Santa Cruz County, California – With more than 14 state parks and beaches alone in Santa Cruz County, the opportunities for outdoor recreation are unparalleled. In fact, city, county and state parks and beaches comprise the majority of the landscape of this second-smallest county in California. Recent improvements and three key public spaces have improved the destination experience for the over 3 million visitors annually to this quintessential California beach town. 

 Enhancing one of the most accessible parks to Downtown Santa Cruz, new interpretive signage and a floating walkway are now open at Neary Lagoon, a critical watershed for the city and a picturesque spot to connect with nature.  

Made possible by a grant from the California Habitat Conservation Fund, a mile-long wooden pontoon walkway and trail system added greater accessibility to this urban watershed, allowing visitors to access a complete circuit around and through the refuge. Permanent and migrating species to Neary Lagoon include mallard and wood ducks, pied billed grebes, a multitude of coots, the world's meanest geese, several varieties of fish and the occasional great blue heron or hawk. Greenbelt trails, a pollinator garden and recreational facilities are all featured at the park.   

A hidden gem within Santa Cruz County is now more accessible to visitors with disabilities, thanks to a $1.4 million renovation of the area's trails, picnic benches, terraced banking, pond overlook, interpretative signs, and pollinator gardens.  A popular spot for birders, dog walkers, recreational fishermen and outdoor aficionados, picturesque Antonelli Pond, a 100-year-old man-made lake fed by Moore Creek on Santa Cruz's westside.  

The trails on each side of the pond are .25 miles/.4 km long and are now wheelchair accessible. One of the trails connects to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-friendly trails at Natural Bridges State Park and to the nearby Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Keeping conservation in mind, the new design elements were implemented above the mean high-water line while limiting disturbance to the existing riparian community adjacent to the pond. The pollinator gardens feature California native plants, many of which attract birds, so wildlife enthusiasts have yet another venue at which to spot migratory and year-around species. Specifically, the Dusky Warbler is a mega-rarity in the U.S. but calls Antonelli Pond home. The project was funded by the California Coastal Conservancy's Central Coast Program and California State Parks' Regional Park's Program.  

Finally, public access between the bluff-top campground and the beach has been rebuilt in south county at Manresa Uplands State Beach, located about 15 miles south of Santa Cruz. The seasonal 64-site campground at Manresa Uplands is about a half mile south of Manresa State Beach, a popular day-use area. Reconnecting Manresa Uplands' campground to the beach via the staircase was a priority for State Parks in order to provide a high-quality visitor experience.    

Access to the beach from the uplands was closed due to El Niño storms in March of 2016; creating and repairing infrastructure that can withstand climate-driven disasters and sea level rise is the “new normal” on the California coast. In addition to camping and surfing, Manresa Uplands is popular for birding. Some common birds to spot are red-tailed hawks and white-tailed kites as well as meadowlark and several varieties of sparrows. The coastal sage scrub community along the terrace border provides habitat for wildlife associated with shrubby vegetation, such as Allen's hummingbird, lesser goldfinch, house finch, white crowned sparrow, rufus-sided towhee, and brush rabbit.    

For more information on outdoor spaces and state parks in Santa Cruz County, visit SantaCruz.org. 

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Getting There:   

Located along the Central Coast, Santa Cruz County, California, is approximately 70 miles/113 km south of San Francisco and 349 miles/562 km from Los Angeles. Many visitors choose to take scenic Highway 1 along the California coastline to Santa Cruz or Highway 17 through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Visitors can also choose to fly into San Francisco International Airport or San Jose Mineta International Airport.   

Press Contact:  

Christina Glynn, Director of Communications  

Visit Santa Cruz County   

Phone:  +1.831.429.7281 ext. 112.  

Email:  cglynn@santacruz.org.  

Mail:  303 Water Street, #100, Santa Cruz, CA  95060  

About VSCC: A private, non-profit corporation, Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC) exists to enhance tourism and the economy by positioning Santa Cruz County as a visitor, conference, and film destination. For more information, contact VSCC at +1.831.425.1234 or visit VSCC's website at SantaCruz.org.