What to do in Santa Cruz while house and pet sitting

California’s Santa Cruz earned the nickname Surf City thanks to its fantastic breakers and thriving alternative community. It makes for a brilliant summer getaway, and beyond the gorgeous sandy beaches there’s a wealth of history to uncover, including a functioning 19th-century railroad and beautifully preserved ranches. If you’re lucky enough to be heading out west, here’s a list of what to do in Santa Cruz while house and pet sitting.

Santa Cruz attractions

1. Santa Cruz Wharf: Stretching more than 800 metres into the sea, this wooden pier is one of Santa Cruz’s most famous sights, and the longest pier on the US west coast. Originally constructed in 1914 to handle shipping, the wharf is now primarily a pleasure resort, packed with restaurants and shops, and filled with couples taking a sunset stroll. Grab some clam chowder or fish and chips and enjoy the sea view, or hire a kayak to explore the nearby kelp beds and get up close with the local sea lions. 

2. Natural Bridges State Beach: As the name implies, this is a 26-hectare state park with a beautiful natural bridge arching across the beach. Originally there were three arches, but now only one remains after the outermost bridge collapsed in the early twentieth century, and the innermost one fell into the sea after a storm in 1980. Further inland you’ll find a eucalyptus grove that becomes home to up to 150,000 migratory monarch butterflies during the winter months.

3. Wilder Ranch State Park: Stretching out for over 2,300 hectares along the California coast, the Wilder Ranch State Park has around 56 kilometres of trails to explore at your leisure. Take a wander along the coastal bluffs, or strike out towards the looming Santa Cruz Mountains. The park takes its name from an old 19th-century dairy ranch on the site, and the ranch buildings have been preserved for posterity – an hour-long tour at 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays provides more information on how the buildings were used, but make sure to call to book your place in advance.

Free things to do in Santa Cruz

1. West Cliff Drive: Beginning at the Santa Cruz Wharf, West Cliff Drive snakes for nearly five kilometres along the coast, providing stunning views of Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The path has dedicated pedestrian and bike lanes, and it’s perennially popular with cyclists and dog walkers. As you’re walking, make sure to stop and admire the surfers at Steamer Lane, one of the most well-known surf breaks in the United States.

2. Santa Cruz Main Beach: If you’re wondering what to do in Santa Cruz, the sandy shoreline should surely be your first port of call. You’ll find the main beach right in front of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park, and it stretches all the way from Santa Cruz Wharf to the mouth of the San Lorenzo River in the east. Always busy in summer, it’s a great place to watch the surfers and beach volleyball players – or perhaps join in yourself. And if you ever tire of the sea and sand, the historic amusement park is free to enter – although you’ll have to pay to go on the rides.

3. Santa Cruz Surfing Museum: The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum was established in 1986 with the aim of telling the fascinating history of surfing, from its origins in Ancient Hawaii right up to the present day. Surfers have been hitting the breaks at Santa Cruz for more than 100 years, and the museum showcases some fascinating photographs and exhibits that chart the changing nature of the sport over the decades.

Fun things to do in Santa Cruz

1. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been operating since 1907, making it California’s oldest amusement park. Its signature Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster was built in 1924 and is still operating today, but elsewhere you can find more modern pursuits like laser tag and a laser maze, as well as gentler pastimes such as mini golf and pool. There’s no shortage of thrill rides, too, including the stomach-churning Double Shot freefall ride. And if the park feels familiar, it might be because you’ve already seen it in the 1980s movie The Lost Boys…

2. Seymour Marine Discovery Center: Nestled within the University of California Santa Cruz Coastal Science Campus you’ll find the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, which aims to connect the public with the work being carried out by marine scientists. The live creatures on display include eels, octopuses and jellyfish, and brave explorers can even touch a swell shark (don’t worry, they don’t bite). Outside you’ll find the largest blue whale skeleton on display in the United States, at a whopping 27 metres long – and it’s not even a fully grown blue whale! 

3. Roaring Camp Railroads: Hop on an authentic steam locomotive from the 1890s and take a trip through redwood forests to the peak of Bear Mountain. Steam trains were originally used to haul logs from the forest, but now this wonderfully preserved 19th-century loco only carries passengers on an exciting 75-minute trip over trestles and narrow-gauge tracks. Roaring Camp also operates a second train – the diesel-powered Beach Train – which ferries passengers from Santa Cruz Boardwalk on a three-hour trip.

What to do in Santa Cruz with pets?

1. Aptos Dog Park: This is one of several dog parks dotted around Santa Cruz, and it’s one of the best. Located in the 24-hectare Polo Grounds Park, the fully fenced Aptos Dog Park is divided into areas for small and large dogs, and there are plenty of benches to sit on while watching your pooch play. A tented area provides respite from the sun, and there’s a water fountain, too.

2. Lighthouse Field State Beach: Although dogs aren’t allowed on Santa Cruz’s main beach, there are plenty of sandy strips along the coast where dogs are welcome, and Lighthouse Field State Beach is one of them. Your furry pal will need to be on a lead, but you can both enjoy watching the breakers at this popular surfing spot, and there are lots of tide pools to play in (mostly of interest to dogs, but humans are welcome to have a splash as well).

3. DeLaveaga Park: Another dog-friendly park, this one has a small, fenced area where dogs are free to run around without a lead. Dogs are also allowed everywhere else in the park if they are on a lead, except for the athletic fields. There are some excellent shady trails through the trees for some serious walkies time – and the park also has an archery range if you fancy yourself a good shot.

Best restaurants in Santa Cruz: Food and drink

1. Seabreeze Café: The Seabreeze Café is the premier place to head for breakfast and lunch in Santa Cruz: guests rave about the buttery cinnamon rolls and delicious pancakes, not to mention the huge portions. Vegetarians are well catered for, too, with various specials including sauteed tofu with mushrooms and green salsa, and artichoke hearts served with olives, onions and tomatoes inside a flour tortilla.

2. Lillian’s Italian Kitchen: Joe and Charlotte Moreno and their sons opened this family-run restaurant in 2007 with the idea of making it an extension of their family kitchen, serving traditional Sicilian dishes learned from their grandma, Lillian. Their signature dish is Sunday Gravy: sausage, spare ribs, beef and pork simmered in tomato sauce and served with penne, spaghetti or fettuccine (and with a couple of meatballs on top if you ask for them). 

3. Laili Restaurant: Laili promises rich Mediterranean flavours with an Afghan twist, and the menu features such delights as saffron chicken wrap, pomegranate chicken kabob and maush-awa soup (a combination of three types of bean with braised lamb and qurut yoghurt). Patrons praise the restaurant’s sumptuous sauces and wide range of vegetarian options – and the prices are surprisingly reasonable to boot.

House and pet sitting in Santa Cruz

Wherever you decide to go, we hope you (and your furry friend) have a wonderful time exploring Surf City!

If you’re intrigued about the idea of travelling the country and staying in some fantastic cities, you can find out more about becoming a pet sitter right here. And if you’d like some more insightful travel guides and interesting pet advice, head on over to our blog to discover more articles.