July 16, 2026
IN THIS ISSUE…
- Santa Cruz County Visitor Magazine Offers Local Businesses Elevated Exposure
- Visit Santa Cruz County Year-Round Visitor Center Officially Opens
- Visit Santa Cruz County Hosts Meeting Planner Trade Show
Santa Cruz County Visitor Magazine Offers Local Businesses Elevated Exposure
Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC) is preparing for the 2027/2028 issue of the official Santa Cruz County Visitor Magazine, which will debut early next year. VSCC will continue its partnership with Wanderlust Content Studio to produce this biennial publication.
The success of the current destination magazine has informed the aesthetic and the direction of editorial coverage in the next issue. The Santa Cruz County visitor magazine will focus on local community narratives, illustrated by images from local photographers who are able to capture the essence of the Visit Santa Cruz County brand. VSCC’s four destination pillars will serve as a guideline for weaving the design and editorial copy of the publication together.
The four destination pillars are:
- Coastline (coastline/beach/surf/water/healing)
- Redwoods (redwoods/nature/trails/landscape)
- Creativity (artists/performers/musicians/photographers & videographers/expression)
- Agriculture (agriculture/environment/nurturing)
Together, these themes illustrate the attributes that are so deeply entrenched and distinctly Santa Cruz County.
The back of the book will lean into the rational essentials for potential visitors with tourism-centric facilities and will assist visitors with where to stay, eat, and what to do while in-market. It will be complemented with native advertising featuring hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other local businesses.
Wanderlust Content Studio has a long history of working with destination marketing organizations to create meaningful content that reflects the region’s most authentic assets to highlight visitor destinations nationwide. WCS also produces visitor magazines for Visit Napa Valley, The San Francisco Peninsula, Visit Pasadena and other destinations.
Tourism sector businesses may be contacted by Wanderlust staff regarding advertising opportunities. Questions regarding the new magazine can be directed to Flavia Oliveira, Director of Sales and Travel Trade.
Visit Santa Cruz County Year-Round Visitor Center Officially Opens
An official grand opening of its new visitor center took place in June, when Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC) staff welcomed the community to the VSCC year-round visitor center and marketing offices at 705 and 725 Front Street, respectively, adjacent to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History and Abbott Square Market.
The community celebration included local elected officials, business owners, community leaders and Meredith Tekin, President of the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) – the accreditation organization for Certified Autism Travel Professionals.
Located adjacent to the museum’s main entrance on Front Street, the new center features a sensory-friendly space for travelers with autism that has been infused into the new visitor center design. Fidget toys, tactile pillows, soft lighting and a quiet environment are components of the separate space to instill a low-sensory area for the benefit of neurodivergent visitors. Each Visit Santa Cruz County staff member received specialized training and are now Certified Autism Travel Professionals through IBCCES. Combined with staff accreditation, the amenities featured in the new visitor center have transformed it into a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) – one of the only of its kind in northern California.
According to a survey by Autism Travel, 87 percent of autistic families don’t take vacations due to the sensory overload involved in travel – including loud noises, dietary changes and a disruption in routine. These stressors can cause discomfort and outbursts if not compassionately managed and addressed.
Enlisting the help of Viewpoint Interior Design (formerly Stripe Design) the visitor center has been reimagined, providing an environment rich with a taste of what the county has to offer in terms of outdoor adventure, family-friendly experiences, field-to-fork and ag-related activities, and art, culture and creative spaces that draw inspiration from the region’s natural beauty. The newly designed visitor center is positioned separate from – but nearby – the marketing offices where VSCC’s destination concierge staff will be able to direct visitors to countywide hotels, restaurants, attractions and parks and beaches.
A polished concrete floor with GPS coordinates lays the foundation for the industrial-cool theme and a floor-to-ceiling map mural identical to the colorful design in the official Santa Cruz County magazine greets visitors. Scenes from VSCC’s YouTube channel can be viewed on a large screen behind the welcome desk, and staff are ready to provide real-time weather, tidal information and the daily surf report.
The visitor center welcome desk is crafted from a reclaimed redwood tree, evoking the magnificent heritage forests of the San Lorenzo Valley. The single piece slab was sourced from a local sawmill near Felton, where the tree either fell naturally or was removed by a tree service and is estimated to be between 200 – 300 years old. The front of the 14-foot desk – also sourced from local, sustainable redwood – was treated with Shou Sugi Ban, an ancient Japanese wood preservation technique that seals and protects wood, creating a beautiful black color by heavily burning the wood, then gently removing the charred material, and applying a hard wax oil to stabilize and bring out the subtle color tones; however, the natural redwood can still be seen through the burned wood, evoking the element of fire present in California.
One of the most intriguing parts of the visitor center is a separate room where a point-of-view augmented reality video plays on three walls, projecting a variety of only-in-Santa-Cruz-County activities available to travelers. Mountain biking through demonstration forest, admiring art and wine at a local festival, surfing at Cowell’s Beach, wine tasting at a mid-county vineyard, visiting a you-pick farm, hiking a breezy trail at a state park, and perusing locally-sourced produce and artisan-made products at a farmer’s market are just some examples of the immersive content that will envelop visitors, enabling them to experience the destination without leaving the visitor center. The content is interchangeable with seasonal activities and events that take place.
The VSCC staff of nine work in offices adjacent to the visitor center, overlooking Front Street.
The visitor center is open year-around from 10AM to 4PM daily.
Visit Santa Cruz County Hosts Meeting Planner Trade Show
Visit Santa Cruz County hosted its first-ever All Things Meetings’ Destination Santa Cruz business-to-business trade show and networking event for Bay Area-based meeting planners on June 11th. Based at The Grove Santa Cruz Event Center, 29 local exhibitors connected with 45 meeting planners from Sacramento, San Francisco, the East Bay, and Silicon Valley in a one-stop-shop designed to facilitate bringing meetings and conferences to the region.
Leveraging its partnership with All Things Meetings, an organization based in San Mateo to help match meeting and event planners with destinations and venues, the event featured a full tradeshow experience, with exhibitor booths showcasing the breadth of Santa Cruz County’s meetings and events offerings. Participants included Roaring Camp Railroads, Little Shop of Horticulture, and a number of hotels, wineries, golf courses, team-building providers, venues, and event services, giving planners a firsthand look at the unique experiences available for meetings and events in the destination.
Attendees were treated to an exclusive ride on the iconic Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and ended the day with a site tour of the newly opened La Bahia Hotel & Spa.
At the beginning of 2026, Smart Meetings magazine interviewed Brian Kellerman, CEO and partner at corporate event management company Go Gather, who called 2026 “the year of the strategic planner.” Brian predicted that meeting attendees are now traveling to accomplish very specific goals and are more efficient with their time, making traditional add-on events like generic cocktail hours no longer automatic attendance drivers. He also foresaw that attendees expect personalized, interactive and practical experiences.
Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History Plans Expansion
Did you know that the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is one of only 78 museums accredited in California by the American Alliance of Museums? The museum will be moving into temporary facilities in 2027 while renovations take place to the city’s oldest museum. In the meantime, this cherished Seabright treasure is launching a fundraising campaign to renovate, modernize and expand its home in an effort to upgrade its immersive exhibits, programs and collections. Read more about The Bright Future Campaign here!
Arrivals and Departures
Visit California will be under new leadership this fall, when longtime CEO Caroline Beteta retires and Julie Coker, President and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions steps into the role. With past experience as President and CEO at the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, and four years as President and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority, Julie’s background includes more than three decades of experience across hospitality and destination marketing. Julie will officially begin her role on October 1, 2026. Welcome Tiffany Crawlle, who was hired for the position of Hotel Manager for the La Bahia Hotel & Spa!
California State Parks Statewide Calendar of Events Debuts!
A new user-friendly and aesthetically-driven statewide events calendar was launched just yesterday by California State Parks. Be sure to update your bookmarks accordingly, so you’ll be able to get the latest events information for all state parks, beaches, and recreation areas around The Golden State!
Partner Kudos
Congratulations to The Glass Jar’s, Kendra Baker, recipient of this year’s UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Humanities Alumni Award, an honor “that highlights a career shaped by the study of language and culture.”
Did you know…..US travelers are taking fewer trips but spending more on experiences, with younger travelers leading this trend, according to Arival’s 2026 US Experiences Traveler Outlook. The report notes that 76 percent of travelers ages 18 to 34 prioritize experiences over weather or food when choosing destinations. Additionally, more than 80 percent of travelers now book experiences at least a day in advance, a shift from last-minute bookings.