Such a cool neighborhood park with 3 different sets of slides and some shade. One set of slides is…read morea long run, old school metal with several dips and generally there is cardboard at the bottom you can use to help you get more lift. There is a kiddie playground, too. And there is a basketball half court. Benches and picnic tables for snacks. Nice views of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk in the distance.

A beautiful spot to sit in the shade and read, shoot hoops,or just gaze at the Boardwalk and ocean…read more Street parking only (including two handicapped spots), so try to come on a weekday. Several benches, but we take our folding chairs. Bring the dog -- they can be unleashed in part of the park. A functional restroom with two unisex stalls near the entrance -- an outside sink and soap dispenser complete the facility. I'm experiencing a profound sense of peace, despite the occasional screams from people on the rides at the Boardwalk.

Wow! We went to Leo's Haven at Chanticleer Park and it's amazing. I wish this park was closer to…read morehome. It was just built in 2020 so everything is in great condition. It was built in partnership with Shane's Inspiration (if you've been to Griffith Park, it's the same organization). So, many of the park features are universally accessible. The playground area is spacious and a wonderful safe space for children. There are some climbing areas and slides for toddler age but the larger playground is great for preschool-elementary age. There isn't a ton of shade so bring hats and sunscreen! There are some benches scattered around the park and a few tables outside of the gated area. There is a private lot and street parking. They have bathrooms and they are fairly clean!

Nice popular park , plenty of restroom and a community garden. They even have a water refilling…read morestation . The play ground it huge and a cute theme too

Came here for a short stroll along the coast on a day trip to Santa Cruz... I was impressed!…read moreExpansive and well maintained trails matched with beautiful views and wildlife! You can even go down to beaches, although the water doesn't look the best for swimming. Many birds and seals, and I believe the trail is pet friendly as well!

I often stop here for a picnic on my ride on the rail trail from Santa Cruz. The new trail…read moreextension to Davenport is almost complete!! Wilder ranch is such a great place. I bought a patch last weekend. Can't wait to eat another picnic lunch here while biking between Santa Cruz and Davenport!

Visited Henry Cowell while driving down from the Bay Area for our Santa Cruz day trip. We paid $10…read moreat the entrance for parking and the Redwood Grove lot was pretty full at 10:30am on a Friday. We were able to find a spot after 15 minutes. Stoped by the Visitor Center and other stores for some souvenirs before walking the Redwood Grove trail. Also spotted the Roaring Camp Railroads that goes around parts of Santa Cruz and the train was pretty packed! Super cool getting to see the massive Redwood trees. Since the Redwood Grove trail is paved and very accessible, it was fairly busy. The trail is well-maintained and well-marked with lots of informational signs. Took us about an hour to complete. This park is nice to visit year-round and conveniently located close to Santa Cruz. Would recommend!

Gorgeous trails, ample parking, a gift shop, clean restrooms, and some trails are even dog…read morefriendly! Henry Cowell State Park boasts some of the most spectacular Redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains. One can opt for a trail hike, or make a campground reservation to spend more time in nature! Take in some fresh forest air, get your steps in, and take in the natural beauty around you. You surely will not be disappointed. $10 entry fee for the entire day. Such a deal!

My friend recommended this place and I never knew it was a dog beach and I am so glad I checked it…read moreout. It is literally going to be one of my favorite places to visit. You HAVE to like dogs to come here. Like legit. If you don't, you seriously will be miserable! I came on easter sunday and it was soooo packed. Like 100 dogs. It was amazing. I was in heaven. I want to come here every week if I could, it really is THAT great. Parking is free, and what I've been told by many, I just came on a VERY busy weekend. Usually parking is easy from what the locals told me. You do have to go down a few stairs to reach the beach. It's a little cove with so many friendly people. Stay as long as you please. Bathroom across the street.

If you love lighthouses come see this one…read more Food and coffee close by. Closed to look at but the view is worth it. Lots of parking Lots of places to sit and listen to the water.

Wow what a great park! Was driving on our way to the boardwalk after visiting The Mystery Spot ( I…read moregot lost, don't ask me how,) when its "huge blue balls," (not even joking,) caught our attention. It wasn't until we had parked that we realized just how adventurous this park was. The huge slide intimidated my little girl at first, but after a bit of comforting motivation she was blasting down on her own many many times. The bridge and castle like playground offers a great photo opp. The park itself seems like a really safe place to enjoy the day. At no point did I feel worried either because of the playground structure or the environment.

Really nice park with a lot of space. It is right by a school. There is a big playground for the…read morekids. If you head up the stairs, there is a huge field with a large running track around it which worked out well for me. BTW, what's the scoop with the blue balls all around, someone has a sense of humor!

A Bridge Too Far…read more Sixty-five-acre park and beach located in Santa Cruz and named after a rock formation that forms a "natural bridge" across the ocean. The Good: * Restrooms * Bikes are allowed on paved roads. * Picnic Tables * The beach isn't huge, but it's great for tidepooling. Be sure to check the tide charts before arriving if that's what you're after. * One of the better places to spot Monarchs (mid-Oct to mid-Feb), as their grove of non-native Eucalyptus trees is an overwintering site for everyone's favorite butterfly. The Meh: * No dogs allowed. * $10 entrance fee or free with Golden Poppy Pass. The Ugly: * Can be a very popular place due to its location, especially if the butterflies are plentiful. Conclusion: Great place to visit with plenty to see and do--if your timing is right.

5/10/2026--Mother's Day: My second-born daughter, Kris on my right side and first-born daughter,…read moreJoy on my right-strolled on the beach. It's awesome seeing people building sand sculptures, just chilling mesmerized by the ocean waves' sound, and zoning out hearing the seagulls cawing.

I have been wanting to visit Natural Bridges for the longest time and finally got the opportunity…read more to check it out once our day in Santa Cruz. Went on a sunny Friday afternoon in August and the weather was perfect. Thankfully since it was a weekday, there weren't too many people as well. We found street parking nearby and there is also a parking lot attached to the beach that costs $10. Beach is well maintained. There are signs to not climb the Natural Bridge rock but still some people did it and then lifeguards had to tell them to come down. We chilled on the beach for about 3 hours until sunset. Overall, it's a nice relaxing beach and I would definitely return!

Pretty small State park/beach. So there will be a fee to enter their parking lots. But there are…read morelots of free parking on the side streets if you don't mind walking a bit. The beach part is fairly short but wide. You can walk from end to end in just a few minutes. There's a big rock feature in the water that forms an arch. I heard it used to be attached to the land but has crumbled at some point so the rock now sits out in the water like an island. It's a sea bird's sanctuary so lots of bird activity. Behind the beach there's a marshland with lots of eucalyptus trees. There's a few trails out there that connect with the neighboring streets. I think this area is better for bike riding than hiking. And within those marshlands and thick covering of trees, makes an ideal habitat for monarch butterflies. I think around February is when they are in abundance. I came once about 5 years ago to see it. They were in good presence but it wasn't like a spectacle or anything. You have to look high into the trees where there is ample sunlight and you'll see a flickering of activity. If you want to take pics you'll get opportunities to see some up close near ground level. Not really a place for me to hang out or linger. But I do use this as a piece of a bigger hike where I'll start here and connect elsewhere. Sea Cliff Drive is near and that is a very picturesque road that hugs the ocean perched on a cliff. I love hiking it when it is foggy which is very often in these parts. Extra star for easy access and low key beauty.

I love this park. A lot of greenery and a hiking trail with a lot of shade. What's not to like? Oh,…read morea lot of parking too and they never seem to be busy. 5 stars!

What a gem! Beautiful park with biking and hiking trails, disc golf and golf courses, ball field,…read moreplayground and picnic areas. We came for a UCSC mountain bike race and got to watch some amazing athletes compete from up and down the state. Dogs on leash are allowed on trails. Parking is free.

Ducks. My daughter really wanted to see ducks. Let me post one photo and say in her words. "This…read moreplace rocks". Thanks for this location and we will return in the future for more fun animals searching.

I saw a few photos and reviews of this place and decided to check it out. I was I interested in…read moreseeing the goats but apparently they already did their job of mowing down the grass and left. But we saw lots of birds and ducks! It's a lovely place with a long boardwalk that meanders around. We thought the entrance near the water plant was very stinky but as we walked past it we didn't smell it anymore. It's a nice place to visit if you're around the area and want to get away from the city for a bit.