Santa Cruz Must See: A Driving Loop from Hills, around West Cliff, through UCSC
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Santa Cruz is America’s original “Surf City”. While there’s still plenty of surfing to be seen, on this driving tour you’ll discover that there’s so much more to the city than catching waves!
Starting at the Graham Hill pullout, you’ll wind along West Cliff Drive to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum and Natural Bridges State Beach before making your way to the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). There, you’ll see the city’s mighty coastal redwood trees before taking a slow cruise back to the Visitors Center and Marianne’s Ice Cream store, where our tour ends. En route, you’ll hear how the Town Clock has been a staging spot for protests, and learn the difference between art and graffiti while taking in a sculpture at Pyramid Park. I’ll also point out the unusual looking Court of Mysteries and tell you how its owner got around city planners. Along the way, I’ll show you the must-see sights to take in if you’re pressed for time, and point out places that you can explore at your leisure. You could easily fill a whole weekend!
On this Santa Cruz tour, you can look forward to:
- Hiking along a sandy ancient seabed that’s now hundreds of feet above sea level and seven miles inland at Graham Hill
- Exploring Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center’s interactive displays of an underwater canyon that’s wider and deeper than the Grand Canyon
- Watching talented surfers at Steamer Lane, a famous break
- Seeing monarch butterflies congregate at Natural Bridges State Beach in the winter
- Smelling the flowers as you stroll through UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanic Garden’s outdoor tree museum
- Attending a concert in the shadows of giant redwoods at UCSC
- Soaking up Pogonip Vista Point’s views of mountains, three types of forest, the ocean and a roller coaster
- Taking in architecture from 1791 through to Victorian times
- Puzzling over the depiction of the Santa Cruz Sea Monster
By the end of this one-hour tour, you’ll have a taste of what Santa Cruz County can offer, along with some fantastic photos and memories! You might also leave with a full tummy and some terrific stories to share as you’ll hear stories unique to Santa Cruz.
I mention in the tour that you should come back here to explore a 3D model of a pocket watch that melted in the gunpowder mill explosion of 1898. Here’s the link to see it: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/melted-pocket-watch-8689d860ddb34f01a51eadbf2e6383f3 Please don’t look at it while operating a vehicle!
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
AdventureSwag Gifts
I was born and raised in the California bay area, and am currently working in Santa Cruz, my favorite playground. I have been in the travel industry for years, and love using audio tours to explore. I'm excited to contribute to VoiceMap because I love storytelling, traveling, researching, and frankly... I love to talk!
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 1
Start Tour: Graham Hill Pullout
I'm your destination concierge. This tour is intended as a quick overview of essential things to see while you're here. Considering traffic and lights, this tour takes about an hour with no stops. I also point out quite a few stops along the way t... Read More
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Powder Mill Trail
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Santa Cruz Sandhills
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Visit Santa Cruz County
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Town Clock
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Civic Auditorium
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Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center
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West Cliff Drive
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Surfing Statue
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Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
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Steamer Lane
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Court of Mysteries
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Pyramid Park
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Natural Bridges State Beach
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Swift Street Courtyard
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UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden
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Coastal Redwoods
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University of California Santa Cruz
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UCSC
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Pogonip Vista Point
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Cowell Ranch Historic Hay Barn
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Mission Santa Cruz
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Statue of Santa Cruz Sea Monster
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Marianne's Ice Cream
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start location1954 Graham Hill Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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Total distance28km
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Final location1020 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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Distance back to start location4km
Directions to Starting Point
If you are approaching the Graham Hill Pullout from the south, your GPS will direct you to turn left on Pipeline Rd. It's best if you skip the first left and turn left at the other end where the turn lane is. The locals use this as a one way street from north to south. You aren't doing anything illegal if you enter from the south, it will just be easier if you enter from the north.
If you are arriving from Silicon Valley, you will be taking Highway 17 South. Take exit number 3 for Mount Hermon Road. Turn right on Mount Hermon, then left on Lockewood Lane. When Lockewood Lane ends, you will hit Graham Hill Road. Turn Left on Graham Hill, and the turnout will be on your right in about a mile and a half.
If you are arriving from San Francisco along scenic Highway 1, the freeway will take you right through Santa Cruz. Once you are past all the stoplights, and back on to what looks like regular freeway, the very first exit number 442 will be Ocean Street. Turn left on Ocean Street, and it will turn into Graham Hill Road. The pullout will be on your left in about 2 miles. Take the second left turn on Pipeline Rd.
If are arriving from the south along scenic Highway 1, follow the signs for exit number 442, Highway 17 South. At the stoplight at the end of the freeway, make a sharp right, following signs for Felton. Ocean Street will turn into Graham Hill Road, and the pullout will be on your left in about 2 miles. Take the second left turn on Pipeline Rd.
Here is a Santa Cruz County music playlist to play in the background while you are navigating to the start point: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSlkyOkKuMQZk8kFjtpcsMHPDhez7fE8x
Show Directions
Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
If you only have time for one stop, then your choice of stop depends on what your priorities might be. If beaches are your thing, then stop at Natural Bridges. If you do stop at Natural Bridges, do not skip the butterfly walk. If surf culture interests you, stop at the surfing museum. If you love sweeping vistas, then Pogonip Lookout is your stop for a little hike. If you have a dog with you, there is an off leash dog beach just past the lighthouse. Kids will enjoy the Marine Exploration Center. If you have time for shopping and dining, stop at the Swift Street Courtyard, but if you are in too much of a hurry to sit down for a meal, lots of to-go and drive through options will be passed on Mission St.
Here is a list to choose from so you can plan ahead:
• Hiking trails at the Graham Hill Pullout are part of Henry Cowell State Park.
• Visit Santa Cruz County information center. If you are preparing before your visit, you can also obtain what they offer ahead of your trip at VisitSantaCruz.org
• The Santa Cruz Town Clock
• As we pass Downtown Santa Cruz, I mention Abbott Square. This is a culinary and entertainment venue where everyone in your car can pick a different high end restaurant for food, and still all sit at the same table.
• Santa Cruz Civic Center
• The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
• Santa Cruz Wharf (Close to Boardwalk amusement park and surfing lessons)
• Surfing Statue
• The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
• You will be driving along West Cliff Drive, but you can also park in any of the free spots along the way, and enjoy the trail by the road. There are even spots to rent an eBike.
• The Court of Mysteries is a private home you will be driving by. You may stop and take photos from the curb, but it is not open to the public to explore past the public sidewalk.
• Pyramid Park has some cliff side benches and sweeping ocean vistas to enjoy.
• Natural Bridges State Beach
• Swift Street Courtyard is a place the locals like to shop and eat at.
• The UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden
• While driving through the University of California Santa Cruz, you will see lots of trails through the coastal redwoods you are free to explore. The arts department has a public gallery, and you will find musical and theatrical performances online that are open to the public.
• Pogonip Vista Point
• Cowell Historic Hay Barn and Limekilns
• Restaurants on Mission Street
• The Plaza at Mission Santa Cruz has architectural examples from 1791 through the victorian era.
• Stature of the Santa Cruz Sea Monster
• Marianne's Ice Cream
Best time of day
Around 2:30 in the afternoon, Highway 1 South starts to get congested and slow. Within this tour, 1 South is also called Cabrillo Highway, and Mission Street. We don't stay on it very long, but if you are continuing south after the tour, you may want to ensure you have an early start.
Summertime fog is the reason we have such beautiful redwood groves, but also puts a damper on the beautiful views of this drive. If you do not have the time constraints of traveling south in afternoon traffic, and see some morning fog, you may want to linger downtown until the fog burns off.
At midday, you are most likely to avoid all of these problems, but I have enjoyed this drive in the fog, at 3PM, sunset, and all sorts of times! Not so much in the dark of night though. If a rain storm is really bad, please skip West Cliff by cutting through at Delaware Ave. and rejoin at Swift St.
Precautions
Many visitors are struck by the numbers of unhoused people in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is accepting of quirky, weird and strange, so there are many homeless advocates here. Contributing to panhandling does not help. Instead, drop your spare change into the bright red parking meters with yellow signs on Pacific Ave., and your funds will more effectively help! If you decide to stop along your drive, remember to lock your car and hide valuables, even if you are just stepping out for a second. Do not interact with the one that dresses up like Cookie Monster.
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