This park is workable but without grass it's a little less than fantastic. I know, we're in a…read moredrought and I should just be happy with their cedar chip laden hamster habitat... but I'm not.It is the case that this park has more Corgi per square inch than there are wooks Burning Man tickets. This dog park is chock-a-block with Shiba Inu Doge too. This review was helpful. Is it any wonder I've been voted "Yelp Elite" since 2014. That what I thought.

Very new and spacious dog park and separating small dogs (up to 20 lbs) and big dogs area. Our two…read morepups enjoyed the space and the environment around it. There is parking lot, public restrooms and some picnic tables as well.

Mitchell's Cove Beach is the only off-leash beach for pups in Santa Cruz! Yay for that this exists…read more Long story short: it's a short stretch of beach along the cove. And it has potential but when we visited in September, it was covered in seaweed with seaweed flies/kelp flies all over, making it difficult to navigate and enjoy. Hopefully it was a time of year or time of day issue...or maybe it's the nature of the cove. We read a handful of other reviews about the seaweed too (I get it, it's the ocean. But still, we've been to many other off-leash beaches that feel cleaner). We'll give it another try when we visit Santa Cruz again. Location: It's about 1.0-1.5 mile from the boardwalk/pier. We walked over and it was a pleasant walk through the neighborhoods. Parking: I believe that there are a few spots on West Cliff Drive. Entrance: You walk down a few steep flights of steps to get there from West Cliff Drive.

Shout out to Adam (parking meter guy) from the City of Santa Cruz for directing me to a beach where…read moreI could take my dog. Located about a mile and a half from the Boardwalk, Michell's Cove Beach is accessible from highway 1. It's a moderately steep walk down the stairs to the beach so consider the shape you and your dog are in to get back up to the road. Mugdha K is correct the beach is filled with seaweed, but we found an area that was clean and clear of seaweed. This was Lola's second time to a dog beach, and she had a blast digging holes in the sand, rolling in the sand and chasing the waves. I live 48 miles from the beach, so this is a special treat to bring my dog Lola to Santa Cruz and find a place for dogs on the beach.

There was a free event, Ocean Fest, taking place here this past Saturday. Food trucks, merchandise…read morevendors selling beach art and ocean-themed products, and the Cement Ship band playing live music for a small crowd. A visitor center & park store on site, as well as picnic areas with plenty of seating, and ample restrooms too. The beach was a bit smellier than the others I normally visit, but worth it for the beautiful peaceful views and gentle waves of the water. Small rocks and debris were scattered throughout the powdery sand but not excessive, along with logs and bonfire remains. The ruins of the SS Palo Alto ship, a piece of history, sitting not too far from the shore, a unique feature at this park. Parking cost was $10 (receipt good at other state parks and beaches in the county too), but that's ten dollars more than I think it's worth, as besides partial views of the SS Palo Alto, nothing really stood out that I couldn't get from somewhere else that doesn't charge a parking fee.

My personal favorite beach in the Santa Cruz region. Located in Aptos. It is not only one of the…read moreeasiest beaches to access, it is typically quiet and uncrowded. That being said all Santa Cruz beaches are packed during holidays and summertime. Being a State park/beach, there is a $10 vehicle fee to enter. That seems reasonable given the amenities available once you arrive. Public parking including handicap spots, clean and maintained restrooms, some picnic tables and an easy, flat walking path along the ocean front in both directions. Walking towards the east you can, in a relatively short time, come upon a couple of nice places to grab something to eat or drink. You will not find this perk in other state parks. So if you do not have your picnic basket packed just know there are options if you get hungry. Unfortunately the long time walking/fishing pier that existed as long as I can remember is no longer. After a couple of recent destructive winter storms it was destroyed. However, the remains of the historical WWI-era, Palo Alto "cement" ship is still partially visible and continues to be the home for hundreds of pelicans and shore birds coming and going. Amusing to watch. A Museum/gift shop is also located at Seacliff State Beach. Free. It is absolutely worth visiting for both adults and kids. Volunteers who manage the museum are dedicated, enthusiastic and well-informed. Interesting information/photos about the "cement" ship too. Come 5 p.m., the locals and their dogs are exercising, running, and walking along the ocean front. However they are not driving in they are taking the hard way to the beach. The beautiful, very long, staircase you can walk down to the beach if you have the legs and breath to make it. It is amazing to watch some of them use this staircase as an exercise tool. Running up and down. Whew! And after a nice day at the beach there is yummy Marianne's Ice Cream shop and/or the famous and delicious Manuel's Mexican Restaurant waiting for you after you exit the park. Both have been delighting locals and tourists forever. Or... stay for the stunning sunset at Seacliff. You will not be disappointed.

Found this park by accident. It's a nice small park with some picnic tables and a community…read morecenter. This park allows dogs and has a decent grass area for dogs to run around and play. The park is tucked away from major road, so it's nice to let the dog run around without worrying about cars. If there's an event going on, parking could be a challenge. Remove one star for the bathroom that's super old and dirty.

First time I've been here , and it so peaceful and beautiful !!! This is for sure my favorite place…read morethat I shared with family .

Love this park- there's a lot of grass to walk your dog in/around and the separation for big and…read moresmall dogs is much appreciated. Only thing is there is a LOT of bird poop in the nearby grass so be careful if your dog likes to roll around. There are also a lot of gophers here, which the dogs often fixate on so be aware so that your dog doesn't get bitten or scratched! This dog park is a little less lively compared to some parks up north, so sometimes we just stay for a short while. This dog park definitely has a small town feel to it- it seems like most of the community members here know each other, and they are usually friendly and inclusive. Interesting note though- on a couple occasions, I've talked with dog owners who suddenly get into politics unprompted and I found that to be a bit awkward lol Most people are good about watching their dogs here and picking up after them, and it seems generally well-maintained.

Haven't been down here for a while. Was glad to see that the grass is still green. This is still…read morethe best dog park in the county. Plenty of friendly dogs to play with. Parking can be a problem,with the addition of the pickle ball courts more people come in the weekends.

Go on a weekday; the parking areas fill up quickly on weekends. It's $8 to park, and it's best to…read morebring exact change. The redwoods are not as magestic as the ones at Henry Cowell, but it's just as relaxing. There are a lot of loop trails around the ranger station. You can hike next to the stream going north, and cross at various points. You will find bridges, as well as clusters of rocks that are crossable. There is poison ivy that intrudes into the pathway; take precautions. Also treat your shoes with tick-repellent.

Beautiful forest with creeks, huge trees and banana slugs. Cool and shady. Many trails are…read morerelatively easy even if you're tired like I was. We've actually been here twice and enjoyed both times.

The dogs are running around doing whatever they want while the dog owners gossip. It's very clicky…read moreand you don't feel welcomed as a new visitor. I've been going to this park for over 25 years. My kids grew up coming here- the dog park is new to us but it's not my first day at the park. It feels like high school or something.

This is a ok neighborhood dog park. There's only street parking available. Thay have a large and…read moresmall dog side. There's a public bathroom available on the other side of the park. The large dog side is really big compared to the small dog side. They have water available but no poopie bags. A decent amount of shade for the dogs to hide from the sun. My dogs are small to medium so I usually go to the large dog side. Since it wasn't to crowded we decided to give it a try. Nobody said a thing. My dogs got a decent playtime and tired themselves out

One of my favorite beaches and campgrounds. Gets very narrow when the tide is in. Has interesting…read morefossil cliffs on the western end. Waves are gentle and relatively safe. Not the most accessible, however. Very steep concrete steps at one end, lower steps at the other, both in moderate disrepair. Wildlife includes sea otters, sea lions, various seabirds. Staff at the kiosk were friendly, helpful, and welcoming.

Somewhat selective enforcement of camping rules. As a result our camping trip ended before it even…read morebegan. So last year my wife was diagnosed with cancer, so this year we decided to make the annual group camping trip a little easier by renting an rv. We rented a camper and arranged to have it dropped off to the campground, something the company had done regularly in the past. Unfortunately, a few weeks earlier, New Brighton started somewhat inconsistently requiring tow vehicles to be present at the campground at all times. I say inconsistent as it seems there are many campers at sites without tow vehicles present, and I am not sure why employees of the RV company we used, Alfredo and Roberto, had the lady at the gate so upset with them when so many other local campers seemed to have no issues. This afternoon, when Roberto was trying to drop off our camper at our campsite, she got so upset she threatened to call the police on him. I have some theories as to what might motivate the inconsistent treatment of visitors but I won't speculate openly. At any rate, with the camper denied entry, we dropped off our food at the campsite, which looked well maintained, and locked it in the generously sized bear locker for our friends before regrettably heading home - our weekend trip ending before it started. If you plan to camp here you should either plan to have your tow vehicle never leave, bring a drivable RV, or hey, maybe just not get the rules enforced on you because you were luckier than Alfredo or Roberto.