🏖️ Best Beaches in Santa Cruz
Your complete guide to Santa Cruz County's most beautiful beaches
With over 29 miles of coastline, Santa Cruz County offers some of California's most diverse and beautiful beaches. Whether you're a surfer chasing waves, a family looking for calm waters, or a nature lover seeking tide pools and wildlife, you'll find your perfect beach here.
Top 15 Beaches
1. Main Beach / Boardwalk Beach
Families, swimming
Lot & street ($)
Small
2. Cowell's Beach
Beginner surfing, swimming
Lot ($)
Gentle
3. Steamer Lane
Advanced surfing, watching surfers
Street (free)
Large
4. Natural Bridges State Beach
Tide pools, sunset views
Lot ($)
Medium
5. Its Beach
Dog-friendly, locals
Street (limited)
Medium
6. Pleasure Point
Surfing, cliff walks
Street (free)
Medium-Large
7. Twin Lakes State Beach
Families, kayaking
Lot ($)
Small
8. Seabright State Beach
Long walks, volleyball
Lot & street ($)
Medium
9. Manresa State Beach
Secluded, pristine sand
Lot ($)
Large
10. Seacliff State Beach
Fishing pier, RV camping
Lot ($)
Medium
11. Rio Del Mar Beach
Families, boogie boarding
Street (free)
Medium
12. New Brighton State Beach
Camping, cliff views
Lot ($)
Medium
13. Capitola Beach
Village vibes, dining nearby
Lot & street ($)
Small
14. Panther Beach
Photography, sea caves
Highway pullout (free)
Large
15. Davenport Beach
Whale watching, rugged beauty
Street (free)
Large
Beach Categories
🏄 Best Surf Beaches
- • Steamer Lane (advanced)
- • Pleasure Point (all levels)
- • Cowell's (beginners)
👨👩👧👦 Best Family Beaches
- • Main Beach (lifeguards)
- • Twin Lakes (calm water)
- • Capitola Beach (village)
🦀 Best Tide Pool Beaches
- • Natural Bridges (monarch butterflies too)
- • Panther Beach (caves & pools)
- • Its Beach (rocky areas)
🐕 Dog-Friendly Beaches
- • Its Beach (off-leash)
- • Mitchell's Cove (off-leash)
- • Most beaches (leashed)