Our perfect 2 day Santa Cruz Itinerary

Santa Cruz is a great destination for a fun yet relaxing weekend getaway, especially if you enjoy a mix of coastline and redwood forests. We recently spent two days here exploring the coastal side of the city and heading inland to the redwoods.

I checked off two personal bucket list experiences in Santa Cruz — seeing the monarch butterflies at Natural Bridges State Beach and riding the historic steam train through the redwoods at Roaring Camp Railroads. This itinerary follows exactly how we spent our weekend and is designed to be relaxed yet still cover all the must-dos in Santa Cruz.

Day 1: West Cliff Drive, Natural Bridges, Boardwalk, and Downtown

Our first day in Santa Cruz was centered around the coast, starting with a scenic morning walk along West Cliff Drive, followed by time at Natural Bridges to see the monarch butterflies and explore the beach with its famous rock arch. We then spent the late afternoon around the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and wrapped up the day with dinner and a walk through downtown.

West Cliff Drive Coastal Walk

West Cliff Drive is one of the most scenic coastal stretches in Santa Cruz, with a flat, paved walking path that runs along the ocean bluffs and offers nonstop views of the coastline.

Morning was the perfect time for a coastal walk along West Cliff Drive. Our hotel, West Cliff Inn, sits right across from the wharf, so we could have started walking from there. Instead, we chose to drive and parked at the visitor center at Natural Bridges State Beach, then walked along the coast toward the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum.

If you want a longer walk, you can also start at the wharf or near the Surfing Museum. There are parking lots near both, which makes it easy to adjust based on how much time and energy you have. Starting at Natural Bridges worked well for us since it lined up with our next stops.

The walk itself is easy and very pleasant. There’s a paved trail that runs along the ocean bluffs, and it’s mostly flat. We saw plenty of people biking, walking their dogs, and enjoying the views on a sunny day.

The ocean scenery is spectacular, but what stood out to me were the homes along West Cliff Drive. They’re beautiful, and we were wondering how nice it would be to live here year-round. We also noticed quite a few van life travelers parked along parts of the route, which added an interesting contrast to the upscale neighborhood feel.

If you’re short on time, even driving along West Cliff Drive is worth it for the coastal views.

Natural Bridges Monarch Trail

The Natural Bridges Monarch Trail is one of the best places in Santa Cruz to see monarch butterflies during their winter migration season.

After the coastal walk, we walked back to the visitor center at Natural Bridges State Beach, where we had parked our car. Parking here was $10. Since we visited in December during monarch butterfly migration season (typically October through January), there were quite a few people around on that Saturday.

We briefly stepped into the visitor center to check out the exhibits. It’s a quick stop, but informative, and there are restrooms if needed.

During winter, thousands of monarch butterflies cluster in the eucalyptus groves at Natural Bridges. Right next to the visitor center, a short boardwalk trail leads into the grove.

We saw hundreds of monarchs flying around the trees, though many were high up and difficult to spot without binoculars. Park rangers had binoculars set up to help visitors see a cluster of butterflies more clearly, which made a big difference.

Seeing the monarch butterflies was a memorable part of our visit and worth planning around if you’re in Santa Cruz during migration season.

Natural Bridges State Beach

From the visitor center parking lot, there’s a short path that leads down to Natural Bridges State Beach. It’s a small beach, and the main attraction here is a large natural rock arch near the shore, which is what gives the beach its name.

We visited in the early afternoon and found it very quiet, with only a few people around. This beach tends to get much busier closer to sunset, when people come specifically for the views and photos. Even if you are not staying for sunset, it’s a nice place to relax and enjoy the coastline.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is the most popular attraction in Santa Cruz. It’s a classic seaside amusement park located right on the beach. We spent about an hour at the Boardwalk, mostly to walk around and take in the vibe.

On previous visits, we’ve explored the rides here, which are amusement park-style and fun if you enjoy that. If you do ride a few, I recommend the Sky Glider for great views of the Boardwalk and the beach. Sea Swings is another favorite of mine. The Giant Dipper is popular with roller coaster fans, though it’s not for me.

There are plenty of other rides here, along with an indoor arcade. If you plan to try several rides, the unlimited ride wristband is worth considering. You don’t need to buy a ticket just to walk around the Boardwalk, which makes it easy to stop by even if you’re not interested in rides. There are also several food stalls and souvenir shops throughout the area.

After that, we walked along the Santa Cruz Wharf. From here, you can see the Dream Inn, a popular oceanfront hotel to stay in if you want to be close to the beach and Boardwalk.

The wharf is lined with restaurants, making it a good spot for a casual meal with ocean views. Some popular options include Stagnaro Bros. for seafood, Riva Fish House, and Gilda’s. Near the beach and Boardwalk, Ideal Bar & Grill is popular for American cuisine. The Picnic Basket is also a solid option for sandwiches and casual bites.

There is a huge paid parking lot across the street from the Boardwalk, if you are driving there. This is where we park when we are doing a day trip to the beach and boardwalk area.

Downtown Santa Cruz

For dinner, we drove into downtown Santa Cruz, which is centered around Pacific Avenue. This area is easy to walk around and has a lively but relaxed feel, especially in the evening. It’s a nice place to stroll, browse a few shops, and kill time while waiting for a table. We did not find it unsafe, especially in the blocks where the popular restaurants are.

We had dinner at Hula’s Island Grill. While the atmosphere was fun, I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for good vegetarian options, as those didn’t really stand out for us. The pies, however, were delicious here.

Downtown Santa Cruz has plenty of popular and casual dining options. Pizza My Heart and Woodstock’s Pizza are well-known local favorites, and Laili Restaurant is a popular downtown spot serving Afghan and Mediterranean-inspired dishes. For a special occasion, Shadowbrook Restaurant is a longtime favorite just outside downtown Santa Cruz and is known for its unique funicular ride down to the restaurant.

While waiting for our table, we walked around Pacific Avenue and stopped into OM Gallery, which was fun to browse with its eclectic and funky collection of art and gifts. Exploring the downtown area was a great way to end Day 1.

Overall, Day 1 felt relaxed, well-paced, and covered Santa Cruz’s coastal highlights without feeling rushed, setting us up nicely for a redwoods-focused second day.

Day 2: Redwoods and Mystery Spot

We started Day 2 with a delicious hot breakfast at our boutique hotel, West Cliff Inn, before heading out to explore the redwoods. If you want to pack lunch for the day, Pacific Point Market is an easy stop. Their burritos are especially popular and make a convenient grab-and-go option for a day spent outdoors.

Day 2 was all about spending time in the Henry Cowell redwoods. We started with a scenic train ride, followed by an easy hike among the towering trees. I suggest adding Mystery Spot here if you have time left in your day.

Roaring Camp Train Ride to the Redwoods

Roaring Camp Railroads is a historic narrow-gauge steam railroad that runs scenic train rides through the redwoods near Santa Cruz. We booked a 12 pm train ride, which gave us a relaxed morning before heading out.

There are multiple departure times throughout the day. I highly recommend booking tickets in advance, especially if you’re visiting on a weekend or during holidays, as reservations do sell out.

Parking for Roaring Camp is right next to the parking area for Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. When we visited, parking was $10 at both lots. We parked at Roaring Camp, which worked well since we planned to do the train ride first.

Before boarding, we spent some time exploring the grounds at Roaring Camp. The setup feels like stepping back into the 1880s, with a small historic town that includes a one-room schoolhouse, general store, blacksmith shop, marshal’s office, and more.

There were also several activity stations for kids, including crafts and face painting. Since we visited in December, the area was decorated for the holidays, with Christmas trees on display, a Santa meet-and-greet, and free hot cider, which was delicious. There’s also a café where you can buy hot snacks before or after the ride.

When the train arrived at the platform, it pulled in, blowing off a lot of steam, which built excitement for the ride. I recommend sitting toward the back of the train in one of the open cars if you want better photos of the train winding through the forest ahead of you.

The ride through the redwoods was scenic and relaxing, and both my husband and I really enjoyed being surrounded by the redwood forest.

The train makes a short stop at Bear Mountain, where you have about 10 minutes to step off, take photos, and use the restroom. From start to finish, the experience took around two hours and felt well worth the time.

Easy Redwoods Walk at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

After the train ride, we walked over to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and explored the Redwood Grove Loop Trail. This is a flat, easy one-mile loop that takes you through a grove of impressive old-growth redwood trees.

Even though we’ve visited several redwood parks before, including Redwood National and State Parks and Muir Woods, this walk still felt special. There’s something about being among these towering trees that puts everything into perspective and makes you slow down and take it all in.

If you want to do more hiking here, Henry Cowell has several longer trail options as well, including routes that lead toward Fall Creek or along the San Lorenzo River. For us, the Redwood Grove Loop was the perfect, low-effort way to experience the forest after the train ride.

Mystery Spot (optional)

The Mystery Spot is a unique and quirky attraction near Santa Cruz. I’ve visited a couple of times on previous trips, so we skipped it on this visit, but it’s still worth considering if you have a couple of extra hours.

Visits to the Mystery Spot are guided and ticketed. Tickets cost $10 per person, and parking is $5 per vehicle. Tours last about 45 minutes, making it an easy stop to fit into Day 2. It’s still a good idea to book tickets in advance, especially on weekends and during busy travel periods, to avoid waiting there.

The experience centers around a guided tour through a small cabin and surrounding area where gravity and perspective seem to behave strangely. You’ll see objects appear to roll uphill, people look tilted or change height depending on where they stand, and other optical illusions that are fun to experience firsthand. The tour is interactive and lighthearted, with guides explaining what’s happening along the way.

While it’s not a must-do, the Mystery Spot is a fun stop if you’re looking to add something different to your Santa Cruz itinerary.