Hiking and Biking

To walk or bike where the Santa Cruz [1] locals do, just head out to West Cliff Drive. This winding street with a full-fledged sidewalk-trail running its length on the ocean side is the town’s favorite walking, dog-walking, jogging, skating, scootering, and biking route.

You can start at Natural Bridges [2] (the west end of West Cliff) and go for miles. The To Honor Surfing statue lies several miles down the road, as do plenty of fabulous views. Bring your camera if you’re strolling West Cliff on a clear day—you won’t be able to resist taking photos of the sea, cliffs, and sunset.

Just be sure to watch for your fellow path-users. What with the bicyclists and skaters and such, it can get a bit treacherous if you don’t watch where you’re going.