There was a free event, Ocean Fest, taking place here this past Saturday. Food trucks, merchandise vendors selling beach art and ocean-themed products, and the Cement Ship band playing live music for a small crowd. A visitor center & park store on site, as well as picnic areas with plenty of seating, and ample restrooms too. The beach was a bit smellier than the others I normally visit, but worth it for the beautiful peaceful views and gentle waves of the water. Small rocks and debris were scattered throughout the powdery sand but not excessive, along with logs and bonfire remains. The ruins of the SS Palo Alto ship, a piece of history, sitting not too far from the shore, a unique feature at this park. Parking cost was $10 (receipt good at other state parks and beaches in the county too), but that's ten dollars more than I think it's worth, as besides partial views of the SS Palo Alto, nothing really stood out that I couldn't get from somewhere else that doesn't charge a parking fee. read more

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My personal favorite beach in the Santa Cruz region. Located in Aptos. It is not only one of the easiest beaches to access, it is typically quiet and uncrowded. That being said all Santa Cruz beaches are packed during holidays and summertime. Being a State park/beach, there is a $10 vehicle fee to enter. That seems reasonable given the amenities available once you arrive. Public parking including handicap spots, clean and maintained restrooms, some picnic tables and an easy, flat walking path along the ocean front in both directions. Walking towards the east you can, in a relatively short time, come upon a couple of nice places to grab something to eat or drink. You will not find this perk in other state parks. So if you do not have your picnic basket packed just know there are options if you get hungry. Unfortunately the long time walking/fishing pier that existed as long as I can remember is no longer. After a couple of recent destructive winter storms it was destroyed. However, the remains of the historical WWI-era, Palo Alto "cement" ship is still partially visible and continues to be the home for hundreds of pelicans and shore birds coming and going. Amusing to watch. A Museum/gift shop is also located at Seacliff State Beach. Free. It is absolutely worth visiting for both adults and kids. Volunteers who manage the museum are dedicated, enthusiastic and well-informed. Interesting information/photos about the "cement" ship too. Come 5 p.m., the locals and their dogs are exercising, running, and walking along the ocean front. However they are not driving in they are taking the hard way to the beach. The beautiful, very long, staircase you can walk down to the beach if you have the legs and breath to make it. It is amazing to watch some of them use this staircase as an exercise tool. Running up and down. Whew! And after a nice day at the beach there is yummy Marianne's Ice Cream shop and/or the famous and delicious Manuel's Mexican Restaurant waiting for you after you exit the park. Both have been delighting locals and tourists forever. Or... stay for the stunning sunset at Seacliff. You will not be disappointed. read more

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Seacliff State Beach is a nice and chill beach in Aptos. We visited b/c we like the ocean and need to get away from the drab of the valley every once in awhile, haha. I enjoyed seeing the ocean and my kids love playing on the beach, but I wanted to highlight the Visitor Center. So Seacliff State Beach has a nice little visitor center/museum, it's small, but it's actually full of great info, and it's free. It gave me a whole new appreciation for that boat wreck (the SS Palo Alto) at the end of the dilapidated pier out there right on the beach. There was a ton of historical artifacts, documents, and pictures all providing great info on what happened, why, and how it all went down w/the SS Palo Alto. They even had a video about S.S. Palo Alto and you can look at it through the telescope. Pretty cool stuff. There were also excellent exhibits on the geology and wildlife in the Monterey Bay ecosystem in general and at Sea Cliff Beach in particular. So much to learn from this little place, my kids had a blast b/c a lot of the small exhibits were hands on. They also got a kick out of the "stuffed animals" i.e. the taxidermy of local bird which were well done and really allowed for literal close-up looks at the birds in this marine region. Neat for those of us who like science generally and marine biology and animals specifically. Finally, there's a gift shop in there too, if you want to pick up a book about this region, some souvenirs, or send a friend a postcard from your trip here and the prices were all reasonable. People who worked here were friendly, informative, and helpful. We'll plan to visit again, hopefully soon. read more

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This is a lovely beach to take the family. It's a large beach and has always been clean whenever I visited. There are lots of picnic tables and grills. Public restrooms are available. They are large toilet rooms that a stroller will be able to fit inside. Sinks on the outside with running water. And also showers for you to rise off sand before you leave. There is a sign that says dogs should be on a leash. Most of the dogs I saw were unleashed, just running around and having fun. No problems at all as they were all socially well behaved. There is parking at beach level and also another upper parking area with stair access down to the beach. Keep in mind that it will be quite a climb back up to return to your car. There is a $10 all day parking fee per car. Sometimes, when you're unlucky, you arrive on a day when there are flies everywhere. On these days, you will find that those flies are relentless, getting onto you and everything. So don't be surprised to see people swatting the air ; they're just shooing away the flies. read more

What a beautiful magical beach with a ship wreck peeking out of the ocean not to far from the shoreline. Plenty of beautiful rocks and sea glass. My girlfriend found two fossilized great white shark teeth so that is cool and she found a natural sea marble just beautiful. Stayed for the sunset it was amazing. You have to come. Plenty of parking it was a 10$ fee but worth every dollar. There are restrooms. And shower read more

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a little piece of history with a beautiful staircase and a clean beach. I really miss the long pier they had before. read more

Seacliff State Beach - Parks Near Me - Aptos, California

Such a beautiful state beach. Was here for the sunset and watched the moon rise on the other side as the Sun set was such a beautiful experience. So many treasures to find fossilized great white shark teeth , beautiful sea glass and the most mesmerizing pebbles. A must come to. Will be back 10$ to get in but plenty of parking and worth it read more

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Beautiful beach with a dock you can walk out to, but I think you can't go beyond or so because at the end of it there's a ship that collapsed, so it's a sunken ship and it's there permanently, iirc. It's still very scenic here. It's a little bit commercialized and not as natural as other beaches along the coast, but it's still very nice. There's a sea wall, to protect the town I guess. So it's not as pretty as other coastal beaches, but the ocean is still so relaxing and special to enjoy. Listening to the sounds of the waves and just taking it all in, it's truly beautiful here. It's very close to the town of Capitola, and there's lots of eateries and shops nearby. We also visited a museum (separate review), which contained all kinds of interesting artifacts about the history of this area. This is definitely an unique beach and a state treasure, my kids and husband all had a great time exploring and enjoying this beach. read more

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Very nice beach. It's not too crowded. We watched sunset until dark and the view is spectacular. Dogs are allowed. There's a $10 entrance fee. read more

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We visited Seacliff State Beach, on the Monterey Bay in Aptos, Santa Cruz, California, in early July, 2024. While a popular place for beach walking along the 2 mile beach, surfing, fishing, and sunbathing, Seacliff also includes RV facilities, picnic tables, and fire pits. There's also a Visitors Center and Park Store, where we were able to pick up pamphlets not only for Seacliff but also for other state parks in the county. The State Beach sustained damage in storms some months ago and some areas were closed for continuing reconstruction activities. The beach is also known for the concrete ship S.S. Palo Alto which lies in the water just offshore. This ship has a fascinating history. Plans for a concrete shipping fleet were born in the course of the World War One war effort when steel was in short supply. The $1.5 million order for the ship came in 1918, less than six months before the end of the war. In 1924, she was sold as scrap for the price of $18,750. In 1930, she was towed to Seacliff Beach where there were ambitious plans to develop the ship into an entertainment resort but, opening in the midst of the Great Depression, the resort failed within two years. It was sold to the State for one dollar in 1936. Today, the Palo Alto is an important sanctuary for wildlife. read more

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Long gone are the days of fishing off the deck of the Palo Alto and throwing a drop line from her pier. The days of catching a Striper from the beach are over for me also but my memories of those days and the fun times I had at this beach growing up are priceless. Living about 10 minutes away (little traffic back then) it was a local spot to fish. It's seen better days but the coast is ever changing. I'm glad to have come back and take another look. To see others enjoying the beach is peaceful and reflective. It's sorrowful to see the "cement boat " in such a state not able to even reach her. Last words...perfect memories. read more

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Came on a weekday in September. $10 entrance fee. Nice and quiet. Bathrooms available. Sandy beach read more

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Im coming back to spend more time here!!! Unbelievably gorgeous beautiful sunset views and picnic area!!! read more

Seacliff State Beach - An amazing local "aurora borealis" - Parks Near Me - Aptos, California

You Beach Your Life We made the rookie mistake of heading to the beach for Labor Day Weekend, and our usual spot, Manresa State Beach, was a shit-show of cars trying to get in. We dipped out and headed to "plan B" of Seacliff in hopes that it wouldn't be as crowded. Seacliff used to be my "go-to" Beach years ago, but I honestly couldn't recall the last time I visited. Seacliff is known for its giant large fishing pier and, more infamously, the capsized concrete WWI-era ship, the USS Palo Alto, that lays adjacent to it. The Good: *It's a beach! *Dog-friendly *woof* *Covered BBQ/Picnic area *Restrooms w/ sand wash station *Fishing from the pier (no license required) *Huge multi-level parking area *Great place to watch pelicans and other shorebirds do their thing. *Camping/long-term RV parking available w/ reservation. *Visitor Center (didn't visit) *Marianne's Ice Cream is adjacent to the beach! *Lifeguard on duty The Meh: *Beach is very rocky in certain areas but good for sea glass hunting. *If the bottom parking is full, and you have to park up top, then the walk down with all your stuff is quite the schlep. *$10 parking fee *Drone friendly The Ugly: *Depending on the breeze, if the wind shifts just right, you'll catch a nice whiff of the smell of all the shorebirds doody smell from the closed off section of the pier/ship. =X TLDR: Nice beach with plenty of parking and lots of amenities. read more

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Iconic 100+ year old concrete WW1 tanker ship still in the water. When we moved to the Bay Area you could still walk on it but it's sadly been battered and ruined so much it's been fenced off since 2016. The SS Palo Alto was completed in 1919 and has served as an entertainment center with a dancehall and food before as well as a fishing pier. Nowadays it's an unofficial bird sanctuary and a great place to see pelicans and seagulls if you'll brave the funky seabird smell coming from the pier. The beach is nice and has nice sand while also having some ocean-smoothed stones that we saw local rockhounds poking through, the stones are great for skipping stones if you want to see who in your group can make it skip the most. There are a lot of birds so if you go into the water I would do so far from the pier. You don't want dead bird or bird waste accidentally getting in your mouth. read more

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Easy access easy parking has restrooms picnic areas great views! Tried surf fishing ' read more

Seacliff State Beach - Parks Near Me - Aptos, California

How can you not like any beach Water is cold! Duh- we went in November. Located in Aptos. -Limited parking lot but can find street parking. -Bathrooms available. A few restaurants along the parking area and on the main streets. -Dog friendly as seen many dogs with their owners running around. Would visit again since away from the business of Santa Cruz but just as far when you're driving from the East bay. read more

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The memory wall. The steep stairs carved into the side of the hill and the friendly demeanor of those who walk with kids and pets, make this slice of the Aptos coastline my favorite place for a walk. I love to get there as early as possible, to see the sun rise. However, even if I miss that majestic event, I know friendly smiles and miles of views always await me. I admit I used to avoid the steep stairs, but as I got older, I began to challenge myself to run to the top! Note: Benches are built in at each platform. Plus, there are plenty of others using this as their personal workout spot. I have been walking (and swimming) at this beach since I was a child, and even though it can get crowded, I always return. Tip: The stairs carved into the cliff are worth the climb...stunning views ( and a bench) await you at the top. read more

Most know this beach to be home to the "Concrete Ship" that sits at the tip of the pier. I've seen it many times from afar, but this time my hubby and I decided to start a Sunday morning beach walk/run a little more south at Seacliff. Lo and behold, there she sat, broken into a few massive pieces, tilted to the side, waves crashing relentlessly on her (we went on 1/10/2021 which was a high surf advisory day). The S.S. Palo Alto, once a World War I era tanker, then at one point in time an entertainment and casino spot! A quick Google search will fill you in on its rich (and a bit random!) history. Aside from that wild and historic shipwreck, you can enjoy what feels like miles and miles of wide open beach. There are always people out walking, running, sitting on the beach, families with kiddos brave enough to run into the chilly waters, and the occasional seal swimming by. On this particular day, we saw a pod of dolphins playing in the surf! From the cliffs above, you can get a beautiful, panoramic view of Monterey Bay and the coastline up to Capitola and Santa Cruz. There's an official State Beach parking lot entrance up there with tons of spots, or you can drive down a short windy road to the bottom parking lot by where the RV parking is. Either way, access to this beautiful, wide open beach is easy and convenient. Enjoy...and don't forget to pack your trash and properly discard it, and leave nothing behind! read more

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This place was so beautiful! I liked that there weren't too many people around. The views were super peaceful. Watching the sunset here was so serene! There are bathrooms here if you need it too, though some stalls are closed due to COVID-19. Still plenty! You can park in surrounding areas too if needed or it costs I think $10 to park at the lot. Loved it here! I guess people come here to RV camp. Seems like a nice spot! read more

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Stunning public beach in heart of Santa Cruz County. Beautiful beaches sunny weather and relaxed friendly vibe. Old historic Palo Alto boat was sunk at sea cliff beach in 1932 and has been there ever since. Fun to learn the history. Check out visitor center and talk to friendly staff. read more

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Great State Beach. We visited the visitor center and they were very informative. They explained the cement ship sinking on the beach and they had a great 8 minute video that talked about the ship even more. There are huge piles of rocks on the shore brought up by this past February storm. There is also a lot of drift wood and trees that got washed ashore. There are metal barricades along the walkway near the parking lot as the earth eroded under the paths and made them unsafe. The waves are rough and we saw few people in the water, no surfers or boogie boarders. It's the perfect beach just to relax on the sand and build a sand castle. The beach is very long and connects to other beaches. If you are facing the ocean and you walk about half a mile you walk into a town that has restaurants, liquor store, and deli. Right before you enter the state park you can get ice cream. We saw people walking along the beach with ice cream cones. If you are looking for a place to walk along the beach this is a perfect beach. They also have bathrooms open to the public. If you have a parks pass you can use it at this beach. You can even get a free one from your local library, just check it out like you do a book. That is what we did and we enjoyed a free day at the beach. read more

Seacliff State Beach - Beach has piles of rocks - Parks Near Me - Aptos, California

Seacliff State Beach Park is Absolutely one of the most beautiful beach along the coast of California. Known for Fishing Pier and the concrete freighter the SS Palo Alto ship, this place is one of the most popular spot for many visitors of all ages. With a small Entry fee of Ten dollars per vehicle, the beach is currently open to the public. It is also the day pass where you can use for various other beaches near by like Monterey bay, Santa Cruz, or Capitola parking space. This Seacliff State Beach is Absolutely beautiful especially around this time where there are plenty of Sunshines and relaxing cool breezes. Camping, Dog Walking, Biking, Bird Watching, Picnicking, Jogging, Swimming, and Fishing are among some of the most greatest outdoor activities that many people can enjoy within this beach park. I truly love this Seacliff State Beach! Absolutely Amazing here!!! I can Definitely see the long fascinating History behind it. I had such a wonderful time and it is by far one of my most memorable experience I'll never forget! read more

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I remember coming here as a teen for our Senior day or something or another. Then a few times with my family. Then again with my then boyfriend now husband. Then when we started having kids bringing them here. Then I think for my 30th birthay we had a bbq here and from there is blossomed into an annual thing. Parking has always been an issue if you didn't get here early enough. Parking directly on the beach front is scarce but there is a parking lot upstairs. My brother in law typically sleeps in the car in line to ensure he snags the same spot he gets every year. He is typically in line by 5:00AM. There are plently of picnic benches and most have a wood pergola type "shade" over the picnic areas. Each over looking the beach and water. Over the years the cement boat at the end of the year begand sinking. You used to be able to walk directly onto the boat. Then about 10+ years ago it was deemed unsafe and blocked off. Now it is almost all the way tipped over or sunken and is a haven for the birds. you can still fish off the adjacent pier. Our family looks forward to our annual family beach day. Everyone brings food, my husband brings out vball net and its a great time. Last year, because of Covid we of course didn't have it and everyone was bummed. This year were weren't in full swing but we at least we able to make something happen. There are bathrooms. They are clean and well stocked in the a.m and then by mid day I think people just forget others are using the same bathrooms. There are showers outside the restrooms to rinse off at. Now, to the sand and water part. I don't know what is going on but the water was kind of gross. It was brown and smelly. Don't know if it's the time of year but I don't remember it being this way and we typically do our annual beach thing beginning of August. The nice thing about the quarantine is that it gave the beaches a time out on all the traffic and garbage that people forget to pick up. So beach was pretty litter free. read more

Well, the cement boat has deteriorated even more since my last visit, but this is still a great place to walk the dogs and see them get happy and excited. Part of the pier leading to the remains of the cement boat is closed off now. I guess they didn't have the money to maintain it? The snack bar area was boarded up, but the visitor center is still open and has a number of interesting exhibits and cute gift items. read more

We arrived here super early in the morning to save a spot for our family to enjoy our 4th of the July weekend. Parking actually wasn't bad at all in the morning but it was drizzling misty and foggy. (I don't like that kind of weather lol). Later on through out the day became warmer and the sky was clearing up :) It was nice to hang with my family again. Majority of the people practiced social distancing still which was nice. Me and my family are all fully vaccinated and some of us including me still wore our masks when we went out for a walk along the coast but near our table area is pretty much far away enough from people for social distancing measures :P Even though the rest of my family couldn't make. Im glad to see majority of there faces since it's been a very,very long due the pandemic. Hope y'all are having a fun 4th July weekend guys and stay safe! :) read more

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It was a beautiful day for the beach, perfectly breezy yet warm enough to rock tees/tanks. There are plenty of picnic tables free to utilize at this point in the pandemic. It was nice to park right by them so we could easily unload stuff and keep an eye on our cars if needed. Plenty of spots in the AM, not sure how crazy it gets throughout the day. You can also park next to the pay station if you don't mind hoofing it a tad down to the beach. There's a $10 parking fee for the whole day. Please note they do not take AmEx! You'll notice a historical ship (the SS Palo Alto) out by the pier and there's a mini museum all within walking distance. It was closed by the time we made our way over, ohwells. Just pointing that out should anyone want additional info/entertainment. Phone connectivity was rather decent at the tables but not so much when you take a few steps further south to the sand. That was rather nice though to fully unplug! Once you drive "over the hill", it's pretty easy to get to. I'm so down to come back. read more

Seacliff State Beach - Parks Near Me - Aptos, California

There was a chance of rain but still decided to make our way here and it was raining indeed when we got here. We still decided to make the most of it and went for a nice walk along the water. On the plus side...only a few other adventurous souls were there and parking was easy. read more

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Coolest place I've ever taken my dogs for a walk! Highly recommend. There's also a cute are at the top with a handful of restaurants if you want to spend more time. You can drive all the way down to the beach with your car or walk down a bunch of stairs. $10 daily fee for parking. read more

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Using my state pass from an earlier visit to Año Nuevo, I can here. This is my second time to this state beach and it is definitely more of a beach to go to and hang out for a beach day. Loads of people here but there is lots of room to spread out. I decided to walk north bound and explore the rockier part. Wow! I was not expecting to see so many cool rocks. Shells embedded in the rocks, white rocks, round smooth rocks, flat skipping rocks, heart shaped rocks, brown rocks, you get it! Rocks. The water was warm and I wished I'd worn my bathing suit. But not today. I was able to put my feet in the ocean which definitely helped improve my mood. I love the ocean! There is an outside shower outside the restroom to clean off your feet before getting in your car. Don't forget your sunscreen and enjoy! Parking here is plentiful and if the lot below is full there is a large upper lot. Happy beaching. And yelping. read more

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What's interesting about this part of the beach is the pier. It is home to a historic WWI era concrete ship, the S.S. Palo Alto. It was brought to Aptos and refitted as an amusement ship, with amenities such as a dance floor, swimming pool, and a cafe. Note: there are quite a few shaded picnic areas. read more

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I came here multiple times in 2016 because my mum wanted to find a place to recover from her work injury. Sure enough we found Seacliff State Beach. This is one of few beaches in Santa Cruz County that is a high traffic beach. I saw no shortage of families having a BBQ here while enjoying the nice weather. Seacliff is connected to New Brighton State beach, some city beaches as well as Manresa/Sunset State Beach. This beach on the weekdays has lower traffic and is not full of noise on the weekends except for in the picnic area. I have to give big props out because their picnic area is indeed covered and keeps people out of the sweltering elements. Big plus there. If you are a fisherman, there is a spot just for you. If you are a bird watching please come here, you see a biodiversity of animals here. Now it's 2023 if you are willing to take the extra drive, please come here. I would come here again if I can. read more

Finally got a reservation to stay here in the summer, almost impossible. It's basically a show off your RV and 4x4 strip, everything is HUGE and seems like everyone has a TV, kinda wrecks the point of camping to me. The spots are super close to your neighbor so you better hope you like each other. When I was here this last weekend the place was full of people with Flags saying F-Biden etc...! I had young children with me and THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I have no problem flying The American Flag. What I have a problem with is my right to protect my children in a place that is funded by my TAX dollars. If you look into first amendment rights a flag w the word F**K in it is not a part of those rights. it seems this is a park for tasteless people who have no respect for other people. I will NEVER camp here again. read more

Great place to stop while driving through Aptos! Parking is $10 and the lower lot fills fast, but upper lot is clean. The stairs from the upper lot to the beach are very tall, so it's not very accessible for those who cannot do stairs. Beach was packed but we still found space. Beach area is clean and there are shower areas to rinse off the sand. Right now all BBQ and bench areas are roped off but there's still plenty of space. Dogs are allowed on leash and we had no problems! The water was teal blue, kids were body surfing and there were tons of seals watching us! Only negative is that only one bathroom unit we could find was open...and of the 6 stalls...only 1 was open for social distancing?! Each unit is closed off from each other - Are you serious? So this one stall that was open was disgusting, had no toilet paper left, no paper towels or soap....the handle was disgusting. How is that helping to stop the spread?! read more

Seacliff State Beach - View of the pier and shipwreck - Parks Near Me - Aptos, California

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Seacliff State Beach is a bit of a hidden gem. It's not the most beautiful Beach in California, but it's in a unique location. I found it by walking down a long wooden stairway. There's a old defunct fishing pier, and there's even a shipwreck. read more

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Seacliff beach is also famous the cement boat that is moored at the end of the pier. Yes, you read that correctly. A concrete boat named the SS Palo Alto was built at the end of WWI but was never put into service. There was made into a type of amusement ship with dancing etc until the Great Depression hit. Then it was as a fishing platform for years. When I was young you could actually clamber around one half of the ship. The whole ship was put off limits a few years ago. Succeeding storms and constant crash of waves have made it a scenic ship wreck. If you are here for the day, I recommend going to the beach to the right of the ship and pier. There is sometimes a strong smell to the left of the pier depending on the breeze. read more

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Took the family to Seacliff State Beach on a warm Fall Saturday. In the past we would go to Santa Cruz Beach but we decided to go try somewhere else. The parking was $10 and at the time we went there was lots of parking available. The beach was very long and clean. It was easy to find a spot as it was not as crowded as Santa Cruz Beach would normally get. Our girl (5 & 7) loved this beach because it did not have much seaweed which grosses them out usually. The only down side was that when the wind shifted there was a really bad smell that came our way. Its likely due to the SS Palo Alto (sunken ship at the end of the pier that attracts a lot of birds). That still did not deter us from having a great time. If you a looking for alternative to Santa Cruz, I would definitely recommend Seacliff. read more

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Stunning, gorgeous, dog friendly, beautiful homes, cool shipwreck, fun teeter-totter, great rocks and even some sea glass! read more

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Great location with kids. There's a restroom in the beach. Feel safe every time we go with kids.

I always ready to eat and buy local. This place has been great for years. Great tacos, support your local business.