The La Selva Beach exit off Hwy 1, near Watsonville, brings you here, where you can have miles of sand and surf almost all to yourself.
Sunset State Beach
Santa Cruz
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
18.88 MILES
Monterey is practically synonymous with its world-class aquarium overlooking Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which protects dense kelp forests and…
11.6 MILES
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been an Americana classic like few others for over a century. Now as in 1907 when the amusement park first opened, the…
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
26.18 MILES
They bark, they laze and bathe and they’re fun to watch – sea lions are the stars in this state park some 4 miles south of Carmel, along with the…
17.42 MILES
This museum will interest almost anyone, even if you don't know anything about Salinas’ Nobel Prize–winning native son, John Steinbeck (1902–68), a…
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
13.62 MILES
This educational center is part of UCSC’s Long Marine Laboratory. Interactive natural-science exhibits include tidal touch pools and aquariums, while…
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
24.15 MILES
Carmel's strikingly beautiful mission is an oasis of solemnity with flowering gardens and a thick-walled basilica filled with Spanish Colonial art and…
19.85 MILES
Find out what's currently open at Monterey State Historic Park, grab a free map and buy tickets for guided walking tours inside this 1847 adobe building,…
University of California, Santa Cruz
14.22 MILES
Check it: the school mascot is a banana slug! Established in 1965 in the hills above town, UCSC is known for its creative, liberal bent. The rural campus…
Nearby Santa Cruz attractions
3.57 MILES
Near Watsonville, the La Selva Beach exit off Hwy 1 leads here to this sparsely populated beach.
7.43 MILES
Seacliff State Beach harbors a ‘cement boat,’ a quixotic freighter built of concrete that floated OK, but ended up here as a coastal fishing pier. During…
3. Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
8.11 MILES
Rent a kayak from outfitters on Hwy 1 and paddle past harbor seals into Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, or take a guided weekend hike…
4. Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
8.17 MILES
Just north the Santa Cruz seaside suburb of Aptos, this State park offers ipcnic spots and the opportunity to hike, jog, or bike on 30 miles of trails in…
8.51 MILES
Heading east of Santa Cruz to Capitola, New Brighton State Beach is a quieter place for a swim, paddle boarding or camping on a forested bluff.
9.42 MILES
With a good surf break and bathrooms, this pretty all-around sandy spot is further east of 26th Ave off E Cliff Dr.
10.56 MILES
Big beach with bonfire pits and a lagoon, good for kids and often fairly empty. It’s off E Cliff Dr.
8. Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
11.21 MILES
The collections at this pint-sized museum include stuffed-animal mounts, Native Californian cultural artifacts and a touch-friendly tide pool that shows…