West Cliff Drive is a scenic route starting downtown at the pier that winds along the rugged coastline northward to the Natural Bridges Park. This beautiful path is approximately 3 miles long which can be enjoyed by walking, biking or a slow ride in one's vehicle. A good portion of the route is wheelchair accessible. It is a great route to enjoy the sights and sounds of the abundant marine life including seals and dolphins, the waters of the Pacific ocean and Monterey Bay, fantastic views of the rugged coastline, and the waters full of surfers at iconic Steamer Lane. There are a few parking spots along the way. The parking lot at the north end of West Cliff Drive can fill up quickly. read more

West Cliff Drive - Besides walking the area, try an electric bike rental. - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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This was a quick and easy way to take in the scenic coastline of Santa Cruz. You can walk, jog, or bike the path that is about 3 miles long. I was running short on time so drove it, but was meticulous in stopping at each parking spot and taking in the sights. I started at Natural Bridges and went from there. I did the whole thing by car in about 30 minutes. There are small lots 10 cars or so along the way and I had no issues finding a spot at each one. Some of it has street parking as well. The coast curves delightfully and there are benches to sit and relax and at some places you can walk down to the beach itself or just sit on the rocks. Other places have steep drops and that's what makes it great! You'll also see surfers along the way. read more

The free parking and public restrooms across the street from this cliff-lined beach made for easy access to beautiful vistas, especially for walking along Cliff Drive above the surf. There were places to access the sandy beach, as well. read more

West Cliff is such a beautiful beach overseeing the pacific. There were so many sail boats and surfers in the ocean. Also the sound of seals can easily be seen throughout the pier and water. Great place for a nice picnic, stroll or hangout to relax and enjoy the day. Highly recommend location to check out if you're in the area. read more

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Stunning views. Ocean air. Doggos, surfers, and happy people walking/running everywhere. Love Miss West Cliff because she's been there for me throughout my college days when I needed a spot to just decompress. #WestCliffDriveHeals read more

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An amazingly beautiful spot in Santa Cruz for a walk or just to sit and relax. Some really good looking expensive homes too in the area. read more

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Wast Cliff is a beautiful place in Santa Cruz to walk, bike and at beach view. I definitely recommend it to nature lovers. read more

West Cliff Drive - Beach view - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

West Cliff Drive is a short three mile scenic pedestrian path and drive along the edge of West Cliff neighborhood. It starts at Cowell Beach and follows the shoreline on the Northern Monterey Bay and the Pacific to Natural Bridge park. The whole trail / drive is stroller and wheel chair friendly. Currently there's a little detour north of the Lighthouse (if you are driving). WCD is very picturesque and active scene. Perhaps the most popular place in Santa Cruz with locals and tourists alike... b/c most everyone comes here to walk, jog, bike, cruise, skate board, cliff dive, surf, watch the ocean, seals, sea lions, sea otters, birds, people and dogs! Saw random musicians, dancers while a man was setting up a telescope to observe the Sturgeon blue-moon. The scene doesn't tire. Watching sea otters among kelp forests, wetsuited surfers waiting a good swell, pups romping at Mitchell's Cove (dog beach) and miles of migrating black birds. WCD is clean and well kept. There's are animal protected bins in many parking lots. There are restrooms in one of the inner parking lots but no showers. Parking is ample; there are 7-8 lots along the drive. All are free but they have different time limits. They DO enforce so take care. Everything and anything goes here. Super chill vibe and very Santa Cruz. read more

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Sooo I dropped off my sis and her friend at Levi's Stadium for the Taylor Swift concert.....what to do now since I have to stick around in the Bay? Well, time for a solo journey to Santa Cruz! Lol. First time visiting Santa Cruz and this area caught my eye. Labeled as a drive but to get the most out of it you park at one of the tiny parking pits throughout the route and take a nice coastline stroll. Not remarkably long; could do the whole walk in under an hour one way. No steep inclines/declines. People were walking their dogs, jogging, bicycling, and even just sitting on the benches here. Heading eastward though there was a distinct fishy smell lol. Completely free and if you can't find parking in the parking pits you can easily park across the street in the residential area. Overall I wouldn't say that it's worth going through the semi-winding Highway 17 (from San Jose) just for this place (especially if you've done a similar coastline stroll in other places like San Francisco and La Jolla) but if you're planning to do even more things in Santa Cruz it's a must-add on your itinerary! read more

West Cliff Drive - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Great place for some coastal views. They have a path and road along the coast with some free parking spots along the way. There are benches and it's a good place for a walk. Lots of people out running, surfing and walking dogs. read more

West Cliff Drive - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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There's so much a person can write about West Cliff Drive. It's one of the most beautiful walks available to a wide range of people in Santa Cruz County. Most of it is ADA accessible with plenty of ADA parking spaces scattered along the entire route. The entire span of the walking trail (from the Dream Inn to Natural Bridges State Park) is 2.5 miles each way for a total round trip of 5 miles. My wife and I walk here nearly every day after work and it's a wonderful way to end the day. Although... we tend to avoid the area on the weekends because it gets REALLY busy. This trail is best enjoyed during the off-season or mid week. My only other gripe is that irresponsible dog owners will leave their dogs fecal waste on the walking trail which really ruins the vibe of an otherwise well maintained and paved trail. Otherwise, this is a wonderful stop during your visit to Santa Cruz! read more

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You won't find much better coastal views than west Cliff drive. It's a great drive any time of day. Sunset and dusk is really the best vibe but any time of day works. Night you won't get the full effect of the views but still good in a relaxing way. It's also walk and bikeable but driving nice and easy is the way to go I feel. Something about it really makes me enjoy it. I've driven it many times-- alone, with family, and with friends. I would say it's up there with coast Highway through north county San Diego through to Torrey pines and La Jolla, PCH at Malibu, 17 mile, and so, so many other great CA coastal drives. Yeah, those drives have long epic stretches, but the best part about this one is while it isn't as long, it still brings in that little bit of coastal relaxation from the day, and it can be done day after day without feeling like it's taken up too much time. So put on your favorite tunes and go for a ride! read more

West Cliff Drive - Drive on west Cliff drive at dusk - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Stopped by to check out the scenery at one end of West Cliff Drive, near Natural Bridges State Beach, with great views of the water and sunset... then drove along the WCD coastline which is about 3 miles long one way, with several small parking lots along the way. The drive is a single lane each way, great for enjoying the view of the greenery and water, especially as the waves hit the rocks. There are even landmarks to appreciate along the way, like the surfer statue or the lighthouse. The paved pedestrian path runs parallel to the drive and is good for walking/ biking/skating... mostly flat and smooth, with at least one steeper incline about halfway through, but it's still pretty level if you're worried about the gradient for cycling, etc. I like that West Cliff Drive is in a great neighborhood, is not as crowded as the Boardwalk area, and is simple yet scenic. Will definitely be back (probably to skate next time). read more

West Cliff Drive - View of Natural Bridges State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Yelp please change the cover shot! This place is what California Dreams are made of. A beautiful three mile stretch of coastal views from the wharf to Natural Bridge State Park. Walking or biking is the way to go as you are adjacent to the cliffs by the beach. Mostly open and carefree, so watch your toddlers. The sidewalk is wide, but I can only imagine it packed on weekends. If driving, it is a one lane two way traffic road, so it can be congested especially at the four way stop signs. Some sections with a dedicated bike lane but I preferred the sidewalk by the cliffs. Along the route, the amusement park is near the wharf, surfing museum in a lighthouse, and Natural Bridges Park. Many benches to relax and enjoy the waves and the surfers. The sunset is behind the trail if that is a deal breaker. read more

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Outstanding. One of my favorite spots while driving through Monterey, Santa Cruz and Half Moon Beach. Great views of the water. This may be a difficult spot to play at the beach. I found it to be a better spot to walk along the coast. - Bring chairs and a picnic. Spend some time overlooking the water and surfers. Even the birds were magnificent - Plenty of parking in a beach/residential area. - Be careful there are spots where the rocks were exposed and roped off. We saw one couple sitting on the rocks by the waves. I'm sure you can choose where to start your adventure, but with small kids and pets I would keep a close eye to ensure they didn't get hurt. - We were there at 2om, but I would have loved to see sunrise/sunset here. read more

One of the most beautiful seaside cliff walks I've ever done. There were nice houses on the left and the cliff side/ocean view on the right. We started at Natural Bridges and headed south towards the wharf. The path is also paved and very biking/stroller friendly. It has a little bit for everyone. Really enjoyed just soaking in the smell of the sea breeze and sitting on one of the benches watching the surfers and hearing the ocean waves come in. So good for the soul... read more

Absolutely gorgeous place to walk/bike/drive. I started from the Natural Bridges State beach area and drove toward the Santa Cruz Wharf direction. The view of the ocean/beach and the lovely houses and mansions were spectacular. There were multiple mini parking lots along the way where you can stop & take photos. At the entrance for Bridges State beach I saw a bicycle stand, I believe those were rental bikes. You prob only need to download their app to grab 1 of those bikes and bike the trail. read more

It's a nice street and didn't seem too crowded but we were there kind of late. I enjoyed seeing the fancy homes more than the ocean though.

If you like long walks with a view, come walk at West Cliff Drive! This is the place for you! I power walked here for 3 hours all the way from the parking lot of Natural Bridges State Beach (the free one where you do not drive past the park ranger in the booth) to all the way towards the end where we could see Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in the distance. I've never walked on West Cliff Drive nor drove all the way down there, so it was stunning to see! The beautiful ocean and cliffs are next to you along with benches you can rest at to soak in the stunning views and there are pretty trees to chill under. If you walk further down West Cliff Drive, you will start to see many surfers at the different beaches. I've never seen so much surfers in my life, not even when I was on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. This added to the surfer vibes of Santa Cruz, which was cool. It was nice passing by the million dollar homes facing the ocean. FYI, many bicyclists share the same paved path as pedestrians which I though was weird, since I though bikers are supposed to ride along the sidewalk, not on the sidewalk. I was really surprised to see many people also not wearing face mask, so be safe. I'm glad I didn't ride a bike and walked instead. It sometimes felt too congested. read more

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Stunning place to see while in Santa Cruz. It is 3 miles each way along the coast in Santa Cruz. Starts at the boardwalk and ends at Natural Bridges State Beach. My fiancee and I have enjoyed many walks here over the summer. We enjoy looking at the beautiful beaches, scenery, cliffs, and all the nice houses on West Cliff Drive. The street is mostly flat and very easy to walk. The street can also get very congested on nice, summer days with both bikers and walkers. Parking can also get very tough here so we always end up paying to park at the boardwalk and walking over. A must visit if you are looking for gorgeous scenery and getting away from the boardwalk. read more

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Come on, what is there to say. West Cliff is spectacular. Beautiful. Amazing. The drive itself is whatever. It's a road. But the path along the road is what you want. So park, get out, and walk down the path. Or jog it. Or bike it. Whatever suits your fancy. Check out the surfers. Visit the surf museum. See the cliffs. See the waves. Smell the salt air. Watch the pelicans. Have lunch on the bluff. Soak in the sun. Seriously, this is one of the most beautiful places on earth. If you're in Santa Cruz, a walk along this part of the shore is a must do! read more

For people looking for a relaxing experience that's away from the Boardwalk, West Cliff offers an excellent and tranquil "mini-hike" around the Santa Cruz Coast. About 4 miles in length round-trip, a hike along West Cliff takes you from the base of Natural Bridges to the edge of Lighthouse Beach. During the peaceful walk, you'll encounter amazing views of the water down below, feel the cooling breeze of the ocean air, and maybe run into an army of pooches. My girlfriend and I stopped by around mid-morning last Sunday and we enjoyed a beautiful walk along West Cliff. It took us around 2 hours to slowly make the loop and every second of it was worthwhile. There were plenty of benches and places to relax along the way, and tons of things to see to keep us stimulated. I highly encourage coming to West Cliff during the morning to avoid the rush. We parked along Swanton next to Natural Bridges and found a close spot since we got there relatively early. It's such a fun hike, very easy, and if you walk further you can make it to the Boardwalk! I give West Cliff a surefire "Omg, I'd travel 2 hours for this" rating. Have fun and prosper, read more

Absolutely beautiful place to walk and take in the beautiful sunsets. There are always surfers to watch.

West Cliff is one of the most beautiful part of Santa Cruz! Love the doggy beach area - I take my pup here when I'm in town visiting family. Perfect weather to walk this time of the year, and make sure you check out all places to eat and shop. read more

West Cliff Drive - Love this place - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

This beach is FANTASTIC if you have a dog! The iconic little lighthouse is an easy way to find this beach. This beach does get very crowded with a variety of different types of dogs, and from my experience, some friendly people as well! This beach is very spread out along the water, and there is a nice little rock bridge as you walk north from the lighthouse. My only complaint when it comes to this beach is the parking. It is near Santa Cruz, and a very congested roadway, ergo parking can be a hassle, espcially on nice weekends. Our pooch met several types of dogs of different breeds and sizes! Overall; VERY dog friendly beach. Parking can be a hassle however. read more

West Cliff Drive - Walter is moist - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I was lucky enough to rent a house right off of West Cliff Drive for a few years and that's one of the things I do miss about living in Santa Cruz. It's about 6 miles from Natural Bridges down to the opposite end near the Boardwalk and it's a lovely place to walk, bike, run or drive just about any time of the year. From the drum circles to the fire dancers to the dog beach to the surfers - it's one of my favorite places. It can get cold, even in the summertime when the fog rolls in... so wearing layers is a good idea. Sunsets in the winter are gorgeous.. so it's worth braving the chill and there are bathrooms down by the Lighthouse but they close at sunset, so plan accordingly. Enjoy! read more

West Cliff Drive - Sunset - November 2011 - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

These are south facing beaches. Sunset is not over the sea until late October here. Pedestrians, please stay right on the path so that bikes can pass. Both are allowed on the sidewalk. We have some of the biggest waves people dare surf in California here. Does is get any better than this. I'd allow as maybe NOT! read more

Absolutely beautiful place to go for a walk, jog or leisurely bike ride. Whether it be a warm summer day or a cool winter day, the scenery will not disappoint! Sunsets can be especially stunning, especially in the winter (December/January). If you go during that time of year, plan to stay for that. Summer/warm weekends will have considerably more foot traffic, so be alert for people wandering, stopping abruptly or generally bumbling aimlessly along the path. Same for dogs and kids. If you are on a bike, bring A LOT of patience on these days. After dark, it can get a little seedy. It's not well-lit and it can attract some riff-raff, so if you walk after dark, be alert or bring a friend. Not that it's high crime or anything, but you don't want to invite problems, either. The potential for crime is there at night, that's all I am saying. Be sure to bring a camera if you go. You never know what you might see and want to take a picture of! read more

Any time you are feeling stressed or down in general...take a walk in nature or if you are close to this area, head down to this spot. Watching the awe inducing scene of the ocean waves meeting the cliffs puts things in perspective and will make you forget the petty day to day issues. When we were here today, we saw a lot of dolphins which was great!! Your soul needs food as well and West Cliff Drive has a lot of it. read more

This is so Beautiful very nice Morning walk some parts are Breathtaking definitely a place to visit again read more

West Cliff Drive - Looking over the Mitchell's Cove - Beaches Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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If you are looking to get away from the Boardwalk or want to walk off the meal you just enjoyed on the wharf, West Cliff Drive is within walking distance. The path starts at the Santa Cruz Wharf and ends at Natural Bridges State Park. Head west and take a stroll along this 3 mile beautiful, paved walking and biking path that winds its way along the southern coastline of Santa Cruz, affording gorgeous views of ocean and dramatic cliffs. Watching the surfers riding the waves was thrilling. It must have been a good surf day because they were running with their boards from their cars. We found plenty of free parking in the nearby neighborhoods on a weekday. read more

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Beautiful place for a stroll to see the beachside. We took our dog to walk and it's a nice flat cement road to walk and occasionally spots to walk on tiny trails to oversee the cliffs. There are benches and entrances down to the beach too. Lots of dogs and friendly people. read more

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Very beautiful view of the coast. There are many stop points for people to come down the car. Also, it is nice to just walk along the coast. The parking near the broadwalk is insanely expensive ($30) if you only stay for several hours, so I would recommend parking somewhere nearby and walk there instead. read more

Growing up near Santa Cruz this was always one of my favorite spots. It has Great views of the ocean, cliffs, and Monterrey across the bay. My only sadness when coming here is seeing the invasive ice plant, which has completely replaced the native plant community in most places. If you make it to natural bridges at the very end, they have native plants restored. Be careful and aware of the ocean and wave action. And follow all of the signs where it says to stay back from the cliffs. People have been swept away. It also is a busy walkway which can get pretty narrow in places which is used by pedestrians, bicyclists, joggers, people using motorized scooters, lots of dogs and strollers. So if you would rather have a more peaceful, less crowded experiences there are lots of places in Santa Cruz and surrounding areas which offer even more spectacular views (in my opinion). It is about a 2.5 mile stretch with one end being close to Cowells beach, and ending at Natural Bridges. Along the way is steamers lane, a lighthouse museum, many sculptures, benches along the way, and a dog beach. Closer to steamers lane and the dog beach it gets very busy, so I prefer the other end. read more

Came here looking for a free activity while killing some time before a Warriors game and what I got was such a versatile and scenic coastline road. Beautiful coastline views, great place to hang out, clear your mind, watch surfers, run, walk, bike, etc. Fresh air found here. You get an awesome view of the Boardwalk which we ended up walking to. It was about a 15-20 minute walk away from this GPS friendly address. *500 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA* Parking is free and easy within the residential streets. I geeked out on some home's architecture which I found out is from the 1800's. A point of interesting on the path is the lighthouse, I've never seen a shorter one before.(http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/west-cliff-drive-santa-cruz?select=h5pcr0rFS4gYSC-8FcyxUg) * During sunset, you could only go towards downtown since the sun hits you in the eye marking it diificult to drive. Definitely add this to your day trip itinerary. This. Is. Santa Cruz. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/west-cliff-drive-santa-cruz?select=9b18DaFsbt8goLxNfNoIvg#9b18DaFsbt8goLxNfNoIvg) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/west-cliff-drive-santa-cruz?select=2yf8Bt2VYFe4tiquiwKkFA#2yf8Bt2VYFe4tiquiwKkFA) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/west-cliff-drive-santa-cruz?select=2j0LtufgllWGuBlQxMbnlg#2j0LtufgllWGuBlQxMbnlg) read more

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Stumbled into this stunning beauty by chance 'cause my hubby had a job nearby. It must've been my lucky day to end up in a place like this! I love oceans, lakes, ponds, especially now summer is just around the corner. What a perfect timing to go for sightseeing, take pictures, and create wonderful memories together. I was one happy girl, indeed. Surely it's an amazing place to go for biking, walking, running, nature and people watching, surfing, or just simply enjoy the blissful scenery. Across from it, you will find residential homes. How I wish I live in one of the homes here; waking up every morning smelling the fresh ocean breeze, watching birds flying by in every direction while I have my cup of coffee. We didn't have a lot of time to enjoy all the sights offered as we were under time pressured. Nonetheless, it's an absolute place to come back. We love Santa Cruz! Certainly a well-deserving 5 star! read more

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Okay, now Yelp has a listing for a road. It is officially a city street, complete with houses and sidewalks, ending at a state park. Well, yip yip yahoo. Except . . . that this is one of the most scenic ocean vistas you'll ever witness. It's a local's secret that's not altogether secret. But the tourists will rush to the Boardwalk, some will go to Pacific Garden Mall, and most will likely not even think about West Cliff Drive. So what you'll get is one of Santa Cruz's favorite places to relax. Again, it is a city street. People do live here. I looked up Realtor.com and, as of this writing, the listings range from only $995,000 to $2.75 million. But although the scenery is up there with Pebble Beach's 17 Mile Drive, it's free to drive, free to park, and the speed limit is 25 mph. Yes, we normal folks can enjoy this drive! The drive literally hugs the bluff from the wharf to Natural Bridges State Park (there is only one house on the ocean side). It's flat and beautifully landscaped, so it's a great place to jog or walk the dog. There are a few small beaches hidden away, you can see them only if you get out of the car. At the south end, there's a great vista of the Boardwalk and Wharf. There's also the old lighthouse close to the famous Steamer Lane surfing area. IMHO, West Cliff Drive is one of those Santa Cruz experiences that a visitor must have. It's up there with the Boardwalk, Pacific Garden Mall, and the redwoods. If you have any doubts, just look at the pictures . . . read more

Privileged. That is how I feel being able to live one block away from this beautiful street. Every morning, I wake up in my house on Lighthouse Ave, dubbed the 'Lighthaus' and when I step outside, I immediately see the beautiful ocean waters of the Monterey Bay. Every night, after an exhausting day, the sea lions bark at me playfully and the moon provides me natural light to guide me back home. West Cliff Dr is one of the most beautiful roads I've been privileged to live near. Connecting from the boardwalk all the way to Natural Bridges, the road is appealing to anyone of all ages. Drivers and Tourists can drive through and enjoy the sunset and beautiful waters. Bicyclists can ride leisurely. Runners can enjoy views and easy paths. Dogs can play fetch on the sand. People can sit on the many benches and watch waves crash into oceans, watch the dogs play fetch, or enjoy the beautiful sunsets of Santa Cruz. Surfers are abundant and I enjoy watching them catch the waves. Sometimes, there will be surfing competitions. Prepare to be in awe and watch the pros catch the big ones! One of my favorite memories is when my roomie and I came back from a party slightly inebriated and we sat on one of the benches and just watched the full moon light reflect off the peaceful, yet very much alive ripples of the waters. The sea lions can be heard from the pier as they pierced the silence. I have since said good-bye to the 'Lighthaus,' and I wont be able to wake up next to West Cliff anymore, but I know I'll be back time and time again to enjoy this beautiful and magnificent road. read more

Very refreshing and gorgeous place for a getaway. Just spent a lovely afternoon here today and did some strolling alongside the trails. The view is just spectacular and I thoroughly enjoyed the clear ocean air. Afterwards, found a spot to sit on one of the rocks, stretched out and just chilled. It was so cool to watch the surfer riding the waves! There is a park located on the opposite side of the trail that is great for picnics! Would love to come back and enjoy the breathtaking view while the summer last. read more

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