Downtown Santa Cruz
Downtown Santa Cruz
4
About
Explore, Play, Shop & Eat! Downtown Santa Cruz packs a punch. This coastal hub throbs with energy, offering a perfect blend of beach bumming, quirky culture, and outdoor adventure – all within a walkable area. Hit Pacific Avenue for a shopping spree. Local shops and established names like Bookshop Santa Cruz line the street, offering unique finds and literary treasures. Need a history fix? The Museum of Art & History awaits. Abbott Square is the lively heart of downtown. Farmers' markets, street performers, and outdoor concerts create a vibrant atmosphere. Grab a bite from the dozens of unique eateries. Downtown Santa Cruz isn't about tourist traps – it's about experiencing the genuine energy of the city. It's a place to unwind, explore, and create memories that last.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Downtown Santa Cruz and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
304 within 5 kms
Attractions
167 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
50 reviews
Excellent
19
Very good
18
Average
6
Poor
3
Terrible
4
Travel720144
1 contribution
Jan 2020
Anyone not used to a large number of aggressive, erratic homeless people, or anyone with small children should think twice about visiting the downtown area of Santa Cruz. I have lived downtown for a year now and the drug use, erratic behavior and aggressive panhandling has gotten to the point where there are more homeless people in the evenings than paying customers. The shop owners are concerned due to the apathetic attitudes of the City Council members and feces and urine are prevalent in the mornings. They are brazen enough to now use car batteries to power music speakers and have Grateful Dead shows on the sidewalk. If you are a drug addict or miss the cavalier days of the 60's this is the place for you. If you think I am exaggerating come visit. You won't be disappointed. If you want your family to enjoy a vacation find a safer alternative.
Written 17 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
C Insight
Santa Cruz, CA5 contributions
Dec 2022
What happened to Santa Cruz?
We walked the day after Christmas in 2022. There were clothes, belongings and trash on the parking lot on Front Street. Walking along Pacific Avenue, people were sleeping on the street and at closed entrances to stores. Others hanging out at every corner, yelling at us for a dollar, or yelling at each other. Then a sudden scream by a woman crossing the street and throwing some trash on the ground. Someone approached us talking to himself. We had to cross the street just to face another shady person coming towards us. The stench of urine topped this all. We are so sorry about all these poor people, but we were afraid and quickly left. What happened to our beloved Santa Cruz?
We walked the day after Christmas in 2022. There were clothes, belongings and trash on the parking lot on Front Street. Walking along Pacific Avenue, people were sleeping on the street and at closed entrances to stores. Others hanging out at every corner, yelling at us for a dollar, or yelling at each other. Then a sudden scream by a woman crossing the street and throwing some trash on the ground. Someone approached us talking to himself. We had to cross the street just to face another shady person coming towards us. The stench of urine topped this all. We are so sorry about all these poor people, but we were afraid and quickly left. What happened to our beloved Santa Cruz?
Written 30 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cella Bella Boo
Los Gatos, CA65 contributions
May 2023
Tragic. I remember going to downtown Santa Cruz while I was in high school (2003-2007). We would have bonfires on the beach, ride the rides on the boardwalk, and visit all the quirky shops and little restaurants along the downtown strip. What happened? On our visit yesterday and today, the ground was littered with trash and needles. At least half the shopfronts are empty now, and those that remain are seedy-looking bars, odd gambling establishments, weed dispensaries, etc. There are zombie-like people lying about on the sidewalks, the grass, and the street, looking very sickly and unwell. We turned around after walking five minutes and returned to our hotel room because we felt so depressed and sorry for the people and sorry for Santa Cruz. I would not go back there, and I definitely wouldn't take your kids or your pets there.
Written 4 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gram of Sunshine
Seattle, WA193 contributions
Oct 2015
If I had to live in Cali, this is where I would live! It's a surfer's paradise and a bohemian/gypsy wanderlusters's dream come true. So many surf shops and funky cool shops, and good eats everywhere and people out and about wandering around and kids playing the guitar on the side walk. It's just a fun, funky, cool little town.
Written 12 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LisaandRod93013
San Ramon, CA550 contributions
Sept 2015 • Couples
Loved the nice mixture of retail shops and restaurants in downtown Santa Cruz to peruse during our visit. My hubby and I came here for lunch and to do some shopping. We had fun visiting two indie bookstores, two separate places to eat, a health food grocery store, and other retail stores.
We also enjoyed seeing the public artwork on display and plenty of outdoor benches to sit.
We also enjoyed seeing the public artwork on display and plenty of outdoor benches to sit.
Written 20 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
joycehnp
San Jose, CA37 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
We parked in a metered parking spot on the street at Pacific Ave and Church St and walked up and down Pacific Ave. There were lots of shops and places to eat. There were many familiar places like Starbucks, Jamba Juice, and Cold Stone Creamery, but we decided to try a cookie and ice-cream place that seemed more local, Pacific Cookie Company. The street was tree lined with a wide sidewalk on one side, but we could not walk more than a couple of blocks without someone asking for money. It was quite sad and a little uncomfortable.
Written 27 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen D
PA292 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
My teen and I visited here in 2014 & 2013. This is such a nice downtown area to explore, very unique shops, lots of food options, our favorite is always the Jamba juice at the end. There is a trolley that goes from near the beach area to the movie theater on pacific ave, the cost is a quarter, google Santa Cruz trolley for the website. there is also plenty of parking lots one street over on cedar street, for very reasonable rates. Some are all day flat fee, others are by the hour.
Written 26 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travelboss
2 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
Santa Cruz, Santa Monica,
Santa Barbara, Venice
Beach, Malibu. Areas of California you don’t want to miss. There’s something for everyone but look up your specific interests before going. If you like mountain biking or water ocean interests or something else look up these areas specific to your interests. It’s not cheap either.
Santa Barbara, Venice
Beach, Malibu. Areas of California you don’t want to miss. There’s something for everyone but look up your specific interests before going. If you like mountain biking or water ocean interests or something else look up these areas specific to your interests. It’s not cheap either.
Written 9 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom Y
Sacramento, CA14 contributions
Dec 2017 • Couples
Lots of great shops with lots of unique resturants. Good way to spend an afternoon or morning after/before the beach area. Also dog friendly. It is a typical West coast town with unique strret performers but also some homeless on the streets.
Written 16 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cyntravelz
San Francisco, CA25 contributions
Jan 2018 • Friends
There are so many fun, educational, and inspiring things to do in the Santa Cruz area. In between hiking, surfing, learning about the Monterey Bay, etc., it's nice to have an easy afternoon in Downtown Santa Cruz.
There are a multitude of shops and boutiques. One of my personal favorites is Super Silver, a jewelry store where you can buy all kinds of jewelry for very reasonable prices. I also love Fish Princess Farm where they sell body products made with goat milk from a local goat farm.
Sadly, Logos bookstore is now gone but Bookshop Santa Cruz is still there - going strong after fifty years. Support your local bookstore!
There are also plenty of restaurants, including Pizza My Heart, which started in Santa Cruz. The pizza is good and the prices are a good deal. Many of the restaurants have both indoor and outdoor seating.
Coffee - of course! Santa Cruz Coffee Company is my recommendation. Delicious coffee, nice seating, excellent service.
The sidewalks are wide and there are often musical buskers.
Yes, there are some homeless people. I always feel I should mention this for folks coming from states with a smaller homeless population. California has a very larger proportion of homeless people than other states. There are a number of reasons for that - beyond the fact that many (not all) parts of California have milder winters, including the cost of housing. I encourage you to read up on these issues.
Downtown Santa Cruz is not far from the beach, wharf, etc. If you like walking you can walk between these two areas. If you don't or if you're using a car or need to, parking is very reasonable (compared to many other coastal cities in California).
The general ambience of Downtown Santa Cruz is relaxed and relaxing. I recommend!
There are a multitude of shops and boutiques. One of my personal favorites is Super Silver, a jewelry store where you can buy all kinds of jewelry for very reasonable prices. I also love Fish Princess Farm where they sell body products made with goat milk from a local goat farm.
Sadly, Logos bookstore is now gone but Bookshop Santa Cruz is still there - going strong after fifty years. Support your local bookstore!
There are also plenty of restaurants, including Pizza My Heart, which started in Santa Cruz. The pizza is good and the prices are a good deal. Many of the restaurants have both indoor and outdoor seating.
Coffee - of course! Santa Cruz Coffee Company is my recommendation. Delicious coffee, nice seating, excellent service.
The sidewalks are wide and there are often musical buskers.
Yes, there are some homeless people. I always feel I should mention this for folks coming from states with a smaller homeless population. California has a very larger proportion of homeless people than other states. There are a number of reasons for that - beyond the fact that many (not all) parts of California have milder winters, including the cost of housing. I encourage you to read up on these issues.
Downtown Santa Cruz is not far from the beach, wharf, etc. If you like walking you can walk between these two areas. If you don't or if you're using a car or need to, parking is very reasonable (compared to many other coastal cities in California).
The general ambience of Downtown Santa Cruz is relaxed and relaxing. I recommend!
Written 15 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wo kann ich in Santa Cruz Bekleidung kaufen ? Gibt es eine Shoppingmal ?
Written 2 December 2019
looking for a nice reasonably priced hotel in downtown santa cruz, ca for approx. 4/19-16
Written 3 February 2016
Be very cautious where you stay. My family have had a very bad experience with Air bnb. Every hotel was full. The place they entered had tents pitched in close proximity. Very shabby with a filthy waste bin containing condoms and tissues. How disgusting. They left immediately
Written 17 April 2019
Showing results 1-3 of 3
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing