Downtown Santa Cruz, CA

Santa Cruz

Downtown, Santa Cruz, California, USA, during autumn. The image shows the street with trees in fall colors, buildings, and a bus. The photo shows the city's architecture.
Downtown, Santa Cruz, California, USA, during autumn. The image shows the street with trees in fall colors, buildings, and a bus. The photo shows the city's architecture.
Clock tower in downtown Santa Cruz, California, USA. The tower is a local landmark and gathering place, decorated with flowers and pumpkins.
CWFJJA USA California CA Santa Cruz clock tower and trolley on Pacific Avenue
Good pizza if you are downtown Santa Cruz

Popular places to visit

Gotta ride this 100 year old wooden roller Coaster on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Enjoy the thrill rides with your kiddos at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk as part of your trip to Santa Cruz. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the biking trails.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The place where you can't stay straight.

Mystery Spot

Find out about the history of Santa Cruz with a stop at Mystery Spot. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the surfing spots.

Mystery Spot
USA-Santa Cruz-Natural Bridges State Beach; Shutterstock ID 101070745

Natural Bridges State Park

You can take time to visit Natural Bridges State Park during your travels to Santa Cruz. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the biking trails.

Natural Bridges State Park
Pier at Santa Cruz, California

Santa Cruz Wharf

After visiting Santa Cruz Wharf, make a plan to see the other sights and activities in Santa Cruz. Attend a sporting event in this walkable area, or seek out the surfing spots.

Santa Cruz Wharf
CWFJJA USA California CA Santa Cruz clock tower and trolley on Pacific Avenue

Pacific Avenue

During your visit to Santa Cruz, you can browse for the perfect souvenirs at Pacific Avenue. Wander the beautiful beaches in this family-friendly area.

Pacific Avenue
EN5XP1 Street scene in autumn with shops art galleries on Ocean Avenue Carmel Monterey County California

Ocean Street

During your visit to Santa Cruz, you can enjoy retail therapy at Ocean Street. Wander the area's beautiful beaches or simply enjoy one of its top-notch restaurants.

Ocean Street

Downtown Santa Cruz Hotel Deals

Pacific Blue Inn

Pacific Blue Inn

3 out of 5
636 Pacific Avenue Santa Cruz CA
The price is AED 327 per night from Feb 1 to Feb 2
AED 327
AED 391 total
1 Feb - 2 Feb
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this guesthouse in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, parking (surcharge), and daily housekeeping. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
9/10 Wonderful! (895 reviews)
It was chill

Reviewed on 18 January 2026

Pacific Blue Inn
Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection

Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection

4 out of 5
611 Ocean St Santa Cruz CA
The price is AED 426 per night from Jan 29 to Jan 30
AED 426
AED 493 total
29 Jan - 30 Jan
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,196 reviews)
Everything lovely! The heat in my room didn’t work, but I’m not sure if it was human error or what…. Staff extremely sweet and efficient

Reviewed on 25 January 2026

Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection
Seacliff Inn Aptos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

Seacliff Inn Aptos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

3.5 out of 5
7500 Old Dominion Court Aptos CA
The price is AED 404 per night from Feb 2 to Feb 3
AED 404
AED 468 total
2 Feb - 3 Feb
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Aptos. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Our guests praise the restaurant and the helpful ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,058 reviews)
Great pool area, good food and service and nicely decorated restaurant and rooms. Feels recently updated and all of the staff we interacted with were helpful and friendly. Would recommend and will be back!

Reviewed on 24 January 2026

Seacliff Inn Aptos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Chaminade Resort & Spa

Chaminade Resort & Spa

4 out of 5
1 Chaminade Ln Santa Cruz CA
The price is AED 434 per night from Feb 1 to Feb 2
AED 434
AED 652 total
1 Feb - 2 Feb
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this spa resort in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the restaurant and the helpful ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,001 reviews)
Clean, friendly staff, excellent amenities

Reviewed on 21 January 2026

Chaminade Resort & Spa
Dream Inn Santa Cruz

Dream Inn Santa Cruz

4 out of 5
175 W Cliff Dr Santa Cruz CA
The price is AED 878 per night from Feb 11 to Feb 12
AED 878
AED 1,000 total
11 Feb - 12 Feb
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this beach resort in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and a beach locale. Our guests praise the restaurant and the helpful staff ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,000 reviews)
This was our 2nd trip to Santa Cruz and we only stay on this hotel. Will go again soon!!!

Reviewed on 20 January 2026

Dream Inn Santa Cruz
La Bahia Hotel and Spa

La Bahia Hotel and Spa

4.5 out of 5
215 Beach Street Santa Cruz CA
The price is AED 937 per night from Jan 28 to Jan 29
AED 937
AED 1,257 total
28 Jan - 29 Jan
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this luxury hotel in Santa Cruz. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and 3 restaurants. Popular attractions Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Capitola ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (93 reviews)
Beautiful rooms, comfortable beds, friendly staff.

Reviewed on 18 January 2026

La Bahia Hotel and Spa
See all 1,156 properties in Downtown Santa Cruz
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighborhoods around Downtown Santa Cruz

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Downtown

If you're spending some time in Downtown, Pacific Avenue and Williams-Reynolds House are top sights worth seeing.

Downtown
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Lower Ocean

If you're looking for some top things to see and do in Lower Ocean and surrounding area, you can visit Pacific Avenue and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Lower Ocean
CWFJJA USA California CA Santa Cruz clock tower and trolley on Pacific Avenue

Beach Hill - Beach Flats

Beach Hill - Beach Flats might not have many top sights, but Main Beach and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Beach Hill - Beach Flats
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Mission Hill

While visiting Mission Hill, you might make a stop by sights like Mission Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park.

Mission Hill
This is a small state park at the northern end of Santa Cruz' scenic West Cliff Drive and a little over a mile from the Boardwalk, wharf and Main Beach. A couple of times a year you can see Monarch butterflies during their migration. They are not in the numbers of years past, but you'll still see some. If you walk north towards the rocks during low tide you will find some amazing tidepools full of sea anenomes, sea urchins, starfish, crabs, hermit crabs, and all sorts of marine life. The tidepools are on a ledge, so the tide needs to be quite high

Westside Santa Cruz

4/5(2,586 area reviews)

Westside Santa Cruz is known for its stunning beaches, and with sights like Monterey Bay and Pacific Avenue, you won't get bored spending a day wandering around this part of Santa Cruz.

Westside Santa Cruz
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Midtown

If you're looking for some top things to see and do in Midtown and surrounding area, you can visit Ocean Street and Pacific Avenue.

Midtown

Downtown Santa Cruz, CA

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