Right Beaches › California › Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Beach
4.5★ · 1,490 Google ratings · Santa Cruz, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms✓ Showers✓ Picnic tables✓ Good for kids
At a glance
Parking
On-site lot · 125 yd away · about 16 spaces · paid · fills up
Walk
250 ft · 1 min
Restrooms
Yes · 180 ft away
Cost
Paid parking
Water
61°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Tide
2 ft range today
Children
Reported good for young kids
Length
0.8 miles of shoreline
Sand
300 yd from the water to the back
Water quality
Mixed · 16% of 196 over the limit · 2025
Map of Santa Cruz Beach
1
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1Parking125 yd from the listing2Restrooms180 ft from the listing3Drinking water130 ft from the listing4Picnic tables290 ft from the listing
Guide
Good to know
Reported good with little kids
Visitors often mention shallow or calm water. This is what reviewers report, not a safety assessment.Mentioned by 8 visitors · 2017–2026
Time your visit for sunset
The sky displays beautiful colors even when the sun isn't fully visible, making dusk the highlight of most visits.
Visit on weekday mornings
Weekends and afternoons bring severe parking delays and crowded conditions that waste hours of your visit.
Expect powerful waves
The water is colder than expected and dangerous for swimming; waves are powerful enough to pose real risks.
Boardwalk may close seasonally
Rides and some facilities shut down in fall and winter, though the beach itself remains accessible and less crowded.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
62°F · overcast
Water
61°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
4.0 ft · 11 s apart
Wind
6 mph from the SW
Shelter
Cross-shore · wind running along the beach
UV index
7 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 06:32 | High tide | ↑ |
| 09:16 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 16:18 | High tide | ↑ |
Last updated Sep 4, 5:30 AM.
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 Santa Cruz, CA 95060
🅿 Parking 125 yd from the listing, Boardwalk Parking
🌊 Water 250 ft away, about 1 min walk
🚽 Restrooms 180 ft away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
425 yd away · shorter walk
0.6 miles away
0.9 miles away
1.1 miles away
1.4 miles away
1.4 miles away · shorter walk
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Santa Cruz Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 125 yd from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Santa Cruz Beach?
250 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, about 1 min. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Santa Cruz Beach have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 180 ft from the listing.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
