Quick Take
Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud spent a couple days wandering through Santa Cruz County and chatting with locals about their favorite places to enjoy the outdoors on land — by hiking, biking and walking.
Santa Cruz is a destination for anyone who thrives in the outdoors. Framed by towering redwoods, wide sandy beaches and sweeping ocean views, this coastal gem is home to 14 state parks and beaches. From redwood forests to dramatic coastal bluffs, it’s no wonder the region is beloved by hikers, walkers and cyclists alike.
Whether you’re a lifelong local or visiting for the weekend, the opportunities to explore Santa Cruz County’s natural beauty feel almost endless. Here, the outdoors isn’t just something to enjoy — it’s a way of life.
During a couple of days spent wandering through Santa Cruz County and chatting with locals and visitors about their favorite places to enjoy the outdoors on land — by hiking, biking and walking — a few lesser-known gems emerged.
Carin Hanna from Santa Cruz said her favorite biking spot is Cherryvale Avenue in Soquel, a dead-end road that gets very little traffic. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “There are little farms and nurseries out there. It’s just a gorgeous quiet road. Everybody waves to you, it’s very friendly.”
Pulling up a map on his phone, Alex Walker of Watsonville said one of his spots is in an area of Palm State Beach (near Pajaro Dunes) where West Beach Road meets Rio Boca Road at the shoreline. “Head down to the dunes, park your car and walk up a hill, it’s a super-nice place to go for a walk,” he said.
For a bike ride, he recommends San Andreas Road, which runs parallel to the coast from West Beach Road in Watsonville to La Selva Beach in Aptos. “There’s always nice beautiful pink and purple sunsets,” he said, pointing to roughly where the road meets Buena Vista Drive in Watsonville, near Manresa State Beach.
While the opportunities for outdoor adventure might be limitless, there are certain spots that people return to again and again to commune with nature.
Four places in particular consistently came up as top spots to hike, walk or ride. Their names won’t surprise anyone familiar with Santa Cruz County, but with the summer in full swing it’s a good time to find new things to love on the county’s well-worn outdoor paths.
Here, according to Lookout’s very unscientific research, are four of the most popular spots for terrestrial outdoor fun among Santa Cruz County residents.
West Cliff Drive
Activites: Walk, hike or bike
West Cliff Drive is a scenic 3-mile coastal promenade stretching from the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf to Natural Bridges State Beach. It’s perfect for walkers, cyclists, joggers, rollerbladers and families taking in ocean views, fresh sea air and the ever-changing surf.
“You’re along the ocean and you see the happy people walking along, and there’s lots of places to stop and and see the surfers in the ocean,” says Michael, who goes by the nickname “Santa Cruz” and enjoys biking the famous Westside coastal path.
Start your walk at the wharf, passing Cowell Beach, a favorite for beginner surfers. The path hugs the cliffside, offering sweeping views of the water, framed by Monterey cypress and palm trees. You’ll pass the iconic surfer statue — a tribute to Santa Cruz’s deep surfing roots — and, just beyond it, Steamer Lane Supply, a laid-back food stand serving surprisingly tasty bites (pro tip: the rock cod sandwich for $9.95 is hard to beat).
Make time to stop at the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, above where surfers ride the legendary waves at Steamer Lane. Inside, you’ll find the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, which showcases more than a century of local surf history through boards, photos and memorabilia.
From there, a newly renovated path winds along the cliff’s edge toward Natural Bridges State Beach, a breathtaking 65-acre preserve famous for its namesake sea arch and monarch butterfly grove. From October through January, up to 150,000 monarchs traditionally cluster in eucalyptus trees. Though monarch numbers have declined, according to data from the Xerces Society, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting invertebrates, Natural Bridges remains a peaceful, magical place — especially for bird watchers and nature lovers.
East Cliff Drive
Activities: Walk, hike or bike
Not to be overshadowed by its western counterpart, East Cliff Drive (roughly 3.4 miles) offers its own version of coastal splendor. This bluffside route runs from 41st Avenue through Pleasure Point, past the Hook surf break, all the way to the harbor and San Lorenzo River.
It’s a magnet for walkers, bikers, surfers and anyone chasing ocean views. Along the way, you’ll pass iconic breaks like Jacks (just below the home of surf legend Jack O’Neill), Pleasure Point and the Hook, where surf culture is alive and thriving.
The path offers numerous places to pause, watch surfers or simply take in the rhythmic sound of waves below. Be sure to check out the nearby Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, a small but fascinating spot offering insight into local ecology and Indigenous heritage.
John Alibrandi’s favorite bike ride is in Pleasure Point, from the beach at 26th Avenue all the way along East Cliff Drive and over to Capitola. “It is paradise,” says Alibrandi. “I moved here from the East Coast just for this.”
Land of Medicine Buddha
Activities: Walk, hike (biking on trails is not allowed)
Note: Land of Medicine Buddha is closed to the public July 14 to 20.
Tucked away in the redwoods outside Soquel, Land of Medicine Buddha is more than a hike — it’s a peaceful retreat into spirituality and stillness. This Tibetan Buddhist center spans 108 acres of forested land bordering the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.
“It’s perfect for a quick little walk or a really long hike. Really calming,” says Santa Cruz resident Maya Bates.
Open to the public most weekdays and Sunday afternoons (closed Saturdays and during retreats), the property includes a 6-mile forest loop and the gentler 1.2-mile Eight Verses Pilgrimage Trail, a contemplative, redwood-shaded path lined with prayer wheels, Buddhist statues and reflection points.
Don’t miss the Wish-Fulfilling Temple, the meditation glade and other sacred spots scattered throughout the grounds. Whether you’re seeking solitude, spiritual insight or just a beautiful walk, LMB offers a unique and grounding experience.
The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
Activites: Walk, hike or bike
Located just north of Aptos, The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park is a redwood paradise — more than 10,000 acres of regenerated wilderness once heavily logged in the late 1800s. Today, it offers 30 to 40 miles of trails through second- and third-growth redwoods, deep canyons and rushing creeks.
Alex Friel of Aptos said the park is “definitely my all-time favorite” place to go for a walk along the creeks running through the park and let her dogs play in the water. Aptos resident Kadisha Zohara heads to Nisene Marks for mountain biking. “I love the redwood trees in Nisene and just the fresh air,” she said. “It’s super-nice to get away from the cars.”
The park is a haven for hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers. Highlights include:
- Buggy Trail (1 mile round trip): an easy fern-filled stroll.
- Old-Growth Loop Trail (2 miles): twisting redwoods, mossy grottos and one of the last pockets of ancient trees.
- Maple Falls Trail (10 miles round trip): a rewarding hike to a 30-foot waterfall — best after rains.
- Loma Prieta Grade Trail: follows an old logging rail line past mill sites and to the epicenter of the 1989 earthquake.
The forest climbs from sea level to more than 2,600 feet, and while it’s known for its peaceful beauty, it’s also a place of history, resilience and quiet adventure.
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FOR THE RECORD: This story has been update to correct that Land of Medicine Buddha is closed to the public July 14 to 20, 2025.
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