Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
4.5
Monday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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About
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.
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  • wireless_in_CA
    United States4,829 contributions
    Small but Informative
    This museum was open but due to COVID-19 only a couple visitors allowed at one time in the small lighthouse building. It was free but donations were suggested and a small drop box was staged at the entrance. Souvenirs were also available. A docent was available for Q&A outside. All staff were very friendly and helpful. The exhibits lined the wall and surfboards, clothing and other paraphernalia were mounted or hung from the ceiling. Surfing in Santa Cruz traced its history and linkage back to Hawaii. The evolution of the sport over the decades were tracked in photos, articles and videos. There was quite a lot to go through. Very interesting and worth a visit. There was a small parking lot for the museum right in front (though many spots taken by beach goers or surfers) but a few other lots were within minutes walking distance.
    Visited April 2021
    Traveled with friends
    Written April 5, 2021
  • mini
    Fremont, California176,137 contributions
    Visit to Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
    We went to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum on a delightful sunny day in July. The views from here of the Pacific Ocean are gorgeous. Its also nice to know this is part of surfing history. Santa Cruz is one of the top surfing areas in California.
    Visited July 2020
    Written July 12, 2020
  • mini
    Fremont, California176,137 contributions
    Fun Visit to Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, Santa Cruz, Ca
    We have been to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum numerous times. This time was a unique visit as we went at night. There was a party going on where people were playing with fire. It was amazing to see. The surfing museum is a nice tribute to surfing. Santa Cruz is one of the two places for surfing in California; the rival being Huntington Beach in Southern California.
    Visited March 2020
    Written March 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
243 reviews
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Balasubramanian R
Chennai (Madras), India732 contributions
Sep 2022
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum is one of the main tourist attractions in the town. It is located on the shore of Pacific Ocean and almost three sides are covered by the ocean. Museum houses a historical account of surfing.
Written September 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

laura g
Nottingham, UK50 contributions
Sep 2022
We stopped at the Surfing museum as we arrived in Santa Cruz, it was such a novel place and we really enjoyed, glad to have stopped in. There was some very cool memorabilia and stories of the surfers and of surfing. A 'must do' if you are in Santa Cruz
Written October 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Reno_AL
Reno, NV28 contributions
Nov 2016 • Friends
This is more of a drive by and take a look kind of place. Don't build your itinerary around it. It is about the size of a gift shop (and that includes the gift shop that is in there). Cool stuff, but kind of eh...
Written November 10, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dennis A. Amith
California410 contributions
Apr 2015 • Family
If you are a surfer and heading to Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum should be on your bucket list.

The place is just full of history from old newspaper clippings, the old Santa Cruz Surf Club t-shirt, many wooden surfboards, paying respect to Santa Cruz welcomes Duke Kahanamoku, tribute to the surfers who helped shape the surfing scene of Santa Cruz in the past and more.

While the museum is not huge and housed in a lighthouse, it's still worth visiting for the history and nostalgia of Santa Cruz surfing past.

Recommended!
Written February 29, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rod
Fresno, CA1,210 contributions
Apr 2013 • Family
Small interesting museum that contains the history of surfing .... if you were born in the 50's then this is a must see, to get an idea of where the surf music of the early 60's came from, will take you back in time a bit. Also good education on the early days of surfing and the advancements
over time. The admission is free (leave a donation) so can;t beat that, and depending on when you visit, might also get to watch some of the surfers down in the water. Overall a nice little museum, with interesting history and overview of the evolution of surfing.
Written May 7, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

airport2015
Tel Aviv District, Israel1,011 contributions
Aug 2021
Very small place,in the historic lighthouse
Free quiet interesting
Deserves expansion and additional attention
Written September 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

james b
17 contributions
Aug 2019
Very small, but well done and interesting. Great location to enjoy the ocean view and watch surfers. Lighthouse attached.
Written August 18, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lalctx
Sacramento, CA73 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
Made our way down to watch sunset. People jumped the fence to go out on rocks but we didn’t —- wearing a dress hindered the jump! Views were nice but pack a jacket and I suggest pants! It got cold— even in July! A wonderful view and we were not disappointed.
Building was closed so we didn’t get to check it out.
Written July 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sherry r
San Diego10 contributions
Apr 2019 • Solo
Located at famous Steamers Lane surf spot. Watch the surfers from the viewing platform above. Walk along W Cliff Dr. What a scene, surf culture at its finest.
Written April 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Angeles
Burien, WA1,526 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
I went here as a child back in the fifties. I love going back here and watching the surfers. They can walk right down a stairway and in moments be out in the surf. Times have changed. There are now women surfers as well as male surfers who do not fit the stereotype of the white male surfer. Boards are smaller. Surfing just gets better.
Written January 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Santa Cruz Surfing Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Santa Cruz Surfing Museum is open:
  • Thu - Mon 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM



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