Santa Cruz has always had a split personality — college town, surf mecca, redwood country — and locals wouldn't have it any other way. Sunset's latest insider guide taps Julie Cox, a former professional longboarder who runs Traveler Surf Club outposts in Santa Cruz, Pacifica and Malibu, for her take on making the most of a weekend in this Central Coast town.
For surfers, the obvious move is to base yourself at the Dream Inn, which sits right at Cowell's — one of the friendliest breaks in California for beginners and longboarders. Breakfast at the hotel's Jack O'Neill Restaurant & Lounge comes with a Pacific panorama and the morning surf report. Other sleeps worth considering: the Sea & Sand Inn on the west side for ocean views, the funky Hotel Paradox near downtown, and the Chaminade Resort & Spa, spread across 300 wooded acres in the hills. Santa Cruz's newest arrival is the beachfront La Bahia Hotel & Spa, which opened in summer 2025.
No board? Traveler Surf Club rents boards shaped by local craftspeople and runs lessons and guided sessions. A booking throws in hot showers, changing rooms, heated furniture, board storage and even beach cruisers — useful when you're hauling gear between spots along East Cliff and Pleasure Point, the iconic stretch of coast where Cox first surfed as a UC Santa Cruz student.
Hunger comes fast after a session, and the Eastside delivers. Suda, just around the corner from Traveler, has leveled up its gastropub menu and cocktails under a new chef. Bantam does wood-fired pizza with an easygoing wine list, while Bad Animal is a curious bookstore-wine-bar-restaurant hybrid serving Thai food from chef Lalita Kaewsawang. For raw fish, locals point to Naka Sushi, where the chirashi bowl is described as a genuine showpiece. Come evening, the Apéro Club natural wine bar, with its casual outdoor seating, is the neighbourhood meet-up spot.
Santa Cruz isn't all salt water. Cox recommends the Fall Creek to Lime Kilns Trail in Henry Cowell State Park, a redwood hike that passes the remnants of 19th-century lime kilns — a solid plan for a foggy morning when the surf is blown out. Shoppers can browse plants and design-minded homegoods at Dig Gardens.
Why it matters: Santa Cruz works as a weekend trip precisely because you don't have to choose between surf, forest and food. Everything Cox names is close enough to string together in two days — dawn patrol at Cowell's, redwoods in the afternoon, Thai food and natural wine at night. Beginners get an unusually forgiving wave; seasoned surfers get a deep local scene to tap into.
