★ Spotlight 2027
Day Trips
Pescadero · Moss Landing · Monterey · Carmel
Santa Cruz sits in the middle of a long, scenic coastline, and an easy drive in either direction leads somewhere worth the trip. North, elephant seals and farm country wait past Davenport; south, the Monterey Bay and Carmel offer aquariums, trails and cypress-lined coves.
Highway 1 North: Año Nuevo to Pescadero
About 45 minutes by car from downtown Santa Cruz
Just past the county line, the San Mateo coast trades beach towns for elephant seals, a historic lighthouse and the farm country around Pescadero.
Eat & Drink
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Duarte's Tavern
A Pescadero institution since 1894, this family-run tavern serves cream of artichoke soup, fruit pies and weekend cioppino in a no-frills dining room. Local growers supply the artichokes behind the town's signature dish.
Local tip: Closed Tuesdays. Crab cioppino is served only on Saturdays and Sundays.
202 Stage Rd, Pescadero, CA 94060
Website for Duarte's Tavern (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Duarte's Tavern (opens in a new tab) ↗
Locally owned · Checked
Parks, Beaches & Outdoors
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Año Nuevo State Park
A wild stretch of dunes and bluffs where northern elephant seals haul out to breed and molt, reached by a long sandy walk to the viewing areas, with a small island sitting just offshore.
Local tip: Elephant seal viewing is self-guided April to November with a free permit; December to March requires a guided walk booked through ReserveCalifornia.
- Wildlife
- Coastal walk
- Ocean view
- Seasonal
- Reservations recommended
1 New Years Creek Rd, Pescadero, CA 94060
Website for Año Nuevo State Park (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Año Nuevo State Park (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Pie Ranch
A working nonprofit farm on the Pescadero coast where visitors can join volunteer days, bake pies and dance in the barn. Programs focus on growing food and farmers, with a farmstand on site.
Local tip: A family-friendly barn dance is held on the third Saturday of the month, 6:30 to 9pm; tickets are sold through the Pie Ranch calendar.
- Family-friendly
- Seasonal
2080 Green Oaks Way, Pescadero, CA 94060
Website for Pie Ranch (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Pie Ranch (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Landmarks & Local Highlights
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Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park
One of the tallest lighthouses on the Pacific coast, its white tower rising above rocky headlands and surf. The grounds make an easy stop for photographs, ocean views and a windswept pause along Highway 1.
Local tip: The lighthouse tower is closed until restored, but the grounds are open for day use from 8am to sunset.
- Ocean view
- Coastal walk
210 Pigeon Point Rd, Pescadero, CA 94060
Website for Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Moss Landing
About 35 minutes by car from downtown Santa Cruz
Where Elkhorn Slough meets the harbor, this working fishing village offers wildlife, wide beaches and paddling just over the Monterey County line.
Parks, Beaches & Outdoors
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Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
One of California's last large coastal wetlands, where sea otters, harbor seals and shorebirds gather along tidal channels. A visitor center and trails introduce the marsh, oak woodland and restoration work.
- Wildlife
- Free
1700 Elkhorn Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076 (Monterey County)
Website for Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Monterey Bay Kayaks
A Moss Landing paddle outfitter since 1985, offering naturalist-guided tours and kayak or paddleboard rentals on Elkhorn Slough and Monterey Bay, plus lessons and a gear shop.
- Wildlife
- Ocean view
2390 Highway 1, Moss Landing, CA 95039
Website for Monterey Bay Kayaks (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Monterey Bay Kayaks (opens in a new tab) ↗
Locally owned · Checked
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Moss Landing State Beach
A sandy barrier beach at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough, with dunes, a north jetty and big Pacific views. Western snowy plovers nest here, so many visitors come to watch from the path.
Local tip: Dogs are not allowed on the beach or dunes; leashed dogs may use Jetty Road. Strong rip currents make swimming hazardous.
- Free
- Ocean view
- Wildlife
Jetty Rd, Moss Landing, CA 95039
Website for Moss Landing State Beach (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Moss Landing State Beach (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Monterey
About 50 minutes by car from downtown Santa Cruz
Monterey packs a world-class aquarium, historic adobes and a long waterfront path into one easy day beside the bay.
Arts, Culture & Entertainment
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Monterey Bay Aquarium
A nonprofit aquarium on Cannery Row built around Monterey Bay itself, with a towering kelp forest, sea otters, jellies and deep-sea galleries. A dependable rainy-day anchor for families.
Local tip: Tickets are sold for a chosen date and time; buying in advance is advised.
- Family-friendly
- Rainy-day pick
- Wildlife
- Reservations recommended
886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940
Website for Monterey Bay Aquarium (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Monterey Bay Aquarium (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Parks, Beaches & Outdoors
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Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail
Eighteen paved miles of former railroad right of way linking Castroville to Pacific Grove, passing the wharf, Cannery Row and bayside beaches. Sea otters and harbor seals often turn up along the water.
Local tip: Dogs must be leashed at six feet or less; all classes of e-bikes are allowed, other motorized vehicles are not.
- Coastal walk
- Bike-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Ocean view
- Wildlife
Castroville to Pacific Grove; central access near Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, CA 93940
Website for Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Landmarks & Local Highlights
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Monterey State Historic Park
A cluster of adobe-era buildings around Custom House Plaza, including the Custom House and Pacific House. Garden paths and period rooms tell the story of Mexican and early American Monterey.
Local tip: Historic buildings are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10am to 4pm; dogs are welcome in the park but not inside buildings.
- Dog-friendly
20 Custom House Plaza, Monterey, CA 93940
Website for Monterey State Historic Park (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Monterey State Historic Park (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Old Fisherman's Wharf
A working-waterfront pier lined with seafood restaurants, shops and operators offering whale watching, fishing trips and bay cruises, set beside Monterey's harbor.
- Ocean view
Old Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, CA 93940
Website for Old Fisherman's Wharf (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Old Fisherman's Wharf (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Carmel-by-the-Sea
About 65 minutes by car from downtown Santa Cruz
Carmel pairs a storybook village and a white-sand beach with one of the most scenic reserves on the California coast.
Parks, Beaches & Outdoors
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Carmel Beach
A mile of white sand below cypress-lined bluffs, loved for sunsets and for dogs running free under voice control. Stairways from Scenic Road lead down at several points along the village edge.
Local tip: Dogs may be off leash under voice control; wood fires and charcoal grills are prohibited, propane devices allowed south of 10th Avenue.
- Dog-friendly
- Ocean view
- Coastal walk
Foot of Ocean Ave at Scenic Rd, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921
Website for Carmel Beach (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Carmel Beach (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Cypress-topped headlands, rocky coves and tide pools make this reserve one of the Central Coast's finest places to walk, with sea life visible from short, easy trails.
Local tip: Day use 8am to 5pm, last entry 4:30pm; vehicle fee $10. Dogs are not allowed anywhere in the reserve.
- Coastal walk
- Wildlife
- Ocean view
Highway 1, 3 miles south of Carmel, CA 93923
Website for Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Landmarks & Local Highlights
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Carmel Mission Basilica
A restored mission church, museum and walled gardens just outside Carmel, with a stone basilica at its center and quiet courtyards made for slow wandering.
Local tip: Store, museum and grounds are closed Monday and Tuesday; basilica access may be limited by weddings, services or events.
3080 Rio Rd, Carmel, CA 93923
Website for Carmel Mission Basilica (opens in a new tab) ↗ Directions to Carmel Mission Basilica (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Spotlight 2027 edition. Places are checked against their own websites, most recently in November 2026. Hours and seasons change, so check before you go. Every business listed is locally owned.
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