Santa Cruz State Beaches

Santa Cruz State Beaches Official page for California State Beaches in Santa Cruz County

Little and Junior Rangers, are you curious about what lies beneath the Ocean. Do you want to learn more so you can help ...
08/30/2026

Little and Junior Rangers, are you curious about what lies beneath the Ocean. Do you want to learn more so you can help protect the magical beings that call the Ocean their home? Come learn about the Sunflower star on September 4th at Sunset State Beach. *Little Rangers (3-6 yrs old) at 11-11:30am. *Junior Rangers (7-12 yrs old) at 12-1:00pm.

Educators, today is the day: Registration is open! 🎉 Field trips at California State Parks in Santa Cruz and San Mateo C...
08/14/2026

Educators, today is the day: Registration is open! 🎉 Field trips at California State Parks in Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties are now available to book.

Reserve your date: https://www.parks.ca.gov/santacruzfieldtrips

We can’t wait to 🌊 you and your students this school year!

Image description: Photo of students gathered round a State Parks Interpreter presenting a redwood educational program while standing inside an old-growth redwood tree at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.

📍Ohlone Tribal Lands

Looking for ways to connect people to nature? Join the Natural Bridges State Beach docent training class. Share the beau...
08/09/2026

Looking for ways to connect people to nature? Join the Natural Bridges State Beach docent training class. Share the beauty of the monarch butterflies with park visitors, lead school field trips in the monarch sanctuary, assist in the park store, and more! This training takes place over the course of several weekends. Apply today! Contact [email protected] for applications or questions.
Image Description: An orange flier for the docent training. It says "Join our docent training. Every Sunday afternoon September 13th - October 11th and 2 Wednesday evenings. Learn the wonders of monarchs and inspire others by sharing their magic with students and the community"
📍 Uypi Land

California State Parks los invita a nuestro Programa de Fogata en español. Viernes 21 de Agosto 7-8pm en Sunset Beach St...
08/08/2026

California State Parks los invita a nuestro Programa de Fogata en español. Viernes 21 de Agosto 7-8pm en Sunset Beach State Park.

Aprende sobre el Santuario Marino de Monterey 🌊🌊
¿Y si una de las criaturas más magníficas de la Tierra estuviera nadando esta noche, justo frente a Sunset Beach State Park? únanse para una fogata llena de maravillas, juegos y sorpresas, y descubre la magia que vive bajo las olas. 🏄

Viernes 21 de Agosto, de 7 a 8 p.m. En Sunset Beach State Park, junto a las mesas de la entrada.

Sunset Beach State Park, Sunset Beach Rd. Watsonville, 95076

📆 Educators, save the date! Field trip registration for California State Parks in Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties open...
08/08/2026

📆 Educators, save the date! Field trip registration for California State Parks in Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties opens Friday, August 14 at 9 a.m.

Bring your students to explore tide pools, redwoods, coastal sage scrub, local history, and more with our State Parks staff and volunteers at these free programs. Have your preferred dates ready — registration is first come, first served.

Register at https://www.parks.ca.gov/santacruzfieldtrips or link in bio.

Image description: Photo of State Park docent showing school group the fossil wall at Seacliff State Beach

📍Ohlone Tribal Lands

Calling all Junior Rangers in Santa Cruz…Natural Bridges State Park is offering fun programs throughout the summer. Our...
07/12/2026

Calling all Junior Rangers in Santa Cruz…
Natural Bridges State Park is offering fun programs throughout the summer.

Our Family Rangers program is geared for kids 7-12 and their families to come explore and interact with the amazing natural world here at Natural Bridges.

This 1 hour program is free and easy to sign up for. Scan the QR code or follow the link in our bio.

Summer programs include:

Birds, Birds, Birds! on 7/19

5 Senses Safari on 7/26

Creepy Crawlies on 8/2

Calling all Little and Junior Rangers to put on your hiking sandals and explore our sandy shores at Sunset Beach! 1 hour...
07/10/2026

Calling all Little and Junior Rangers to put on your hiking sandals and explore our sandy shores at Sunset Beach! 1 hour programs for Junior Rangers (7-12 years old), and 30-minute programs for Little Rangers (3-6 years old). Come explore this colorful coastal habitat.

Sign up using the QR code.

Program is free, entrance fee to the park is $10 and can be used in any State Park for the day.

Join us for American Roots at Wilder Ranch State Park on Saturday, July 4, 2026, from 11 AM to 4 PM, as we mark America’...
07/03/2026

Join us for American Roots at Wilder Ranch State Park on Saturday, July 4, 2026, from 11 AM to 4 PM, as we mark America’s semiquincentennial with a day of music, history, and community!

Six local acts will take the stage, spanning the sounds that built America:

🎷 Brian Fitzgerald Trio — Sophisticated, swinging jazz from one of Santa Cruz's most in-demand trios.

🌊 The New Shockwaves — Instrumental psychedelic surf-rock straight off the California coast.

🎸 Joe Blan and the Down Home Blues Company — Soulful, Southern-rooted blues in the tradition of Sam Cooke and B.B. King.

💃 Estrellas De Esperanza — A youth ballet folklórico group from Watsonville performing traditional Mexican regional dance. Find them on Facebook:

🪕 Brookdale Bluegrass Band — Toe-tapping bluegrass and Americana led by longtime local picker Eric Burman.

🎤 Gold Standard Chorus — A ca****la barbershop harmony, doo-wop, and jazz standards from Santa Cruz's own award-winning chorus. Find them on Facebook:

Beyond the music, enjoy:

• Summer favorites for sale: ice cream, watermelon, lemonade, plus brats by
• Living history demonstrations
• Open house tours of Wilder Ranch's historic buildings
• Old-timey arts, crafts, and games

Special guest interpreters and volunteers from Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park and Castro Adobe State Historic Park will join us, bringing perspectives on multiple eras of California history throughout the day.

Event is free. Vehicle day-use parking is $10 and supports our local state parks. Come hear the many voices, sounds, and stories that make up our shared American story. 🇺🇸

📍 Uypi Tribal Lands

Image: American Roots promotional flyer

Want to get your little explorer outside this summer? Join a Little Ranger program at Natural Bridges State Beach! These...
06/25/2026

Want to get your little explorer outside this summer? Join a Little Ranger program at Natural Bridges State Beach! These 1 hour programs are designed for 3-6 year olds, and include hands-on activities and exploration. Adults must stick with the group to help kids participate.

Sign up using the link in our bio

Call or email for questions 831-423-0871 or [email protected]

Program is free, parking is $10 and can be used in any State Park for the day.

Themes for Summer of 2026:

7/13 - Insects

7/20 - Beach Exploring

8/3 - Birdwatching

8/10 - Nature Art

🚧 Heads up, Seacliff visitors! 🚧Our beachside lower parking lot has two upcoming closures:📅 **Tomorrow, Wednesday, June ...
06/03/2026

🚧 Heads up, Seacliff visitors! 🚧

Our beachside lower parking lot has two upcoming closures:

📅 **Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 3** — closed until 11 AM to prep the area for repaving.

📅 **Wednesday, June 8** — closed all day for repaving. Fresh concrete can be walked on after 4 hours of setting, but no vehicles will be permitted on it for the full day.

Good news: parking is still available in the upper lot, Lot Ad (former campground), and the Visitor Center spaces on both dates. The sidewalk path running parallel to the beach stays open for walking, and the beach and Visitor Center will be open as usual.

Thanks for your patience while we freshen things up — sea you at the shore! 🌊

📍Aptos Tribal Land

Image description: Background photo of busy day at Seacliff State Beach with text overlay reading "Seacliff State Beach; Maintenance Update; Lower Parking Lot Closed Wednesday, June 8"

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