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Being located just 10 miles from the beaches of Santa
Cruz is just another great part about living Lompico.
Our beaches provide something for everyone from desolate,
lonely stretches for romantic picnics to the mainstay
beaches for volleyball,
water sports and checking out the scene. In fact, there
are so many beaches to choose from, that it's hard to
decide which one to spend your Saturday at. We've tried
to make it easier for you to decide by detailing the
beaches closest to Lompico.
Capitola
Beach
Wharf Road and Cliff Drive
Capitola, CA 95010
Phone: (831) 475-7300
View
it on the map
This beach always gets voted best beach in California.
As a result, at least during the summer months, you're
more apt to get a whiff of suntan lotion than the sweet
smell of seaweed. It's located just south of Santa Cruz
along the famous Esplanade in Capitola Village. The
beach is marked by the Venetian Hotel, Capitola
Wharf and the Capitola river's mouth. Next to the
beach is Capitola Village which provides an eclectic
mixture of restaurants, shops and nightlife.
Cowell & Main Beaches
Beach Street and Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 429-5747
View
it on the map
On both sides of the Santa
Cruz Wharf you will find the two most popular beaches
in all of Santa Cruz County. On Cowell beach you can
learn to surf or stretch out to laze away the day watching
sailboats go round the wharf. This is one of the best
and most popular beaches in the United States for learning
to surf. On the other side of the wharf is Main beach,
which plays host to volleyball games, people watching
and the famous Santa
Cruz Boardwalk.
Cowell Beach Panorama
Main Beach Panorama
Lighthouse
Field State Beach
701 West Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 420-5270
View
it on the map
Lighthouse Field State Beach, also known as Dog Beach
and Point Santa Cruz, forms the northern boundary of
Monterey Bay. It is one of the last open headlands in
any California urban area. Surfers, tourists, birds
- including the rare black swift - and wintering monarch
butterflies are drawn to this area. Sea lions populate
the offshore rocks. The lighthouse is home to California's
first surfing museum and is the location each Christmas
for "Caroling under the Stars," a Santa Cruz
tradition which attracts hundreds of locals and visitors.
Overlooking the internationally renowned surfing hotspot
Steamer Lane, this museum has photographs, surfboards,
and other interesting items tracing over 100 years of
surfing history in Santa Cruz.
Natural
Bridges State Beach
2531 West Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz CA 95060
Phone: (831) 423-4609
View
it on the map
This beach is named for its ocean-pounded cliffs offering
visitors a close-up look into the unique habitat of
marine plants and animals. An expansive tidal pool network
is in store for those wishing to explore. Hundreds of
miniature aquariums lead you to view the fragile and
colorful sea life that abounds here. The shore is backed
by a eucalyptus grove, where monarch butterflies arrive
by the thousands in the fall. Eucalyptus is the butterflies'
main source of food and they cluster in its branches
during cold weather. Visit the nature center there and
bring your picnic to enjoy overlooking the beach. The
park is located on scenic West Cliff Drive just 2.5
miles from the Santa Cruz Wharf.
New
Brighton State Beach
1500 Park Avenue
Capitola, CA 95010
Phone: (831) 464-6330
View
it on the map
New Brighton State Beach is one of the most popular
and most visited state beaches in California. This 93-acre
park along the beautiful coast of Santa Cruz offers
spectacular views of the Monterey Bay. It is famous
for its family-oriented campground which sits on the
towering bluffs high above the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful,
lush vegetation of towering pine trees, Monterey Cypress,
oak, eucalyptus trees, and wild berry vines surround
campers with a peaceful tranquility. Surfing, fishing
and digging for clams are popular sports here. Once
the site of a Chinese fishing village, it now offers
locals and visitors a haven from the hectic pace of
city life.
Red, White and Blue Beach
5021 Coast Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 423-6332
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it on the map
A red, white and blue mailbox marks the clothing-optional
beach just 5.5 miles north of Santa Cruz on Highway
One. Here you can caste off your woes and is you wish,
your clothes as well. This privately owned, nude beach
is for day-use but also has overnight facilities. Read
a good article on the beach from the Travel Channel.
Seabright/Castle
Beach
East Cliff Drive at Seabright Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA
Phone: (831) 685-6500
View
it on the map
This long sandy beach lies between the Boardwalk and
the Santa Cruz Harbor. Though the castle fell over a
while ago, this is still a great beach to let the saltwater
air flow through your hair and the ocean rub your feet.
The beach features fire rings and dogs are permitted
on leashes.
Twin
Lakes State Beach
East Cliff Drive at 7th Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 429-2850
View
it on the map
This is a smart and swinging beach that caters to families,
kite flyers, picnickers and the like. The beach has
a mile of sandy shoreline and is said to be one of the
area's warmest beaches. The park's adjacent Schwann
Lake is a good location for bird watching. It is also
a great place for a night time bonfire.
Learn
what the top surf spots in the area are
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