Santa Cruz, CA Vacation Packages

Santa Cruz vacations

Despite its laid-back atmosphere and California charm, Santa Cruz is far from a sleepy beach community. A thriving surfing scene and a 100-year-old amusement park are just two of the exciting attractions that draw visitors from around the world. Book your flight and hotel together with our Santa Cruz vacation packages and get ready to find your favorite hangout in this sunny city.

Things to do in Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz Boardwalk is easily the most popular attraction. If you can’t wait to get down there and ride the Giant Dipper—the wooden rollercoaster built in 1924—you’ve got plenty of Santa Cruz hotels to choose from. We love the budget-friendly yet super cozy Comfort Inn Beach/Boardwalk Area, which is just blocks from the Boardwalk and has free breakfast and free Wi-Fi.

Away from the fast pace of the Boardwalk, Santa Cruz is a loveable, quirky town, so indulge in the sites and experiences you won’t find anywhere else:

• Visit the Mystery Spot, an attraction in the woods that’s been welcoming visitors for 80 years, where gravity seems to bend and perspective-based optical illusions abound.
• Grab an ice cream cone at Marianne’s Ice Cream, still operating in the same location since 1947. Marianne’s serves homemade ice cream in flavors both classic (cookies and cream) and unusual (licorice).
• Catch a show at The Catalyst, a music club where some of rock’s greatest superstars have performed and that still hosts live shows.

If you’re on a budget, save money while staying within easy driving distance of Yosemite by booking a hotel in Oakhurst.

• Yosemite Southgate Hotel & Suites saves you money by supplying free parking, free Wi-Fi, free continental breakfast, and free local calls.
• The Wi-Fi, parking, and continental breakfast are also complimentary at Oakhurst Lodge, and kids stay free.

Oceanview hotels in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz’s dramatic shoreline is a picturesque setting for hotels that make the most of a great view:

• Casablanca on the Beach faces the restaurant-lined Santa Cruz Wharf, is adjacent to the Boardwalk, and has a rooftop terrace for panoramic views of the city and the sea.
• Ocean Echo Inn and Beach Cottages is a relaxing inn less than a block from Sunny Cove Beach but about two miles from the Boardwalk’s crowds. There’s free Wi-Fi, free breakfast, and ocean views from the deck.