Top Santa Cruz Outdoor Activities

Get wet while learning to surf in Santa Cruz, a picturesque coastal California town popular with surfers. Your 3-hour lesson starts with the basics of how to paddle out, pop up, balance, and catch a wave, along with surfing etiquette and understanding the ocean. Your instructor has you practice on the beach before accompanying you into a spot with small waves that are ideal for beginners. Includes all necessary equipment and instruction.

Unleash your inner explorer on a captivating scavenger hunt through Santa Cruz, where history and fun collide. Navigate through the iconic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the scenic University of California, Santa Cruz, while piecing together clues that unfold the city’s vibrant stories. This interactive adventure allows teams to discover historical landmarks and local culture at your own pace, creating a memorable outing for families, friends, or couples. With no time limits and an easy-to-use app, each group can choose their path and enjoy the sights of this beautiful coastal town.

Imagine sipping tea by the sea and savoring local treats where the stunning ocean view and soothing sound of waves create a tranquil backdrop. The salty breeze and warm sunlight enhance the experience, making each sip of tea more refreshing. This peaceful setting offers a perfect escape from everyday life, inviting relaxation and mindfulness. The natural beauty and serene atmosphere of the sea elevate the simple act of enjoying tea into a beautiful and memorable moment. find us on Instagram by @teabytheseasantacruz

We offer private and semi-private encounters with wildlife emphasizing on intimate experiences. Once on the boat in Monterey, guests are in a unique position, each guests 1 of the 6 comfortable seats on the boat to view a lot of different wildlife. Everyday is different, expect to have a good time seeing lots of different wildlife. During the trip, we often encounter whales, porpoises, dolphin, seals, Sea Lions, Sea Otters and many other varieties of marine mammals and sea birds. the most common whales we see are Humpback Whales, Gray Whales, Blue Whales and sometimes even Killer Whales. Don't have a group, give us a call for individual trips

Most fun individual guided ebike tour here in Santa Cruz. This tour is perfect for individuals, couples, and groups. See Santa Cruz's majestic coastline, Wharf, Beach Boardwalk, and historic downtown tour. All the breathtaking sights, both scenic and historic. See and enjoy Santa Cruz's natural beauty, including all the attractions riding our pedal-assist electric bike. Go, ride with us, here in California!

Our very unique, immersive adventures are the only ones of their kind. We, unlike other companies, provide your very own remote, interactive, live host to assist and encourage you along through your phone. We are an Austin, TX-based global custom event design company offering scavenger hunts and other events in 300+ cities in North America and beyond. Our specially hand-crafted adventures are equal parts tour, creative challenge, detective hunt, and social experiment! Guests get to discover in an alternate reality our favorite hidden gems off the beaten trail and creatively interpret fun art, history, and culture clues - for points! They get to enjoy fame and glory while appearing on our website’s international leaderboard, no matter what their score. They get to essentially race other teams in other cities, even if they don’t have competitors who have signed up in their city that day. Get ready to discover unusual oddities, laugh out loud, and make the experience your own!

This fun small group guided e-bike tour is a perfect tour for an adult group to experience. A 2-hour ride to Santa Cruz's majestic coastline, Wharf, Beach Boardwalk, and historic downtown. Enjoy the scenic and historic breathtaking sights here in Santa Cruz's seeing the natural beauty of this place, An unforgettable experience you’ll enjoy and won’t wanna miss! Ride with us here in Santa Cruz!

Take a 5-hour wilderness survival skills class in a beautiful Santa Cruz redwood forest. Learn and practice core wilderness techniques with an expert instructor-guide. Your course covers starting a fire by friction, creating shelter, identifying edible plants, and finding and preparing food in the wilderness. Without the tools of the modern world, you’ll build useful skills for a wilderness setting and hear about age-old skills used by the native peoples of California. Build confidence and expand your knowledge base during this fun and fascinating wilderness class.

Become the mermaid or a merman you've always dreamed about at this Mermaid Experience and Photoshoot. Santa Cruz is the perfect beach town to transform yourself into a whimsical sea creature, and you can do so with over 50 swimmable tails for toddlers through adults, plus accessories. The photo shoot can take place at the beach, a pool (home, hotel, swim club, vacation rental, etc.) for any occasion, including bridal parties or birthday parties.

We offer private and semi-private encounters with wildlife emphasizing on intimate experiences. During the trip, we will be looking for the Great White Shark, but we often encounter whales, porpoises, dolphin, seals, Sea Lions, Sea Otters and sometimes even Killer Whales. Once on the boat in Monterey, guests are in a unique position, each guests 1 of the 6 comfortable seats on the boat to view a lot of different wildlife. Everyday is different, expect to have a good time seeing lots of different wildlife. Don't have a group, give us a call for individual trips

Come Ride Santa Cruz's most fun, family-friendly guided e-bike tour. See Santa Cruz's majestic coastline, Wharf, Beach Boardwalk, and historic downtown tour. Ride to all the breathtaking sights, both scenic and historic. Enjoy Santa Cruz's natural beaut and see the whole town, including all the attractions on our pedal-assist electric bike ride tour. An experience you won't want to miss! Come Ride Santa Cruz with Ride California!

Join us for a journey into the world of fungi with this comprehensive mushroom foraging workshop. Participants will gain essential skills in safe mushroom identification and ecological awareness under the guidance of expert Maya Elson. The experience begins with an informative presentation covering mushrooming basics, followed by an exciting outdoor foraging expedition. Together, you’ll gather and identify various fungi, discussing their ecological significance and culinary potential. Maya’s regenerative practices ensure that your foraging habits promote sustainability and community resilience, enriching your connection with nature and the vital role of mushrooms in our ecosystem.