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First timer on a Saturday morning and was able to find street parking around 10 am. It is busy with surfers and locals but not crowded on a cloudy morning. The tide was close but my child still had a blast splashing around in the tide pools. No animals except the usual birds and shells but he didn't mind. We did not use the restrooms. This is also where the walking trail begins all along Cliff Drive. It was about a 12-15 min drive from here to the boardwalk afterwards. There are several other beaches close by if you want to set up shop and hang out for longer. This is not that kind of place. We were here about 45-50 minutes.
Pleasure Point is a surfing area near East Cliff. When I visited the surf wasn't great. But it was a beautiful sunny summer day and even saw a monarch off season. A couple dozen surfer students were in the water taking lessons. PP is good for both short and long boarders. I saw one entry point, stairs by the shower. It was less crowded than West Cliff and I found parking on the street across from Pleasure Market & Cafe. Nearby, there are many surf shops for gears.... definitely surf town vibe.
The beach at Pleasure Point gave me all the feels this past weekend. And it was in the simplicity of the sandy shore hidden by the mudstone wall of the beautiful sea cliffs near the border of Santa Cruz and Capitola, that gave it a secluded peaceful feeling. There are stairs that take surfers and beachgoers down to the fields of sand below, but this cove specifically required some climbing over a few rocks right along the water in order to get to. There weren't many visitors to this specific area on a Sunday late afternoon, though lots of surfers could be seen in the water a distance away in both directions. The waves here were gentler and calm, perfect for us to stretch out our beach mat and lie in the sun in perfect weather, with a cool breeze and warm sunshine on our bodies, soft layers of sand underneath us. I couldn't ask for more than such a beautiful setting to relax, enjoy the sound of the water along the shoreline, with the clouds and mountains fading in the distance, sharing good conversation and quality time with loved one. There are some benches along the pedestrian pathway on East Cliff Drive near the edge of the cliff above the beach, even a couple buildings/homes randomly situated at the edge of the cliff as well. And across the beach on the other side of East Cliff Drive is a free parking lot (Pleasure Point Parking Lot) with a restroom conveniently located right next to it. Kids will always find ways to enjoy any sandy beach area, running and playing along the water. But I think the isolated feel of the environment at Pleasure Point makes it more of an ideal spot for couples to spend a lovely afternoon together or a respite for those who wanna get away from it all.
Pleasure point appears be a popular spot for surfers . It's convenient because there are rest rooms with a rinse off showers available, and a convenient store / cafe right across the street . We are not surfers . But we very much enjoyed seeing them catch Santa Cruz waves below. There are stairs to take you down the the water and plenty of railings to lean on and enjoy the view . We got a burrito from the little store / cafe and ate it looking over the ocean . Parking in on the street in the neighborhoods. It was relaxing and a pleasure to visit !
Beautiful spot. Picturesque . Beach can be accessed by stairs from the cliff. I might have gone during high tides; water all the way to the base of the stairs. Beach was unaccessible. It was also cold and foggy in the evening.
This beautiful breathtaking spot is a surfers haven and when extreme tide events occur it's also where you can locate family friendly tide pools. There are walking paths if you want to enjoy the beach from a far or you can go down a stair case that will safely take you down to the bottom so you can enjoy The Point all year round. Get yourself a breakfast burrito at the corner store on the opposite end of the point and then catch some waves. Pictures in this post was taken from King Tide Events that made from some extreme negative tides.
If you're in the area and want to go tidepooling, this is THE spot!! I have gone here several times with my friends and every single time we see something new. Legitimately a marine biologists' (or any marine animal lovers') paradise. Attached are a few of my favorite finds at low tides.
Fun place to surf watch. Stopped with dog walked the upper areas. Wonderful ocean vistas. Steep stairs to walk down to beach.
Feel like getting a good giggle from your friends? Tell them you visited Pleasure Point. The name may induce a double-take, but the spot will have you doing a triple. It's so lovely, and full of locals who eschew the more common beaches of Santra Cruz. Awoke. Something in me awoke here. It wasn't some aha, hallelujah moment when the skies parted, but more of a small and sudden creep of knowledge where I understood, maybe just a little bit, about what it's like to live near the ocean and spend time there. Every coming-of-age beach movie, every summer romp, it all kinda made sense. You see, this is where a lot of the locals come to surf, and to hang out on the beach. I was with a local, but by the paleness of my no-sun-all-winter skin, they knew I wasn't from around these parts. I watched couples roll up and just sit. I watched kids playing ball, just out of school for the summer, flirting, and daring each other into feats of strength and swimming courage. I saw a few moms with their little ones, and a few older folks just reading or relaxing. Pleasure Point is a way of life. It's the pleasure way of life. The way of life where you hang a "Life's A Beach" poster and actually mean it--life IS a beach here. It's grabbing dinner and heading to the water, walking, and forgetting that you're smelling the salty ocean air, because to you, that's just how the air smells. The beach bends around the point and there are a few small lots for parking as well as the neighborhood streets. There are outdoor rinse spots and not-so-awesome toilets if you need to change or take care of business. You make your way down the cliff to the sand and you can walk around until the rocks tell you to stop. It's just a sweet little enclave full of ocean denizens and people who have this whole hang loose thing down to an art form. I sat on the sand, sunburned my ankles, and felt a deep sense of awakeness. I walked, saw the perfect pebble for a "thinking of you" collection and found immense, well... pleasure in the entire experience.
We visited for King tides and tide pooling. The tide pools had mostly seaweed with some pools with snails and hermit crabs. Great place to take a long walk along the bluff and watch surfers. If you make low tide there is a small beach area to relax at. Parking is scarce, there is a public lot and we were lucky to get a spot in the afternoon when others were leaving. It's a great bike path to ride into Capitola as well. Just love it here.
I typed in the address to Point Market and parked near 33rd Ave and Hawes Dr because the streets closer to the main road are permit only. There are several entrances to get down to the beach. The view is beautiful and like another reviewer said, highly recommend getting breakfast burritos at Point Market and eating on one of the benches along the cliff.
Daydreams of being stranded on a an island don't compare to what I found here. Beyond what you can ever imagine, this beach offers isolated sands, smooth rocks, various tidal pools and surfing. The beach is located just to the north of Capitola. Isolated stairs will lead you to different areas of the beach that are drastically different in scenery depending on which stairs you take down to the water. Friendly seals find your presence interesting enough to swim around you while keeping a safe distance. There are random local eateries nearby or you can drive a little to the north or south and find enough good food to keep you busy for days. Great views, clean sands, and nice waters on a sunny and clear day make me a fan of this spot an then some! This is a great place to stop and relax if you are in the area.
We have lived in the Pleasure Point area for nearly 20 years now! This last week the tide was extremely low, we took the opportunity to go for a sunset walk. Many people were out, lots of rambunctious dogs getting to play and get their zoomies out! Kids playing in the tidepools and a glorious sunset. If the tide is up people are always walking and biking along east cliff. Its a special treat when the tide is out and you can walk from Rockview all the way to the Hook!
1 month ago
1 year ago
Pleasure Point, on the northern Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz County, California, is a world-renowned surf location, traditionally defined as the area along the coast from 41st Ave to Moran Lagoon, up 30th Ave to Portola and over to 41st Ave down to the sea at the "Hook". It has a firmly rooted surf culture. We regularly spend time in the Pleasure Point area renting vacation houses there in June. We recently got back from renting a property right on East Cliff named, "The Cabin." Great rental with an awesome view of the Bay and surfers. We enjoy seeing all the locals and tourists walk, ride their e-bikes, or surf there. It's location is near Capitola, the Santa Cruz Boardwalk , and many local restaurants, bars, coffee spots you'd expect. They have an annual neighborhood festival there every June also that's very fun to attend. Over 100 vendors sell arts, crafts, local services, food and beverages. They have a kids zone, beer garden and local bands perform a variety of styles of music on two stages including Americana, Blues, Rock, Reggae and Surf Music. Pleasure Point is a great area! read more
11 months ago
Such a great spot with a beautiful viewpoint for surfers. Limited spot mainly for surfing activities. The stairs that lead down to the beach are perfect for surfers to easily get to the water. Today, they hosted a youth surfing competition, which was awesome to watch -- so much talent! The vibe is laid-back and the view of the ocean is just stunning. Whether you're a surfer or just enjoying the sights, it's a fantastic place to hang out. Careful of the sneaker waves though! read more
First timer on a Saturday morning and was able to find street parking around 10 am. It is busy with surfers and locals but not crowded on a cloudy morning. The tide was close but my child still had a blast splashing around in the tide pools. No animals except the usual birds and shells but he didn't mind. We did not use the restrooms. This is also where the walking trail begins all along Cliff Drive. It was about a 12-15 min drive from here to the boardwalk afterwards. There are several other beaches close by if you want to set up shop and hang out for longer. This is not that kind of place. We were here about 45-50 minutes. read more
3 years ago
Pleasure Point is a surfing area near East Cliff. When I visited the surf wasn't great. But it was a beautiful sunny summer day and even saw a monarch off season. A couple dozen surfer students were in the water taking lessons. PP is good for both short and long boarders. I saw one entry point, stairs by the shower. It was less crowded than West Cliff and I found parking on the street across from Pleasure Market & Cafe. Nearby, there are many surf shops for gears.... definitely surf town vibe. read more
4 years ago
The beach at Pleasure Point gave me all the feels this past weekend. And it was in the simplicity of the sandy shore hidden by the mudstone wall of the beautiful sea cliffs near the border of Santa Cruz and Capitola, that gave it a secluded peaceful feeling. There are stairs that take surfers and beachgoers down to the fields of sand below, but this cove specifically required some climbing over a few rocks right along the water in order to get to. There weren't many visitors to this specific area on a Sunday late afternoon, though lots of surfers could be seen in the water a distance away in both directions. The waves here were gentler and calm, perfect for us to stretch out our beach mat and lie in the sun in perfect weather, with a cool breeze and warm sunshine on our bodies, soft layers of sand underneath us. I couldn't ask for more than such a beautiful setting to relax, enjoy the sound of the water along the shoreline, with the clouds and mountains fading in the distance, sharing good conversation and quality time with loved one. There are some benches along the pedestrian pathway on East Cliff Drive near the edge of the cliff above the beach, even a couple buildings/homes randomly situated at the edge of the cliff as well. And across the beach on the other side of East Cliff Drive is a free parking lot (Pleasure Point Parking Lot) with a restroom conveniently located right next to it. Kids will always find ways to enjoy any sandy beach area, running and playing along the water. But I think the isolated feel of the environment at Pleasure Point makes it more of an ideal spot for couples to spend a lovely afternoon together or a respite for those who wanna get away from it all. read more
Pleasure point appears be a popular spot for surfers . It's convenient because there are rest rooms with a rinse off showers available, and a convenient store / cafe right across the street . We are not surfers . But we very much enjoyed seeing them catch Santa Cruz waves below. There are stairs to take you down the the water and plenty of railings to lean on and enjoy the view . We got a burrito from the little store / cafe and ate it looking over the ocean . Parking in on the street in the neighborhoods. It was relaxing and a pleasure to visit ! read more
2 years ago
Beautiful spot. Picturesque . Beach can be accessed by stairs from the cliff. I might have gone during high tides; water all the way to the base of the stairs. Beach was unaccessible. It was also cold and foggy in the evening. read more
This beautiful breathtaking spot is a surfers haven and when extreme tide events occur it's also where you can locate family friendly tide pools. There are walking paths if you want to enjoy the beach from a far or you can go down a stair case that will safely take you down to the bottom so you can enjoy The Point all year round. Get yourself a breakfast burrito at the corner store on the opposite end of the point and then catch some waves. Pictures in this post was taken from King Tide Events that made from some extreme negative tides. read more
3 years ago
If you're in the area and want to go tidepooling, this is THE spot!! I have gone here several times with my friends and every single time we see something new. Legitimately a marine biologists' (or any marine animal lovers') paradise. Attached are a few of my favorite finds at low tides. read more
8 years ago
Feel like getting a good giggle from your friends? Tell them you visited Pleasure Point. The name may induce a double-take, but the spot will have you doing a triple. It's so lovely, and full of locals who eschew the more common beaches of Santra Cruz. Awoke. Something in me awoke here. It wasn't some aha, hallelujah moment when the skies parted, but more of a small and sudden creep of knowledge where I understood, maybe just a little bit, about what it's like to live near the ocean and spend time there. Every coming-of-age beach movie, every summer romp, it all kinda made sense. You see, this is where a lot of the locals come to surf, and to hang out on the beach. I was with a local, but by the paleness of my no-sun-all-winter skin, they knew I wasn't from around these parts. I watched couples roll up and just sit. I watched kids playing ball, just out of school for the summer, flirting, and daring each other into feats of strength and swimming courage. I saw a few moms with their little ones, and a few older folks just reading or relaxing. Pleasure Point is a way of life. It's the pleasure way of life. The way of life where you hang a "Life's A Beach" poster and actually mean it--life IS a beach here. It's grabbing dinner and heading to the water, walking, and forgetting that you're smelling the salty ocean air, because to you, that's just how the air smells. The beach bends around the point and there are a few small lots for parking as well as the neighborhood streets. There are outdoor rinse spots and not-so-awesome toilets if you need to change or take care of business. You make your way down the cliff to the sand and you can walk around until the rocks tell you to stop. It's just a sweet little enclave full of ocean denizens and people who have this whole hang loose thing down to an art form. I sat on the sand, sunburned my ankles, and felt a deep sense of awakeness. I walked, saw the perfect pebble for a "thinking of you" collection and found immense, well... pleasure in the entire experience. read more
6 years ago
We visited for King tides and tide pooling. The tide pools had mostly seaweed with some pools with snails and hermit crabs. Great place to take a long walk along the bluff and watch surfers. If you make low tide there is a small beach area to relax at. Parking is scarce, there is a public lot and we were lucky to get a spot in the afternoon when others were leaving. It's a great bike path to ride into Capitola as well. Just love it here. read more
3 years ago
I typed in the address to Point Market and parked near 33rd Ave and Hawes Dr because the streets closer to the main road are permit only. There are several entrances to get down to the beach. The view is beautiful and like another reviewer said, highly recommend getting breakfast burritos at Point Market and eating on one of the benches along the cliff. read more
Daydreams of being stranded on a an island don't compare to what I found here. Beyond what you can ever imagine, this beach offers isolated sands, smooth rocks, various tidal pools and surfing. The beach is located just to the north of Capitola. Isolated stairs will lead you to different areas of the beach that are drastically different in scenery depending on which stairs you take down to the water. Friendly seals find your presence interesting enough to swim around you while keeping a safe distance. There are random local eateries nearby or you can drive a little to the north or south and find enough good food to keep you busy for days. Great views, clean sands, and nice waters on a sunny and clear day make me a fan of this spot an then some! This is a great place to stop and relax if you are in the area. read more
4 years ago
6 years ago
We have lived in the Pleasure Point area for nearly 20 years now! This last week the tide was extremely low, we took the opportunity to go for a sunset walk. Many people were out, lots of rambunctious dogs getting to play and get their zoomies out! Kids playing in the tidepools and a glorious sunset. If the tide is up people are always walking and biking along east cliff. Its a special treat when the tide is out and you can walk from Rockview all the way to the Hook! read more
11 years ago
***************************** 1360 *************************** I love everything about the Pleasure Point. The view here is priceless and the people here are always nice. If you love dogs, sitting on the bench by Jack O'Neill old house here, you will see dogs walk by every 30 seconds, all shape and size. The only few places on the West Coast that you can spot a lot of pro-surfers here. The waves are pretty good here. The sunset is beautiful. And when high tide, the ocean can blast up to the bench at time, kind overdressing to be wet. It's good place to sunbathing. A walk way down the the surf point. A market down the street for you to buy food. And a public restroom is just a few blocks down. Parking is tough here for visitors, but if you come early, you shouldn't have any problem. read more
14 years ago
18 years ago
They say you never forget your first. This beach took my surfing virginity and I couldn't be happier. Simply a great place to get out there and get on a board for the very first time. There are a decent amount of beginners and vets, but there are plenty of spots to catch some white water. Overall, you don't have to worry too much about accidentally snakin' someone's wave. Pleasure Point is like driving school for the ocean...but like the kid with the cool sunglasses instead of the stupid wrap-around-your-dome oakleys that make you look like an alien. Anyway, you have someone instructing, you don't really know the rules of the road, er water, and if you eff up big time it could be a disaster or someone may just get a bit peeved. But hey, we're in Santa Cruz. How peeved could someone realllly get. If that is you, go back over the hill already. read more
6 years ago
Awesome beach to get away from all of the crowds and just enjoy the ocean. Waves are pretty good for surfing and it isn't as crowded as some of the other locations in Santa Cruz. I'm a bit hesitant to write this as I'm scared Pleasure Point will be crowded now =( Parking is a bit limited though. Very beautiful coast to run/bike along. Nearby cafe, markets, surf shops and many others for your conveniences. One of my favorite spots to spend the afternoon and watch the sunset. This beach certainly lives up to its name =) read more
14 years ago
This is where I stop and stretch on my East Cliff runs. It's a great people watching spot. It is a horrible place to surf. So, I would definitely try some where else. read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
I recently took a trip to this beach for the first time, and it was well worth it. The small town that surrounds the beach is really cute and definitely has the Santa Cruz feels. There are small parking lots surrounding the beach which made it easy to park. I noticed there are some beaches where drivers are aggressive and fighting over parking, but I did not witness such behavior at this beach. The beach does reside alongside a cliff so you will have to climb stairs to get down to the beach. This is a surfer's beach so you will notice that there are a lot of them getting in and out of the water. I would advise to check the weather before you go, the day we went it was not too windy and nearly perfect weather. If you have experienced any of the beaches in SoCal, the surroundings remind me a lot of the beaches in Laguna Beach without of course the nearly perfect sun every day. They are similar due to the cliffs and picture perfect sunsets. We went on a Friday evening and didn't have trouble finding a nice spot on the beach to sit - it was not too crowded. The water is obviously cold so be prepared if you plan on getting in. We got lucky and saw a seal playing near the shore which made for a perfect experience. There are plenty of restaurants surrounding the area, and the beach is family friendly. I would highly recommend making a day trip to this beach! read more
10 years ago
A lovely spot to breathe in some ocean air! There are plenty of small lots for you to park as well as spots in the neighborhood. Pleasure point is great to take a walk on the beach if it's not high tide or surf if that's your thing. read more
Came here during sunset and it was very nice. This is the spot for surfers! Easy access to the ocean with stairs accessible, super convenient. You can walk through the rocks if you're feeling wanderful, definitely great views and you can catch glimpses of sea otter floating around with the surfers. read more
18 years ago
16 years ago
10 years ago
This is a family friendly beach, with convenient stairs for access. Parking can get pretty difficult, but other than that, no complaints here! There are man made holes in the rock for water to flow through and make kind of like a water fall-ish thing, which is pretty cool. After the tides, shells wash up, rarely sand dollars, but many mini conch shells and other spiral shells wash up as well (see photo). There's also a market at the top that's pretty convenient too pass by as well! read more
16 years ago
So this review will be in two parts, I have been to this beach many times during the day and most recently visited in the evening. This beach is easy to locate, ( although I did get lost )... but that's me, I couldn't find my way out of a paper bag. Online the intersections are Pleasure Point Dr & East Cliff Dr, but the beach access was 26th St and East Cliff Dr.. There is a small parking lot directly across from the beach and there are restrooms *bonus* and showers... This particular stretch of beach access is right smack in the middle of a neighborhood between low lying cliffs , the beach veers off in two directions to the left some low rocky areas with accessible tide pools during certain times of day. To the right is a long stretch of beach which is ended by a cliff and a small sometimes a passable cave to the next beach over and if I remember correctly it's the beach boardwalk. The beach is dog friendly and isn't littered with a plethora of people... Most recently I met up with friends for a bonfire... after wasting some time being lost I arrived about, 7:30ish... my friends are there and fire is already going! The beach is nice and again close to the houses... so when out at night it's a good idea to be mindful of the neighbors... Now you can park in the parking lot but, I would keep in mind that the beach is "closed" at 10:00 and the bathrooms are locked up and the cars need to be out of the lot so it's probably best to park on the street. The SC police department does make the round to make sure no one is at the beach after the permitted time.. the night we were there the coppers showed up about 11; I think.. but, he was chill, he basically reminded us the beach was closed and he didn't even trip that we were out there with open bottles etc.. So while the beach is a great spot for the day, expect to be asked to leave early in the night. read more
17 years ago
7 years ago
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Santa Cruz, CA 95067
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