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Things to Do in Santa Cruz

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 1 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

 The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been a popular destination for many, many years.  Here you can have a variety of rides to enjoy and take a thrill ride on the Big Dipper which has made the...

Attraction type: Wharf/pier/boardwalk; Historic site; Amusement/theme park
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TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 2 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

A refuge for wintering Monarch Butterflies, this park boasts a sandy cove, tidepools, a nature trail through the Butterfly Preserve, and several hiking trails. There is also a bicycle path around the perimeter of the park.

Attraction type: Geological formation; State park; Beach
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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 4.0 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 3 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

This popular beach, with killer waves, is known as one of the top surfing spots in the world.

Attraction type: Beach; Wharf/pier/boardwalk; Amusement/theme park
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TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 4 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

For more than a hundred years, Santa Cruz has been a hot spot for hard-core surfers. This museum tells their stories through photographs, surfboards and other related items.

Attraction type: Sports museum; Specialty museum
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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 4.0 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 5 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

Spanish for "passing of time," this delightful 18-hole golf course overlooks scenic Monterey Bay providing both beauty and challenge to amateur and pro golfers alike.

Attraction type: Golf course
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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 6 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

This enigmatic place draws curious visitors who come to witness its gravity-defying properties.

Attraction type: Mysterious site
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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 4.0 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 7 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz
Attraction type: Wharf/pier/boardwalk
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TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 8 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz
Attraction type: State park
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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 4.0 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 9 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz campus offers an attractive blend of notable architecture and panoramic views.

Attraction type: Educational site
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TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 10 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz
Attraction type: Educational site; Tour
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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 4.0 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 11 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz
Attraction type: Group tour/boat
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TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 12 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

See a wide variety of marine animals at the University of Californias research lab.

Attraction type: Aquarium; Science museum
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TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 13 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

One of the best and most popular beaches in the United States for learning to surf.

Attraction type: Beach
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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 14 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz
Attraction type: Street
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TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 15 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

Houses the art and history museums and hosts various traveling art exhibits.

Attraction type: Art museum; History museum
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TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 16 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

This museum's exhibits feature Ohlone Native American artifacts and local flora and fauna.

Attraction type: Natural history museum
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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 17 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

This historic lighthouse, rebuilt in the 1960s, is a great place from which to check out the local surfing culture.

Attraction type: Lighthouse
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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: # 18 of 26 attractions in Santa Cruz

Don't be fooled by the name, this isn't an indoor mall. Instead, it's a very pretty shopping zone filled with interesting shops and restaurants including three large bookstores, some chain stores...

Attraction type: Mall
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Native American pottery and modern beach photos all on exhibit.

Attraction type: History museum; Art museum
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The park houses a replica of the mission founded in 1791.

Attraction type: Mission; State park
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