5 days in Santa Cruz Itinerary

Santa Cruz remains synonymous with surfing, but this counterculture bastion offers plenty even if you don't plan to catch any waves.

Discover out-of-the-way places like Carmel River State Beach and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We've included these beaches for you: Asilomar State Beach and Pfeiffer State Beach. Change things up with these side-trips from Santa Cruz: McWay Falls (in Big Sur), Moss Landing (Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve & The Shakespeare Society of America) and Monterey (The Cannery Row Monument & Monterey Peninsula Recreational Trail). Next up on the itinerary: tour the pleasant surroundings at Natural Bridges State Beach, trek along Scenic Road Walkway, cruise along West Cliff Drive, and immerse yourself in nature at Wilder Ranch State Park.

To see more things to do, reviews, other places to visit, and more tourist information, read Santa Cruz sightseeing planner.

If you are flying in from Ukraine, the closest major aiports are San Francisco International Airport, Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport and Metropolitan Oakland International Airport. In September, daily temperatures in Santa Cruz can reach 30°C, while at night they dip to 15°C.