Wellness Guide To Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is a laid-back, surf town with an iconic amusement park on the beach, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. One of my favorite parts about Santa Cruz was the trees… seeing giant redwoods on the streets near the beach was incredible. Great coffee culture, healthy eats, + lots of outdoor adventure — make sure Santa Cruz is on your stop for a few days if you are doing a Pacific Coast Highway roadtrip!
Coffee + Cafes
- Verve — Verve has 12 cafes across California, but it actually started in Santa Cruz! Get the Peppermint Mocha Bowl of Soul… so good!
- 11th Hour Coffee — Their Breakfast Biscuit is to die for. They also have delicious toasts + bowls
- Cat + Cloud Coffee — Coffee + pastries, with a few locations
- Point Market — If you’re craving a breakfast burrito, go here!
- Companion Bakeshop — Almond croissants, quiches, sandwiches, + a huge variety of bread!
- Honey B Market — *MUST. I LOVE Honey B! I actually met the owner at a pop-up she used to have in Santa Barbara. “My vision behind the market is to connect people back to their relationship with food as medicine.”
Restaurants
- Pretty Good Advice — Sandwiches, burgers, salads, + fries. Loved this spot! Open 9–5pm.
- Cafe GSC — Vegan cafe with raw + cooked eats. Open 12–8pm.
- Laili Restaurant — Mediterranean + Afghan restaurant. Open 5–9pm.
- Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch — Farm to table restaurant. Open 7am-830pm.
- Bantam — We got pizza here to go + brought it to the beach to watch the sunset… highly recommend! Open 5–9pm.
- MeloMelo Kava Bar — Kava, kombucha, hemp on tap, + chameleon drinks. Open 12-midnight.
- The Penny Ice Creamery — Super cute organic ice cream shop. Open 12–11pm.
*Breweries to check out: Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, Humble Sea Brewing Co., Shanty Shack Brewing, Sante Adairius Rustic Ales, + more! You can go on a brewery tour with Brew Cruz!
Wellness + To Explore:
#1] Go hiking: Check out Santa Cruz’s Top 5 Hikes here. I’ll also add that the Garden Of Eden trail is an easy, beautiful 1.6 mile hike that has a swimming hole.
#2] Surf, kayak, swim, + paddle board: There is an abundance of water spots available in Santa Cruz. There are plenty of places to rent gear, as well as go on tours! Check out this guide to Santa Cruz surfing!
#3] Have a bonfire on the beach: There are a few beaches that allow bonfires on the beach using the fire rings! Check out Seabright State Beach, New Brighton State Beach, + Twin Lakes State Beach
#4] Head to the Santa Cruz Wharf + see the sea lions! Only the most iconic thing ever to do in Santa Cruz
#5] Ride a rollercoaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Chances are you’ll recognize this amusement park from movies!
#6] Go to the Farmer’s Market! They have a few different days + locations — check them out here.
#5] Take a day trip to Esalen: Esalen, a holistic retreat center, is 2 hours south of Santa Cruz. They have day passes where you can get meal, have a treatment, + use the hot springs! Or, make a long weekend out of it with a self-guided retreat.
Pro Tips:
- I’d recommend staying in an Airbnb! If you’re looking for a hotel, the Dream Inn looks cute.
- Check out this website for events going on in Santa Cruz while you’re visiting.
- Santa Cruz is a great stop before or after visiting Yosemite National Park!
Did I miss any of your favorite spots in Santa Cruz? Let me know!
Love,
Elisabeth