Things to do with kids in and around Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is the South Bay's favorite day trip: about 45 minutes over Highway 17 for beaches, redwoods and steam trains, all within 15 minutes of each other.
Pair a morning on Henry Cowell's flat redwood loop and the Roaring Camp steam train in Felton (they're next door to each other) with an afternoon at Capitola's sheltered cove, the Natural Bridges tide pools or the Boardwalk.
- 7 places
- 1 free
- 6 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
7 places
Drive times from Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk & Main Beach
4.0Santa Cruz · 5 min drive
3.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Boardwalk lot $20-40 in summer; free street parking farther out
Capitola Beach & Esplanade
5.0Capitola · 10 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Paid street/lot parking, full by 10am on summer weekends; free summer shuttle
Natural Bridges State Beach
4.0Santa Cruz · 10 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: $10 state park lot; free street parking on Delaware / West Cliff
Seabright State Beach
4.0Santa Cruz · 10 min drive
2.5 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Free street parking on Seabright Ave / East Cliff, hard to find on summer weekends
Henry Cowell Redwoods (Redwood Grove Loop)
5.0Felton · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: $10 parking (main entrance)
Roaring Camp Redwood Steam Train
5.0Felton · 15 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$$ · Parking: $10 parking at the Felton depot
Seacliff State Beach / Rio del Mar
4.0Aptos · 15 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: $10 Seacliff state lot; free street parking at Rio del Mar Esplanade
💡 Good to know
- Highway 17 gets slow on summer weekends and in the late afternoon; go early and head home early.
- The coast is often foggy in the morning and clears by afternoon, so save the beach for after lunch.