Location: Santa Cruz
Top Things to do in Santa Cruz
The 10 Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day in Santa Cruz, California (CA)
The quintessential California beach town of Santa Cruz! It was here that surfing was first brought to the mainland by Hawaiian royalty. Home to the legendary Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined downtown area, and the historic Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, which stretches out a half-mile into the waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Other highlights include UC Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, and nearby redwood forests.
Restaurants in Santa Cruz
1. Kuumbwa Jazz Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 15 reviews
Reviewed By sllbeach - Menlo Park, United States
We have been visiting Kuumbwa Jazz Center for about five years. The staff and volunteers are super friendly and the music is always first-rate. There is a good variety of artists and musicians that keep each performance fresh. The support that the patrons and staff provide for the arts is magical. There are not many places to hear quality live music in such an intimate setting and we are lucky to have Kuumbwa in our community. The ticket pricing is also reasonable for a special evening. Food and drink available at the venue. Worth checking it out.
2. Brew Cruz
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 44 reviews
Brew Cruz is Santa Cruz's Original Microbrewery Tour! Hop aboard for a 4 hour drive around scenic Santa Cruz on our beautifully restored, one-of-a-kind 1989 school bus, 'Betty Jane', and enjoy a pint for each passenger at each of the 3 breweries we choose to stop at, tours with the brewmasters, beer history, trivia, music on-board and many unforgettable memories. Truly a Santa Cruz favorite!
3. Richard Donnelly's Chocolate
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By mini - Fremont, United States
We made a stop at Richard Donnelly's chocolate shop. They make very good chocolates. With Valentine's Day coming up, we purchased four types. One with apricots, one with nuts, one with cayenne, and another. Service is good. The nice staff also gave us a complementary sample. They also sell ice cream bars.
4. Venus Spirits
5. Bookshop Santa Cruz
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 24 reviews
Bookshop Santa Cruz is a large, general independent bookstore located in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz, California since 1966. Owned by the Coonerty family since 1973, Bookshop Santa Cruz is a multi-generational family business currently under the care of Casey Coonerty Protti who grew up in her parent's business. Bookshop Santa Cruz fills over 20,000 square feet with a wide selection of new, used and sale books along with extensive magazine, card and gift sections. Bookshop is known for its comprehensive children's and new release sections as well as strong sections in travel, politics, cooking, science and fiction.
Reviewed By 509macd - Auburn, United States
When you are in Santa Cruz, you have to stop bye Bookshop Santa Cruz. This independent book store is a much loved icon in that town and has been around for over 50 years surviving recessions, earthquakes and fires. The staff is great and will help you find anything you're looking for from best sellers, to local books, to quirky gifts. Check out their UC Santa Cruz Banana Slug section. We tried their brand new concierge service, and it is a great addition to what hey offer. For $40, you get a private to the book shop after hours with your personal concierge. They will help you find great books for people on your gift list (or just for you). Give them a list of interests for each person, and when you arrive for your private hour, they will have a selection or recommendations already laid out for you. You'll also have time to browse the store to discover new treasures. This is well worth the $40, but to make it even better, you get a $40 gift card (which we had no trouble spending.) We were able to do almost all our Christmas shopping with the help of Melinda, who did a wonderful job helping us find unique gifts. On top of that, we had a great evening. To sign up for the service, go to bookshopsantacruz.com and make your reservation. I highly recommend it.
6. Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 39 reviews
This museum's exhibits feature Ohlone Native American artifacts and local flora and fauna.
Reviewed By christinam480 - San Francisco, United States
I visited Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History to hear the local artist Ann Thiermann speak. She painted the mural at the museum and has painted local motives all her life. The staff and volunteers were friendly and helpful throughout the evening at this lovely little Natural History museum.
7. Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 253 reviews
Come touch a friendly shark, see how marine scientists work, and take in the spectacular Monterey Bay. Our exhibit hall offers a deeper dive into the adventure of ocean research here in Santa Cruz and around the world. Visit us and explore the fascinating world of marine science and conservation. We look forward to meeting you! The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is a community-supported marine science education center of the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Reviewed By mini - Fremont, United States
We went to Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Outside of the center are nice views of the Pacific Ocean. There are also some very interesting whale skeletons, such as the one for the blue whale. There is a small admission fee. There are a variety of exhibits to see. There are some fish and more to see as well. Staff is most willing to answer your questions. There is also a small store.
8. Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 80 reviews
Welcome to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (the MAH), a place where there’s always something happening. All year long we host truly ‘only-in-Santa-Cruz’ events and exhibitions. The MAH is of, by, and for Santa Cruz County because our creative community ignites something new here every day.
Reviewed By serenegracekim - Oakland, United States
This museum was so informative about the history of the indigenous Native American people who lived here before the land was taken over. This history is essential to understand, there are rooms you can sit inside, and many artifacts along with photos. I really appreciate museums that represent history with respect, there’s information about California history too.
9. Nickelodeon Theatre
10. MJA Vineyards
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 57 reviews
We are OPEN for Tastings. Come for the wine...stay for the Aloha! Is it possible to make the intangible, tangible? To define love, or to capture the feeling of a sunset? That's the challenge when it comes to MJA. It's not just a destination, it's an experience that goes beyond the wine, mixed with the aroma of chocolate & Kona Coffee, the setting and the people... It's the Aloha! Actually, we handcraft around 8000 cases of our Aloha each year, right in our Westside Cellar in Santa Cruz. We sell our wines directly from our Tasting Rooms because our philosophy is that we want you to be able to buy the highest quality wine that we can produce at the best value possible. That's why we offer weekly specials such as "take 3 bottles for the price of 2", and 20% off everyday for our Kahuna Wine Club Members, and 30% off on club pickup days. And our 100% Kona Coffee that Marin (he's the MJA) grows on the Big Island of Hawaii, was voted as America's Best Coffee by Forbes Magazine.
