VISIT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
FIND YOUR AWE.
From a hotel on the beach, to a quaint inn or bed and breakfast, to a vacation rental for the family or a rustic campground, you can rest easy in Santa Cruz County. Opt-in for a hip boutique property or a classic resort with a view. And don’t forget your dog: many properties are pet-friendly!
Santa Cruz County
Destinations
70 miles south of San Francisco, 35 miles north of Monterey, and unabashedly left of center, you’ll find great surf, sandy beaches, redwood-covered mountains, laid-back towns, organic farms, and a burgeoning beer and wine scene. It’s impossible to pick one place to visit in Santa Cruz County. Take a quick cruz of them all!
Picture Yourself Here
Get inspired and start planning your next visit to Santa Cruz County. #VisitSantaCruz
Mark your calendars, Open Studios Art Tour is back for the first 3 weekends of October!
Celebrating its 41st year in 2026, the Santa Cruz County Open Studios Art Tour brings together more than 350 artists for three weekends of free, self-guided exploration. From Watsonville to Davenport and the coast to the Santa Cruz Mountains, artists open their studios, homes, workshops, and shared creative spaces to the public, inviting visitors to see where and how their work is made, experience the creative process firsthand, and purchase original art directly from its makers. More than an art tour, Open Studios is one of the best ways to experience the creative community that makes Santa Cruz County so distinctive.
Want to learn more? Check our bio link or story for the scoop on Open Studios 2026! And be sure to check the @artscouncilsc website for artist directory, locations, and more!
Dates & Times:
October 3–4 | South County |Studios Located South of Santa Cruz Harbor | 143 studios
October 10–11 | North County | Studios Located South of Santa Cruz Harbor | 211 studios
October 17–18 | All County | 250 studios
Saturdays & Sundays | 11am–5pm
Photos 📸 | @thecuratedfeast + @beningramphoto
#visitsantacruz #openstudios #santacruz #openstudiosarttour #supportlocalartist
Fall in the vines… 👌🏽🍷🍁 Estate wineries like @nicholson.vineyards on the Corralitos Wine Trail are absolutely beautiful this time of year! Explore our region’s wines this fall and raise a glass to the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA – one of the oldest in the country!
The Corralitos Wine Trail is known for its collection of estate vineyards in the gorgeous countryside of south county. Sip wines, chat with the winemakers, and learn about the unique climate that makes Santa Cruz Mountain wines so special.
From the summit vineyards in the heights of the Santa Cruz Mountains to Big Basin wines amongst the redwoods, Santa Cruz County has a unique wine tasting experience around every corner of the county. Urban wine tasting or estate vineyards sprinkled throughout the region, award winning sips are waiting to be discovered!
Video Clips 📹 | @dgsc
Location 📍 | @nicholson.vineyards
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #visitcalifornia #californiawine #winetasting
Extra gold this time of year. ✨
September 6, 2026 | 6:58am | West Cliff Drive
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #goldenhour #september #california
Keeping it simple: the sights and sounds of West Cliff Drive this morning. 🌅
Happy Labor Day Weekend. Hope it’s a good one!
#visitsantacruz #sunrise #goodmorning #santacruz #westcliff
September, you’re already a pleasure… 💫
📍 Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz
Photos 📷 | @desireexc
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #pleasurepoint #september #sunset
Send this to your @santacruzcountyfair buddies! The 2026 Santa Cruz County Fair is happening Wednesday, September 16 – Sunday, September 20! Everything from adorable animals to tasty fair foods, live entertainment to local art, drone shows to Monster Truck shows, carnival games to @jamesdurbinlostboys… there truly is something for everyone! What are you looking forward to seeing (or eating) at the fair this year?
Need more info? Check below!
⏰ FAIR HOURS:
▪️Wednesday – Friday, Noon to 11:00 PM
▪️Saturday 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
▪️Sunday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
📍LOCATION, PARKING & GETTING HERE
▪️2601 East Lake Avenue, Watsonville
▪️Parking is $10 for the main lot
▪️5+ people per car PARK FOR FREE!
▪️2026 Metro Bus Discount: To get this discount you need to ride the Metro bus. Make sure to get a validation coupon from the bus driver, bring the coupon to any Fair entrance ticket gate to get your discount. $7 discount for adults & $6 discount for youth (6-12 year olds)
🎟️ DAILY ADMISSION
▪️Fair Admission: Adults 13+: $20
▪️Children 6 to 12: $10
▪️Under 5: FREE
▪️Seniors 62 and better: $13
💰 SPECIALS:
▪️ Free Admission Days: Wednesday, 9/16 – Veterans with ID, Thursday, 9/17 – Kids 12 & under, Every Day of Fair – Active Military (with ID) and Kids age 5 & under
▪️ 2026 FunFair ADULT Admission Pre-Sale Special: Take advantage of the online-only offer and buy an adult pass and a carnival ride wristband together to save. Ages 13+: $40; Kids 6 to 12: $35
▪️ AT THE GATE OFFERS: America’s 250th Birthday Special Admission deal on opening day,
Thursday, and Friday: early bird savings until 5pm. To celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary, they are offering $2.50 per person admission tickets. This offer is ONLY GOOD AT THE GATE ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16TH -Opening Day. On THURSDAY AND FRIDAY September 17th and 18th, save $4.00 per ticket – ONLY GOOD FOR PURCHASE AT THE GATE from opening until 5:00pm.
See you at the fair! 🎟️🎪🎡🐔🐷🍗
#visitsantacruz #santacruzcountyfair #santacruz #watsonville #fair
Can you name all 5 locations? 🤔 Comment your answers below! 💬
Videos 🎥 | @dgsc
#visitsantacruz #wherearewe #santacruzcounty #santacruz #trivia
It’s a beautiful thing. 🤌🏽
Clips 📹 | @dgsc + @impactcreative + @visitsantacruz
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #capitola #santacruzcounty #visitcalifornia
Sunset season is upon us… Extra grateful for those pink and orange ones… 🩷🌅🧡
Video Clips 📹 | @dgsc
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #santacruzcounty #sunsets #sunset
Monday daydreams: sailing in Santa Cruz. ⛵️
Have you sailed in the Monterey Bay yet?
Videos 📹 | @impactcreative
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #sailing #montereybay #summer
Right now in Santa Cruz… 👌🏽 School may be back in session but summer’s still GIVING. ☀️🌊🏖️
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #santacruzharbor #summer #beachday
Summer forever in the @capitolavillage. ☀️🌸🌊🏄♀️
#capitolavillage #capitola #visitsantacruz #santacruz #summerforever
We 🫶🏽 our local shops! What stores and artists do you love to support in Santa Cruz County? 🛍️
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #shoplocal #santacruzcounty #shopsmall
Have you visited Big Basin lately? A few months ago, the park opened the Sequoia Trail which leads to Sempervirens Falls. This is a huge feat for this historic park that was severely burned in the 2020 Lightning Complex Fires.
The 1.3 mile hike to the falls is well groomed and shows the resilience of the redwood forest. You can either do an out and back to the falls (approximately 2.6 miles) or opt for a 4-ish mile loop on the Sequoia Trail.
We look forward to continuing to see this park come to life as the resilient forest heals – and with the hard work of @castateparks, @friendsofscstateparks, @sempervirensfund, @savetheredwoods, @mountainparksfoundation, @santacruztrails, @parkscalifornia, and others who love Big Basin. 🌲
Know Before You Go:
🅿️ Parking is $10
💧 Bring water and snacks
🕗 Open 8am – sunset
🚌 @santacruzmetro offers weekend service seasonally to the park
🚮 Pack your trash
🥾 Be prepared with proper attire and layers
🚽 Bathroom onsite
ℹ️ Visit their visitor center for questions about trails and general park info
#bigbasin #visitsantacruz #santacruzcounty #bouldercreek #santacruz
Who’s due for a session? 🌊😌
Video Clips 🎥 | @dgsc
#visitsantacruz #oceantherapy #beach #aptos #santacruz
Santa Cruz: a great place to add more life to your days. 🫶
All photos 📷 | @desireexc
🌿🌝🌲🪻🌊
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #santacruzcounty #morelife #visitcalifornia
Which postcard do you want to step into right now?
1. Watch the sunset from the sand at Seabright Beach. 🌅
All videos 🎥 | @dgsc
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #santacruzcounty #summer #august
2. Spend a sunny day at the beach, shopping, and at seaside restaurants in the @capitolavillage. ☀️
3. Have some “me time” watching the waves roll in off West Cliff Drive. ✍️
4. Watch the boats go by at @santacruzharbor and have dinner at a nearby restaurant. ⛵️
5. Get adventurous at Castle Rock State Park and rappel some boulders. 🧗♀️
6. Head down to the sand at an Aptos beach where you can literally walk miles on the coast. 👣
7. Never lose sight of the ocean on a coastal path. 🌊
8. Visit Rio Del Mar and enjoy the shorebirds and coastal town. 🐦
9. Spend some time in the @capitolavillage and see why the colorful beach town is a photographer’s dream. 📸
10. Trek to mountaintops and epic vistas at one of our local state parks: Castle Rock, Henry Cowell, Big Basin, and Nisene Marks are all great spots for hikes with a view. 🥾
A sneak peek at just a *few* things we’re looking forward to… 🌊🍎🦋🌲🍷🌅
🌊 The best weather tends to be fall (although this summer has been amazing!)
🍎 Apple picking at Gizdich Ranch, @ldvorchard, @clearvieworchards, and @liveearthfarm (usually starts in September)
🦋 Monarch butterflies return in October!
🌲 Hiking a great all year long but fall brings some extra magic with changing leaves.
🍷 Wine tasting is so beautiful in the fall! Check out the Corralitos Wine Trail for a collection of wineries in south county or summit vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
🌅 Sunset season is on in fall! And winter brings even more drama.
There’s a bunch more but we’ll try and stick to the present a little longer. ☀️
#visitsantacruz #santacruz #fall #sneakpeek #santacruzcounty
29 coastal miles means there’s always a mellow spot to land.
Starting from the south of Santa Cruz County, we’ve got peaceful Pajaro Dunes. 🌾 Moving a bit north, there’s the expansive sunset view from the cliffs at Seascape. 🌅 Inching a few miles north, we have Pleasure Point and those dreamy clouds. ⛅️ And finally, at nearly the top of county we have the pebble sand shores of Greyhound Rock Beach. 🌊
What’s your favorite beach for a slow summer day?
Videos 🎥 | @dgsc + @visitsantacruz
#visitsantacruz #santacruzcounty #santacruz #santacruzcounty #summer
And it feels so good. 💙🌊🩵
📍 Santa Cruz, California
Clips 📹 | @dgsc + @visitsantacruz
#santacruz #visitsantacruz #santacruzcounty #blue #pacificocean
Hello, August… please be good to us. 🧡
August is peak summer in Santa Cruz County. The weather’s great, the ocean’s at its warmest, nature shows off, and although some classic summer events are winding down, fall festivals quickly take their place on the calendar.
What are you excited for this August in Santa Cruz County? Here are some of our picks:
🌼 U-Pick Dahlias with @beeline_blooms
🌀 Chance of seeing 🌊 bioluminescence
🎥 Free Outdoor Movies: @beachboardwalk (last one August 7); Capitola Village (August 28 & September 4); Seabright (August 6 & 13)
🍷 Scotts Valley Art, Wine and Beer Festival, August 15 & 16
🎼 Cabrillo Festival is Contemporary Music @cabrillofestival
🎭 @santacruzshakes performances amongst the redwoods
🏖️ Beach days and sunsets over the Pacific
🌲 Hikes under the redwoods to beat the heat
What’d we miss?
Video 📹 | @dgsc
#santacruz #visitsantacruz #august #santacruzcounty #summer
Oh, Davenport… 💛 Have you been? If so, you due for another visit?
Pro Tip: Stop at @whalecitybakery for a great breakfast and quick bites. 🥐 Have a locally sourced lunch (or dinner) and drinks at @roadhousedavenport. 🍹 And stop by @swantonberryfarm for strawberry delights, pies and more. 🥧
Video Clips 📹 | @dgsc
#visitsantacruz #davenport #santacruzcounty #santacruz #davenportca
Tell your dog I said hi. 👋
Photos 📷 | @desireexc + @dgsc + @thecuratedfeast + @beningramphoto
#visitsantacruz #dogsofinstagram #santacruz #itsbeach #tellyourdogisaidhi
It’s that time again! The Watsonville Strawberry is back August 1 & 2!
This free, family-friendly festival features live entertainment, carnival rides, kids’ activities, local artisans, business and specialty vendors, and a mouthwatering variety of food. Strawberry lovers can look forward to creative berry-infused treats like pizza, tacos, churros, popcorn, shortcake, beer, and more! Be sure to catch crowd favorites like the Pie-Eating Contest and Berry Best Dressed Contest.
Open 11:00am to 8:00pm on Saturday and
11:00am to 7:00pm on Sunday.
📍 Historic Downtown Watsonville
Main Street and E. Beach Street, Watsonville
Clips 📹 | @watsonvillestrawberryfestival + @visitsantacruz
#visitsantacruz #watsonville #watsonvillestrawberryfestival #santacruz #santacruzcounty
