Lighthouse Field State Beach

"This breath taking strip of the Pacific Coastline is a ideal picturesque State Park. With amazing views of the lighthouse and Pacific Ocean, it is located literally walking distance from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. This is a spot to visit, relax, and enjoy the scenery and landscape that our Lord has so graciously blessed us with."

"Beautiful off leash dog friendly beach! There were so many dogs freely running around and playing together. This was my first dog beach experience, and it was great. The other dog owners were very friendly, and my dog had a blast running around with the others. If you have a dog who would love something like this, definitely try it out! There were a good amount of people there, but it’s a decent size beach so it didn’t feel overly crowded."

"Got lucky with parking so it was an easy stroll to the fences to watch the surfers down below. With the huge waves, got to see some great action. Visiting around 4pm worked well."

"This lighthouse was lit for the first time in a very long time. We were super happy to see this. It was SO magical shining through the fog and the full mist of giant waves. It was adorned with a lovely and happy looking wreathe. We love walking around there watching all the waves, surfers and beach goers. So much to look at."

"I was spending a wk in Santa Cruz and wanted to explore sights away from the Boardwalk. Lighthouse Field Beach was on my list. I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of experiences at the park. An amazing trail along the majestic cliffs overlooking the ocean from the Wharf to Natural Bridges. The area had many walkers, runners, bike riders. Surfers were easy to watch from the trail, a dog beach had its own four legged visitors. The elevated view allowed you to see an expansive view of the bay, and the waves up against the shorelines. There was the Surfer Museum at the Lighthouse, a small eatery by the parking lot, restrooms, and additional trails across the street. My experience was so memorable, I came back the next morning to run the trail along the water. My advice, get a short distance out of town and visit Lighthouse Field Beach State Park."