Taking Kids to Santa Cruz
Families visiting Santa Cruz tend to ask the same handful of questions: what will it cost, which beach is safe, where can a stroller go, and what happens if the day turns out cold. The answers below are grouped that way, with figures in US dollars that can change by season.
What Does a Family Day Cost?
Walking onto the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is free, and only the rides need a wristband or tickets. Wristbands range from about $34.95 to $69.95 depending on the date. Check the Boardwalk calendar, because some dates run fewer rides than others.
For a sample budget, take a family of two adults and two children aged 2 to 12 on the Roaring Camp steam train. Fares are $42.35 for each adult and $26.45 for each child, which comes to $137.60, plus $10 for parking at Felton. Children under 2 ride free. Prices are subject to change, so confirm on the day you book.
Other stops cost less. Mystery Spot tickets are $12 each, with ages 3 and under free and parking at $5 a vehicle. The Seymour Marine Discovery Center asks about $9 to $12 for most visitors, and under-3s are free. Henry Cowell Redwoods is $10 per vehicle.
Which Rides Suit Which Children?
Rides carry minimum heights, so measure children and read the height chart at the Boardwalk before you queue. The Giant Dipper wooden coaster asks for about 50 inches. The Looff Carousel dates from 1911 and sits in the same National Historic Landmark listing as the coaster. Older children also tend to enjoy the Mystery Spot, which runs tours every half hour or more often. Weekend tours often sell out around noon, so buy tickets ahead.
Where Is It Safe to Get Wet?
Main Beach beside the Boardwalk and Cowell Beach beside the Wharf are the two lifeguarded city beaches. Natural Bridges has no lifeguards, with rip currents and large waves, so children should stay out of the surf there. Shark sightings occur along northern Monterey Bay, and lifeguards post warnings that are worth obeying. The water is cold all year.
Where Can a Stroller Go?
The Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell Redwoods is flat and 0.8 mile long, so strollers manage it. The hollow Fremont Tree can be entered, and a flashlight helps. Dogs and horses are not allowed on the loop. The West Cliff Drive path is paved and level but runs along an eroding bluff, so keep young children well behind the barriers.
What If It Is Cold or Wet?
The Seymour Center on the UCSC Coastal Science Campus is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm. It has touch pools staffed by volunteers and live Monterey Bay animals. Weekend parking is free. The free Sanctuary Exploration Center at 35 Pacific Avenue is open 10am to 4pm, most days Thursday to Sunday.
Tide Pools and Monarchs
Natural Bridges tide pools open up at low tide, 2 feet or lower. They are a marine protected area, so look and never touch or collect. Tide-pool tours for the public are offered on weekend days with a low tide. Monarch butterflies are in the grove from mid-October to mid-February, and late October and November are often best, though recent winter counts have been modest.
Ticket and parking details are on the Seymour Center visit page . Family outings can be compared through GetYourGuide results for Santa Cruz with kids .
Read more: the group activities page helps with bigger parties, and the day trips page lists outings beyond town. Driving down from the Bay Area? The San Francisco guide covers the northern end of the trip.