USA Travel: Early Morning Walk in Santa Cruz, California

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This post traces a 1.5 mile walk along West Cliff Drive, bringing visitors from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to Lighthouse Field State Beach, Santa Cruz, California USA.

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About Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The 1900s saw numerous seaside amusement parks erected along the West Coast, from Portland, Oregon to Venice, California. Today, Santa Cruz’s Beach Boardwalk is the only remaining West Coast major seaside amusement park.

The Boardwalk and the Cocoaunt Grove complex have “30 rides, four arcades with both vintage machines and hundreds of modern video games, a game deck, 26 games of skill, 30 food vendors, an electronic shooting gallery, indoor miniature golf and over 15 gift shops… The historic park is fronted by a mile-long beach” (Santa Cruz Seaside Co., 2008).

• National Historic Landmark: Giant Dipper (wooden rollercoaster) and Looff Carousel, dating to 1924 and 1911 respectively
• California Historic Landmark: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Getting there

• Santa Cruz, California, USA
• Travel to Santa Cruz from Los Gatos, CA

Map from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk to Lighthouse Field State Beach

Connect this itinerary

• Los Gatos, California – Activity Recommendations
• Natural Bridges Beach & Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve, Santa Cruz, California
• An Afternoon in Capitola, California

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Pier and Cowell Beach

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Homes dotting the coast

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Fishing

Surfers at Steamer Lane

Surfers consider Steamer Lane one of the best places in the United States to surf due to its world-renowned surf break.

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Walk along Cliff Drive

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Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, housed inside the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse

The Museum describes the ties between Hawaii’s influence on Santa Cruz’s surfing community.

Lighthouse Field State Beach

Mitchell’s Cove is an off-leash spot for dog owners to bring their canine friends. It is not unusual to find a doggie meet up here.

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