Nature & wildlife tours in Santa Cruz
THE 10 BEST Santa Cruz Nature & Wildlife Tours
Nature & Wildlife Tours in Santa Cruz
- Traveler favoritesThings to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.
- Traveler rankingHighest rated attractions on Tripadvisor, based on traveler reviews.
Category types
Outdoor Activities
Traveler rating
Good for
11 places sorted by traveler favorites
Nature & Wildlife Tours
Sports Camps & Clinics • Bike Tours
City Tours • Paint & Pottery Studios
Boat Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching
Nature & Wildlife Tours
Fishing Charters & Tours • Gear Rentals
Nature & Wildlife Tours
What travelers are saying
- Alina Z6 contributionsWe were on the first (and maybe only ?) all female crew trip. Excellent on all accounts: friendly, knowledgeable, smooth sailing despite some waves and saw all the animals we were hoping for ! We saw whales (mom and baby), a few juvenile Great Whites, otters and a few curious sea lions.Written August 6, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- shesler82San Jose, CA1 contributionWe had a wonderful time on our sail. The captain and crew were professional and friendly. The experience of being out on the bay sailing is like no other in Santa Cruz!Written August 6, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Tom1 contributionRode for around 4 hrs out in the spiderweb trails in the redwoods near UC Santa Cruz. Dave is a great guide, very knowledgeable about the area, helped build the trails we rode, a fun person to ride with. We hit it off and seemed to have a lot in common. I would highly recommend Dave and the Ride Guides for your mountain biking experience in Santa Cruz.Written May 14, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- bradriggan1 contributionI cannot recommend Ocean Safari Monterey Bay tour enough. It was a truly magical adventure that left me with a renewed appreciation for the beauty of nature and the importance of preserving these precious creatures and their habitats. The Captain's expertise in navigating the waters and finding the best spots for spotting marine life is extraordinary. Do not miss the opportunity to embark on this unforgettable journey. It's an experience that will stay with you forever!Written July 20, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- PetraFairfax, CA1 contributionKrista and Addie took us on amazing Halloween charter! They were super friendly and ran that ship like the boss ladies they are. They even let us hoist the sail! They were determined to find some wildlife for us to see and didn’t give up until we did. The families of sea otters were super cute, but the highlight of the trip was seeing two different types of whales popping up out of the water to say hello! I can’t say enough nice things about this duo. I highly recommend Nomad Sailing!Written November 2, 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- j m1 contributionWhales, sea lions, birds, sea otter and more seen on this tour. James the owner has lots of knowledge and your safety and comfort is a priority. We had a safety briefing, put on our life jackets and were off seeing amazing animals just as soon as we got on the ocean. Highly recommend this trip if you want a private or semi private whale watching tour- the boat is 32ft but only takes 6 guests. Super comfortable seats giving us a front row seat to everything. Lots of animals and great information about everything we seenWritten August 4, 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions about Santa Cruz
- These experiences are best for nature & wildlife tours in Santa Cruz:
- BEST Redwood Forest Steam Train, Santa Cruz Harbor Day Trip from San Francisco
- Wildlife Encounters on Monterey Bay private and semi-private tour
- California Coast - San Francisco to Los Angeles
- These places are best for nature & wildlife tours in Santa Cruz:
- O’Neill Yacht Charters
- Stagnaro Sport Fishing Charters & Whale Watching Cruises
- Nomad Sailing
- Oceanic Society Santa Cruz Whale Watching
- Kayak Connection
- These are the best places for kid-friendly nature & wildlife tours in Santa Cruz:See more nature & wildlife tours for kids in Santa Cruz on Tripadvisor
- These are the best places for couples seeking nature & wildlife tours in Santa Cruz:See more nature & wildlife tours for couples in Santa Cruz on Tripadvisor
See what travelers are asking
Forum posts were selected by looking for forum titles asking specific questions and taking the top showtopic page by total pageviews as the optimal topic.
So I havent seen this post recently. Debating the merits of staying in Santa Cruz vs Capitola.
We are are a sports team of 15- 16 yr old boys traveling from Orange County ,ca to the area in end of July. Games can range from being in Sc, Aptos, cabrillo and San Lorenzo. We will be in the area for four days with some down time in the evenings.
Hotels are expensive in both areas. Looking into the Fairfield inn in Capitola (rates ave ~$300 but with breakfast & bocci ball court) with some of chain restaurants like chipotle & mall nearby.
The other option to to get a hotel in SC possibly Hotel Paradox in the higher end (~$330 but no breakfast) or Holiday Inn or Hyatt place same price as FI.
Pls lmk your thoughts of what would be a better city SC or C?
Would like a hotel where parents & kids have a nice common area to congregate during down time.
Also would like to have the boys have access to fun things to do during down time & have access to good food options since 16 yrs old boys playing sports are always hungry.
Will the team with 30+ people be frustrated trying to get into a non chain restaurant in Sc?
Hotel P is off the beaten path & expensive but has nicer facilities like pool area with nice lounge area. Is the hotel worth the extra $?
Any appreciate suggestions on the hotel I mentioned or any others that I have may have overlooked.
Thank you for your advice.
We are are a sports team of 15- 16 yr old boys traveling from Orange County ,ca to the area in end of July. Games can range from being in Sc, Aptos, cabrillo and San Lorenzo. We will be in the area for four days with some down time in the evenings.
Hotels are expensive in both areas. Looking into the Fairfield inn in Capitola (rates ave ~$300 but with breakfast & bocci ball court) with some of chain restaurants like chipotle & mall nearby.
The other option to to get a hotel in SC possibly Hotel Paradox in the higher end (~$330 but no breakfast) or Holiday Inn or Hyatt place same price as FI.
Pls lmk your thoughts of what would be a better city SC or C?
Would like a hotel where parents & kids have a nice common area to congregate during down time.
Also would like to have the boys have access to fun things to do during down time & have access to good food options since 16 yrs old boys playing sports are always hungry.
Will the team with 30+ people be frustrated trying to get into a non chain restaurant in Sc?
Hotel P is off the beaten path & expensive but has nicer facilities like pool area with nice lounge area. Is the hotel worth the extra $?
Any appreciate suggestions on the hotel I mentioned or any others that I have may have overlooked.
Thank you for your advice.
Answer: There is not much for boys that age in Capitola. Its core is a small village with boutique shopping. The hotel itself is on busy 41st Avenue, not very near the village. The mall you speak of is considering going out of business and turning into something else. It has a couple of semi-fast food restaurants. It is not something the boys could walk to from the Fairfield Inn, or has anything of interest to them, IMO.
The Holiday Inn Express in Santa Cruz is not near anything for the boys except Denny's :~). It is on Ocean Street as you come into the town. The Paradox is a new remake of a Holiday Inn and it screams 'businessmen'. It is also on Ocean Avenue, but further down and just across San Lorenzo Park (about two or three blocks) from the main street of town, Pacific Avenue, with lots of restaurants of various kinds, two movie theaters, ice cream parlors, a cookie company, pizza, etc.
Have you looked into the Dream Inn? This is of the same quality as, or better than, the others but near the Wharf and a block from the Boardwalk, an old fashioned historic amusement park with no admission charge.
The hotel has a pool and faces a beach. Surfing lessons happen there. There are volleyball nets set up on part of the beach near the Boardwalk. During the summer there are free movies and concerts and aerial acts at various times on the main beach there. Of your choices, I really think this is the best. It is not inexpensive, but I think it might be in the same ballpark as the Paradox. The boys *could* walk to Pacific Avenue from here, but it is about 8 or 9 blocks to the main area .
The Hyatt is new and I know nothing about it except its location. It is on the west side and not really convenient to activities for the boys.
I am going to give you a link to a traveler article on Santa Cruz. Trip Advisor has stopped supporting these, so there is a disclaimer that the information may be outdated. The information in this article is not outdated. I will be re-writing it to put in my own files.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g33048-c133677/Santa-Cruz:California:Santa.Cruz.Sights.And.Activities.html
Good luck and let me know if I can be of help....
Edit. The Paradox is not in a "shady area of town". Yes, homeless people do hang out in San Lorenzo Park, but there is no reason for the boys to go there. If you should pick that hotel they can walk on city streets, quite safely, to get to Pacific Avenue...
The Holiday Inn Express in Santa Cruz is not near anything for the boys except Denny's :~). It is on Ocean Street as you come into the town. The Paradox is a new remake of a Holiday Inn and it screams 'businessmen'. It is also on Ocean Avenue, but further down and just across San Lorenzo Park (about two or three blocks) from the main street of town, Pacific Avenue, with lots of restaurants of various kinds, two movie theaters, ice cream parlors, a cookie company, pizza, etc.
Have you looked into the Dream Inn? This is of the same quality as, or better than, the others but near the Wharf and a block from the Boardwalk, an old fashioned historic amusement park with no admission charge.
The hotel has a pool and faces a beach. Surfing lessons happen there. There are volleyball nets set up on part of the beach near the Boardwalk. During the summer there are free movies and concerts and aerial acts at various times on the main beach there. Of your choices, I really think this is the best. It is not inexpensive, but I think it might be in the same ballpark as the Paradox. The boys *could* walk to Pacific Avenue from here, but it is about 8 or 9 blocks to the main area .
The Hyatt is new and I know nothing about it except its location. It is on the west side and not really convenient to activities for the boys.
I am going to give you a link to a traveler article on Santa Cruz. Trip Advisor has stopped supporting these, so there is a disclaimer that the information may be outdated. The information in this article is not outdated. I will be re-writing it to put in my own files.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g33048-c133677/Santa-Cruz:California:Santa.Cruz.Sights.And.Activities.html
Good luck and let me know if I can be of help....
Edit. The Paradox is not in a "shady area of town". Yes, homeless people do hang out in San Lorenzo Park, but there is no reason for the boys to go there. If you should pick that hotel they can walk on city streets, quite safely, to get to Pacific Avenue...
Note that forum content are individual perspectives of forum posters and not the opinion of Tripadvisor



















