Nice local beach near our rental. It's a bit hard to get up and down, but very cozy and private. There also seems to be parking nearby which is convenient. Loved sitting on the benches up top to take in the views. read more

Sunny Cove Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Hidden Gem but Get There Early! Sunny Cove is definitely a locals' spot--tucked away and super chill, but it fills up fast and that includes parking too! I made sure to get there before noon, and even then it was already packed. If you want a good spot, I'd recommend arriving before 11 AM. It's a dog-friendly beach, so you'll see lots of pups running around off-leash, which gives it a fun and relaxed vibe (just be mindful if you're not a fan of dogs). There's also a porta potty available, which is better than nothing, but just a heads-up if you're planning a longer visit. Overall, Sunny Cove is a beautiful little beach with a laid-back local feel. Great for soaking up the sun--just be ready to share the sand! read more

Sunny Cove Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

What a stunning spot! If you are feeling down for whatever reason, this is the cure. Listen to the waves...feel the sand in between your toes... watch the surfers...look at the stunning cliffs... soak in views of the stunning skies. Today was great, there were very few people there and it was perfect. Oh and pray that you find parking. read more

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This was my first time at Sunny Cove Beach and loved it! The beach is nestled between 2 cliffs and so the sand area isn't expansive. Something about that makes it feel really intimate. Most folks there give a local vibe so it's great if you want to go to the beach and not get the boardwalk crowd. I found parking pretty quickly a block over on 18th street. This beach is all street parking so make sure you read the signs to avoid parking somewhere you aren't supposed to. Overall just a chill vibes beach. Lots of folks playing spike ball and frisbee but everyone was mindful of space and others. Music playing but not so loud other folks couldn't hear their own music. A great time read more

Super small beach, but it's cute. It was not sunny the day we went, but the waves were intense and the dogs enjoyed running around. Careful coming down the stairs, it's a bit slippery with the sand and my dog halfway down decided to take a far jump down. read more

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I'm always hesitant to give up the best local spots but I have an obligation to review places honestly and this beach is AWESOME! (don't tell your friends). A great dog beach surrounded by naturally beautiful sand stone cliffs creating a secluded cove. If your lucky enough to catch my wife and I here you might also see a cute piggy or two playing in the sand. This is one of our go-to beaches to being our animals. The neighboring community is full of great little spots that you can score a take out meal and some beers to complete the experience, picnic style! Toes in the sand popping kelp bulbs with my big toe is my Zen, this beach is one of the best in Santa Cruz! Grab your beast, a burrito, and some beers and come on down! read more

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Great beach to bring the doggies. Small enough where you can always see them. Big enough to have fun and not feel too crowded in.

Nice beach not too far from the boardwalk but far enough to be it's own little spot . Somewhat hard to get to since it's in a residential area, and finding street parking can be tricky if you don't come early might find yourself walking a couple blocks just to get to the beach . The sand is very nice and soft . A lot of people bring canopies and tents typically big groups . But area is wide enough for the most part can find a spot for yourself but come early as it does get packed fast esp on weekends and holidays . There is a cliff diving/jumping spot a late of people jump off of . Waves are nicely sized and frequent, you can see lots of kids boogy boarding the shoreline . Overall, nice spot in Santa Cruz if want to get away from the boardwalk crowds . read more

Sunny Cove Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

***************************** 1402 *************************** Sunny Cove Beach is a tiny little beach that is much cleaner that the other side by the boardwalk or Twin States Beach. If you have dogs, this is a place for you. Your puppies can run wild here. Parking is limited, but this beach is warmer than the others, because of the way it lay out. A good spot for sunbathing. It's a bit rough to get down here, but you will get used to it. Watch out for the sea kelp. read more

Sunny Cove Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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This beach is not your typical beach ... to be quite honest if you're looking for a beach that is difficult to get into that may cause you to slip and fall down jagged rocks with faulty made carved in stairs into the side of the cliff this is it. A beach that's polluted where you can spot a dead crow this is it. A beach that hoodlums come to try to barter with you so that they can get a cigarette when they are in fact " seventeen and a half " THIS IS IT! It's a nice location to get away from all the fuss of Boardwalk, intense sun and winds. I just feel so tempted to clean the place up, it makes me shudder at the thought of what the ocean floor looks like. AND the fact that I watched 2 five year olds bury a dead bird with sand makes me gag ... can you imagine an unsuspecting family laying down a towel to find a rotting bird underneath them? Goodness! P.S. The walk down is super dangerous. Poorly man made steps that are slippery, jagged and angled that lead to a final step 5 feet away from the ground are what you'll find. Oooh yeah? Great idea dude. read more

Love this beach! Someone recommended Sunny Cove Beach to me & boy am I glad I paid a visit. Parking right near the beach is hit or miss. I parked at the local market area by Dollar Tree and avoided paying for parking (need parking permit here) or getting ticketed. This beach is dog friendly so you'll see dogs off leashes. When I went, dog owners were mindful of other beach goers and I didn't have any problems with the dogs. In fact, I'm a dog lover myself which made the whole experience at this beach that much better. There's multiple ways to get down to the beach; most go down the sides where it's a bit tricky going up and down sandy slopes, try to find the carved out steps to avoid slipping and sliding. I found an easier entrance coming from the back area and just walked onto the beach. Overall, I will definitely be paying this beach a visit every time I come to Santa Cruz! read more

Sunny Cove Beach - Entrance coming in from the back & you're able to directly walk onto the beach. - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This is spot in Santa Cruz is a hidden gem and wonderful place to visit. I come here maybe once or twice a year to enjoy the waves, set up a campsite and relax. You can have a campfire here as long as its regulated correctly and disposed of properly. I recommend this place to come to if you want to come to a isolated beach its a little bit more comfortable and quiet. It is a step away from Santa Cruz but it is Santa Cruz. read more

I really like this beach! The most notable aspect of this one is the waves. The waves can get to be pretty big, which makes my boyfriend happy. He likes body boarding on waves big enough to almost drown you. On days where the ocean is practically still and un-moving at Rio del Mar, you can come to Sunny Cove for decently-sized waves. I wouldn't recommend bringing kids to play in the waves here. The beach is also less popular than Rio del Mar. I'm comparing everything to this beach because it is my boyfriend's family's default. People have the ability to give each other enough space. You can't really hear anyone else's conversations, just the crashing of the waves. Maybe, like other posters, I shouldn't be talking about how nice this beach is. But then again, most people won't take their kids to a beach where they'll probably get swept out to sea. lol As previous reviewers have mentioned, there's no bathroom at this one. No cell reception either. read more

Forever my favorite beach to come to! It's the perfect beach to go to when you're looking for serenity. On the weekends, there's usually some locals that will set up their instruments and play some live music - I love it! So many dog owners come and unleash their dogs, it's not regulated but whenever we see a cop, we usually just grab our dogs and wait until the cop leaves the beach. Of course, watch out for negative Nancy as there are some dog owners who won't let any dogs come near her or her dog. read more

When i went here i expected a bathroom so that i can change into my swimsuit or take a shower after i soak into the beach. But i guess there is none. Hopefully they build a public bathroom nearby... the cove is neat and the sand is very smooth and relaxing. Parking is not hard. The whole beach is pretty and we still had fun! read more

Sunny Cove Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

A local, just providing some updates. Yes, many dogs will be off leash here, and, you will see bonfires at night. Both are illegal and both can get you ticketed, tho' often warnings are given. Heavy presence enforcement just before and during major holidays and, if the wind is blowing smoke towards the houses, count on a visit from the county Sheriff. Parking is now free all over East Cliff. But make sure you park with your car facing the right direction if you park on the west side. Ticketing is very common for that (done by officers who will also be parked the "wrong way" while writing your ticket. There is also a "no parking between signs" area on the east side & that often results in tickets. The Cove is also a major "Locals" beach. If you act up (bring violence or have minors openly drinking), leave trash or otherwise disrespect the beach, count on being confronted. And outnumbered. Not a threat, just an observation from a local. read more

Still a Great Dog Friendly Beach/ intimate cove;) Leash still required but wasn't enforced ;) Parking - on ***17th Ave*** during the week hasn't been an issue so far. We saw the seals! ;D (8/4/16) read more

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So much more quiet than the surrounding beaches. We were able to skin board and take a little nap on the sand. It feels so tucked away and it's beautiful. Not a huge beach but absolutely more private and ideal than the boardwalk. Great place. Only one access point to get to the water, so that's the only downfall. We had to walk a couple streets to find it. read more

Loved this little beach. It's clean and although dogs should "be on leash" it's not really patrolled and nobody seemed to care that my dog (and several others) were off leash. Parking is a little trouble as you have to have a permit. No bathrooms either but there is an outhouse within walking distance. Beautiful rock formations with great sunset views. read more

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One of my fav spots for sure. You might have trouble parking but just park near by and hike in. If so bring a little wagon or back pack to help carry down into the cove. Mixed crowd good times friendly folks sometimes live music good way to spend a Sunday read more

This is a good beach to visit if you have dogs. Otherwise, you will not enjoy it. Dogs kick up a lot of sand. To access this area, you must deal with very steep "steps." So the elderly would do well to avoid. Same goes for those who lug 20 pounds of junk to the beach. There is also limited parking along the cliffs, no trash cans, no bathrooms, etc. The sand is quite coarse, there's lots of seaweed and debris, and I'm pretty sure underground / sewer runoff is the cause of the water build-up along the damp rear of the cove. Consider a visit if: - You have dogs and want them to run around without a leash - Enjoy cliff jumping - Enjoy skim boarding - Like dolphins (which swim very close to shore here) Not recommended for surfers, as the waves break very late. Sunny Cove is secluded enough (with difficult parking) that there aren't as many crowds as there are at Twin Lakes beach. So if you're not a people person, perhaps that's another reason to detour over here. read more

came here yesterday....discovered this nice small clean beach, it was very sunny n warm about 75-80 degree, also very windy at times, the waves was strong, less then 3 miles from the boardwalk. had to come to this beach bc all the parking lots at the boardwalk was full at 1:00!! the beach n view here is no different then at the boardwalk but will less ppl n very peaceful. I actually liked this beach better but the only thing lacked was that the kids didnt get to go on rides or enjoyed all the fried food at the boardwalk. they have limited street parking but u can park inside the cove nest restuarant parking lot for a small fee. we ate dinner there afterwards to avoid any inconvenience. read more

If you're desperate to get the pooches off the leash, this is one of the few spots in the Santa Cruz area where ya can, without risking a $100-plus fine. That, humbly opines this Yelper, may be the only reason to visit this coarse-sanded beach, as it's small, narrow, cinder- and seaweed-strewn and home of the occasional "land mine", thanks to our four-legged friends. In fall/winter, it will be completely shaded and chilly by 4 pm. This could be a good beach for small children - as long as you're watching the waves. the current can be treacherous. Go if you must, but better choices await elsewhere! read more

Great little beach! Be warned...dogs are off leash! :) There doesn't seem to be many rules at this beach...well, unforced anyways. There are no lifeguards nor patrols of any kind I've ever seen. It's just a great little local beach, and I've only seen people being mellow and totally chill. Waves are good for boogie boarders most of the time, and sometimes a couple surfers. Parking looks like it could be hit or miss, but we've never had a problem. The path down is steep and slippery; try to find where there are stairs cut into the sand/dirt. Weekends and holidays, it'll cost you $10 to park on the street. Find the parking stands first. Weekdays are free!! read more

Nice beach, not spectacular. Enclosed, small beach area. Clean. Dogs allowed. Bonfires allowed. No restrooms nearby. No showers to clean off the sand afterwards. No parking. read more

For the past two months, I've been making visits to Santa Cruz more often and find myself at a new beach every week. Decided to visit Sunny Cove not too long ago since my sister suggested it. I followed the Google map instructions and it lead me to a blocked off area. No worries though! If you turn left, there is a parking along that road (if there's any spaces left) and walk down to the beach. Sunny Cove is a decently secluded beach located near several houses. The water was nice and clear. However, the entire middle section of the beach was covered in sea kelp and it was pretty annoying to find a spot where you didn't have to swat those flying bugs away. Great place if you're into small secluded, quiet and relaxing beaches! read more

Many tourist Don't know about Sunny Cove....or do they know that it's on Yelp- (if they do, then boo)!! Such an awesome get away - chill out of the way cove. Santa Cruz never fails to be fun!!! read more

Freezing, drab, rocky, and really not that fun. This beach is highly overrated; I guess it's a great place to visit if you want a baseline measurement of beaches and have absolutely no idea what beaches are. 1 star for meeting the requirements of a cove and beach, 2 stars because nobody was openly hostile. read more

This little beach is great. It's dog friendly and just the perfect size that my pups can run around safely. I can't wait to start body boarding here as well although the waves last night seemed a little trecherous!! They allow came fires here too so I plan on having one in the future. I have been doing a lot of photography lately and have gotten some amazing wave photographs from this beach as well. I also like that it is sunny most of the time! I guess that's why they call it sunny cove!! read more

Sunny Cove Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

A smaller beach with an appeal of a great view of boats heading to the harbor framed by some picturesque sandstone cliffs. This beach has good conditions for skim boarding and boogey boarding. The beach is small so long walks and shell / sea glass collecting are a no-go. This beach is hit and miss on whether it is quiet and intimate or a spring break type atmosphere. Also there often are illegal(?) campfires so the beach is littered with charcoal making the sand look dirty. I would check this place out on windy days or if I had kids in tow and the crowd wasn't too big. read more

Love this little secret beach! It's between two cliffs so your dogs and kids can not get lost. It's pretty clean, we didn't spot seaweed in the water just a few on the sand. Beach did not smell a is a plus for my kids to play. Parking area is permit only! We spotted a guy giving tickets to non permit car, so we ask if we can buy a permit from him. It cost $8 per car. No restroom is the down side of it. It's a good place to bring some snacks, spend 2-3 hours then go to a nice restaurant for restroom and food. read more

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Best beach in Santa Cruz mostly locals and if there are tourist they tend to be cool must be the awesome vibe you get when your here

Love this place but it does have some drawbacks ... it is a cove and I think some people want more space to walk up and down a beach..

I grew up going to this beach, for some 40 years plus. I have had mostly good experiences. I wanted to reply to some of the negatives and accentuate the positives: Positives first. ~Great for windy days, the cove cuts down lots of wind and can give some shade ~Fun boogie boarding, along with the break. ~Drop off area for unloading right next to "stairs", very close. ~Pets, fires welcome ~Contained, great for children and keeping them in boundaries ~walking distance to stores ~multiple access points on each side of the cove ~great for exploring: coral shelf on north side, another beach past point on south side ~public restrooms are b/n 14th/15th (Sunny Cove is b/n 16th/17th roughly) but just a little farther away is the shopping center. Use the shopping center (buy something) Negatives: ~stairs: 17th (AKA Sunny Cove Dr.) from street level to beach = about 15 feet sloping rock/dirt, not life threatening: much easier from 16th/Geoffrey St. ~Cleanliness: Average, just like most other beaches, good and bads but mostly fine. ~Parking is the only legitimate complaint I see, but that is true with most beaches in S.C. neighborhoods ~No water outlet to wash self/boards TIPS!!! ~Parking: drop off stuff/people at the stairs, then park a few blocks away at the super market. Buy something. I own a cottage a few blocks to the north and tell my friends to park there. Never had a problem. ~Come during a week day if possible. On the off chance of "rowdiness" at any beach, its always on a weekends/holidays. ~Check the waves on live video cams: search Santa Cruz Live Cam surf read more

Best beach in Santa Cruz but don't go there. It's busy enough! JK, great locals beach but gets pretty crazy in the summer. Surf spot but it's usually pre-tween bodyboarders in the line up. read more

Great hidden beach, fun for bonfires at night and body boarding during the day. If you cant handle the path down you're not game enough to hang with the big boys. Cmon folks, rate the beach, not your ability to walk down something other than perfectly spaced stairs. This spot is small but not super well known, you can also access a super fun dog beach by walking down onto the cliffs and hanging a hard left, tide pools thataway too! People complaining about the water temperature too? Might as well rate California's entire coast 2 stars too then.. Yeesh.. read more

I have been boogie-boarding (that's right boogie-boarding) and knee -boarding The Cove 41 of my 47 years. Its awful, and not worth visiting. The cliffs are dangerous to climb down, tourist fall every year. Stay away! The water is polluted--contaminated with various marine debris. A giant rock fell off the cliff and ruined the break a few years ago. The only reason I still visit here is sentimental--my dad, grandfather and my great-grandfather both body-surfed this spot since in 1910, and now my daughter has become attached to it. However, you'll find main beach Santa Cruz much easier to access and less hazardous ocean currents. read more

Don't listen to other people who say you can have a fire on the beach. The ranger will come and make you leave if you do. Although you cannot have bonfires on this beach it was still nice. Not many people know about it so it wasn't too crowded. There are really high tides so be careful. read more

My favoriate beach in all of Santa Cruz. Lived here all my life...still is

This place is a hidden gem in the Santa Cruz beach scene. Nice and small, it doesn't get super crowded. The waves are big enough for body boarding. And even though the water is cold, I still enjoy dipping my toes in... Parking can be tough, but I normally find a spot without too much hassle and there is an entrance in the back of the beach from a street one block north of 17th Avenue that can be used for unloading and dropping off any people who don't want to climb down the cliff. read more