buildings on Beach Hill. The grounds sit on more than a half-acre and the board and bat cottages feature gables and stained-glass windows, surrounded by trees and flowers. The renovations took six months to complete and include restoration of the rose garden, the addition of the new ADA-accessible Cyclery Cottage and an expansion which enables the hostel to host up to 51 guests in dorms, private rooms and private cottages. A small onsite museum is dedicated to the history of the Carmelita Cottages. 

    The property is technically a public park, and the hostel hosts potluck dinners inviting the community to dine with guests every Wednesday night.  

    Christina Glynn

    May 2, 2025
    PR – Spring
  • Visit Santa Cruz County Announces New Website Design

    Visit Santa Cruz County Announces New Website Design

    Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC) announces the launch of a new website design, incorporating enhanced functionality and leveraging four portions of the site that garner the most traffic overall on the homepage.  

    With the VSCC blog content generating approximately 50 percent of the traffic to the site, three blog stories are featured on a seasonal basis on the homepage. A scrollable photo-centric carousel featuring upcoming events highlights one of the more popular portions of the website. To provide orientation, a redesigned countywide map with featured destinations within Santa Cruz County clicks through to designated landing pages devoted to Scotts Valley, Davenport, Capitola, Santa Cruz, Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley, Soquel, Pleasure Point, Corralitos, Aptos and the mountain towns of Boulder Creek, Felton, Brookdale, Bonny Doon and Ben Lomond. Finally, elevating the visibility of VSCC’s Instagram platform, two dozen of the latest posts showcase the beauty of the county through bite-sized, aspirational photos and videos.     

    Santacruz.org continues to enable visitors to book a hotel stay online, search for activities and events, and find places to eat, enjoy coffee and sweets, and sample local beer and wine. Blog stories illustrate each themed landing page, linking the visitor to more detailed information about restaurants, activities, and more – as well as the ability to search for events or attractions by date, type, or region.    

    The navigation has been divided into two categories for both consumers and businesses with refined and created new layouts for the Spotlight Featured Business program and free online listings for local businesses.  

    To maximize its presence on the internet, VSCC optimized the website for better search engine optimization (SEO), improving the ranking of the site in search engine results. VSCC is extending its adventure-seeking Find Your Awe™ brand as it employs a less literal creative suite of images and video, embracing a more emotive esthetic. These cost-effective methods allow VSCC to reach repeat as well as new visitors to Santa Cruz County in an informal and savvy way, on trend with other DMOs.    

    According to a recent survey, nearly 8 in 10 (78%) Americans always or frequently research and book at least some portion of their trips online.    

    Christina Glynn

    January 14, 2025
    PR – Winter
  • New Staging Area at Ano Nuevo State Park Features Interpretive Exhibits, Park Information

    New Staging Area at Ano Nuevo State Park Features Interpretive Exhibits, Park Information

    A new staging area at Año Nuevo State Park will welcome visitors in time for seasonal guided elephant seal tours during the winter breeding season. This new interpretive staging area is the gateway to the Natural Preserve, providing guests with interactive opportunities to explore the park’s natural and cultural wonders.

    The former staging area was demolished, and construction of the new staging area  began in July 2024. This renovated space features improved interpretative structure, a new restroom, two new benches, and other infrastructure updates. The upgrades will offer a better year-round experience for park visitors, effectively establishing an identifiable entrance to the natural preserve and a facility for volunteers and staff to facilitate interpretation. 

    Ano Nuevo is one of the largest breeding grounds in the world for northern elephant seals, which come ashore to give birth and mate from early December through March. Pregnant females come ashore to pup from late December to early February, and mothers nurse their pups for about a month before mating and returning to the sea. Pups remain behind through March, basking in the sun and learning to swim in the intertidal zones.  

    Año Nuevo State Park offers docent-guided walks between December 15 and March 31, which feature elephant seals in their natural habitat. To view the elephant seals during this season, visitors must be on a guided walk, which requires a four mile moderate hike over varied terrain, including sand dunes. The walks last about two and a half hours.  

    The new staging area was made possible through a collaboration with California State Parks, Coastside State Parks Association, and Friends of California State Parks.

    Christina Glynn

    January 14, 2025
    PR – Winter
  • Visit Santa Cruz County Announces Seventh Edition of Wildlife Watching Guide

    Visit Santa Cruz County Announces Seventh Edition of Wildlife Watching Guide

    There are approximately 400 migratory and permanent bird species found throughout Santa Cruz County, and thousands of monarch butterflies, whales, and elephant seals which call the area home on a seasonal basis.  Avid wildlife viewers now have an updated resource, thanks to Visit Santa Cruz County’s Wildlife Watching Guide. 

    Now in its seventh printing, the free 56-page guide is designed to help navigate the various communities adjacent to premiere birding destinations throughout the county.  The guide includes information on a variety of habitats, from sandy beaches to lagoons, wetlands and river mouths, as well as descriptions and fresh photography of the some of the area’s most commonly seen birds, wildlife and the best times of the year to view them.  The San Vicente Redwoods is a recent addition to the guide. 

    Information on where and how to view wintering monarch butterflies, migrating whales and elephant seals is also featured.  The guide provides maps of birding and wildlife hotspots, points of interest and itineraries. 

    The printed guide can be mailed within the U.S. through an online request form and is also available to download.  

    Christina Glynn

    January 14, 2025
    PR – Winter
  • New Zealand Ice Cream Shop Opens in Downtown Santa Cruz

    New Zealand Ice Cream Shop Opens in Downtown Santa Cruz

    Alongside nearly a dozen new Downtown Santa Cruz restaurants featuring carefully curated farm-to-table menu items, a unique new spot dedicated to soothing one’s sweet tooth has opened its doors.  This locally-owned shop features a singular specialty product, crafted with care – bringing the total number of sugar-forward businesses in Downtown Santa Cruz to a half-dozen.  Now, frozen dessert lovers can rejoice, with the opening of Nico’s Real Fruit Ice Cream. 

    Portland-based Nico’s chose Santa Cruz as its second location on the Central Coast, following its first shop on Cannery Row in Monterey.  This New Zealand-style ice cream begins with a vanilla ice cream base blended with frozen fruit into a smooth soft serve. Choices of fruit include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and marionberries, which can be topped with spicy tajín, sour chamoy, graham cracker dust, coconut flakes or rainbow sprinkles.  

    This downtown shop joins five others which exclusively feature ice cream, cookies, and candy: The Penny Ice Creamery, Mission Creamery, Ashby Confections, Pacific Cookie Company and It’s Sugar. 

    Christina Glynn

    January 14, 2025
    PR – Winter
  • Dream Inn Santa Cruz Oceanfront Bonfire Experience Perfect for Groups

    Dream Inn Santa Cruz Oceanfront Bonfire Experience Perfect for Groups

    One of Santa Cruz’s historic beachfront properties has added a year-around enhanced experience for corporate and leisure groups seeking an intimate atmosphere for connection and conversation. The Dream Inn Santa Cruz’s Bonfire Party Package on Cowell Beach provides a perfect setting for watching the sunset and enjoying beachside treats under the stars.  

    Bonfire experiences include exclusive beach space for up to 60 guests and three firepits, classic beach chairs, chopped firewood, serving tables, music, blankets, premium ingredients for s’mores, and a range of choices for hot drinks including locally roasted coffee and hot chocolate complete with liqueurs. Setup and breakdown service is included, so guests can cozy up to a beach fire and at the end of the evening, Dream Inn staff will clean up and extinguish the fire, ensuring their commitment to coastal stewardship. 

    Christina Glynn

    January 14, 2025
    PR – Winter
  • Santa Cruz Museum of Art + History Debuts Accidentally Wes Anderson

    Santa Cruz Museum of Art + History Debuts Accidentally Wes Anderson

    The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH), is debuting Accidentally Wes Anderson: Adventures in Santa Cruz, an exhibition taking place through May 18, 2025 in collaboration with the online phenomenon and community of the same name (AWA). The exhibition takes guests on a worldwide visual journey to the most beautiful, idiosyncratic locations — including Santa Cruz County — with each photo tinged with the unmistakable esthetic of filmmaker Wes Anderson. 

    The MAH exhibition, includes a selection of community-sourced images of quirky places and locales from California’s Central Coast. Some images pay homage to the 2024 centennial celebration of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s Giant Dipper roller coaster, the oldest coaster in California that opened in 1924. 

    The exhibition highlights Santa Cruz’s history and architecture alongside similarly-inspired images from around the globe. Through collaboration with UC Santa Cruz and resident artists in the county, the photos provide a glimpse into the ubiquitous Anderson-esque aspects of the city.  

    The MAH is open Thursday through Sunday from Noon to 6:00 p.m. 

    Christina Glynn

    January 14, 2025
    PR – Winter
1 2 3 4
Next Page

Visit Santa Cruz County logo

Visit Santa Cruz County is a private, non-profit corporation, serving as the official visitor marketing entity for Santa Cruz County. Visit Santa Cruz County works to enhance tourism, the visitor experience, and the area economy by positioning and promoting Santa Cruz County as a year-around visitor, conference and film destination.

USA Brand USA Badge
Central Coast California Badge
VIsit California Badge
IBCCES Badge
Visitor Information Center

303 Water Street, Suite 100
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
800.833.3494 or  831.425.1234

Hours
Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Saturday: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Monday: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

contact us⟶
Visitor Magazine Cover Footer
free visitor magazine⟶
SCC Wildlife Watching Guide cover
free wildlife guide⟶
E-Newsletter Sign-Up

Get your monthly guide to Santa Cruz County’s events, attractions, and more.

Stay In Touch
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • X
  • YouTube
  • TikTok

2025 Copyright © Visit Santa Cruz County. All Rights Reserved.

Accessibility

Careers

Meeting Agendas

Partners

Privacy Policy