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★ The 2027 edition

Spotlight: your 2027 guide to Santa Cruz County

The calendar tells you what's happening. Spotlight is about what makes each corner of the county worth exploring: the locally owned spots, the beaches and trails, and the landmarks people come back to.

Pick an area on the map or from the list. Every business here is locally owned, and every listing shows when it was last checked.

Illustrated map of Santa Cruz County, from the North Coast to Watsonville, with Monterey Bay to the south North Coast San Lorenzo Valley Scotts Valley Soquel Capitola Aptos & Seacliff Watsonville City of Santa Cruz Day trips up Hwy 1Day trips north Moss Landing, Monterey, CarmelDay trips south

City of Santa Cruz

Inset map of the city of Santa Cruz: UCSC on the hill, the Westside, Downtown, the Beach and Boardwalk, Seabright and the Harbor, and Midtown UCSC Westside Downtown Beach & Boardwalk Seabright & Harbor Midtown

Choose an area

Every area in the guide, from the coast to the mountain towns.

Day trips Just past the county line: up Highway 1 to Pescadero, and around the bay to Moss Landing, Monterey and Carmel. 14 places →

Every business in Spotlight is locally owned. Listings are checked against each place's own website, and each one shows when it was last checked. Looking for what's on this week? The events calendar for each area has it.

Hosting something rad?

If it's happening in person anywhere in Santa Cruz County, whether it's a show, a market, a paddle-out, or a gallery night, we want it on the calendar. Submissions are free and reviewed by our editors.

Submit your event →