Family Days Out in Santa Cruz

October 31, 2026

Families in Santa Cruz can fill several days with stops that are free, cheap or short. The notes below cover ages, heights, costs and safety. All amounts are in US dollars and may change.

Best Bets by Age

Toddlers: Redwood Grove Loop, Seymour touch pools, tide pools at low tide.
School age: Boardwalk rides, the steam train, Natural Bridges.
Older children: Mystery Spot and the bigger Boardwalk rides.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Entry is free, and wristbands or tickets pay for rides. Wristbands cost from about $34.95 to $69.95 depending on the date. Height rules apply, and the Giant Dipper asks for about 50 inches, so check the height chart at the entrance. The Boardwalk calendar lists ride days, and some dates run fewer rides. Main Beach, beside the Boardwalk, is a lifeguarded city beach.

Seymour Marine Discovery Center

The center has volunteer-staffed touch pools and live animals from Monterey Bay. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free for under-3s and about $9 to $12 for others, so check the website first. Parking is free on weekends.

Redwood Forest Steam Train

Roaring Camp’s 75-minute ride in Felton charges $26.45 for ages 2 to 12 and $42.35 for adults, while toddlers under 2 are free. Parking is $10. Its Beach Train is expected to return in spring 2027.

Natural Bridges State Beach

Low tide, at 2 feet or lower, opens up the tide pools, which are a marine protected area, so the rule is look but never touch or take. Public tide-pool tours are held on low-tide weekend days, Saturday and Sunday. Monarch butterflies visit from mid-October to mid-February, with late October and November often best, though recent winter counts have been small. No lifeguards patrol Natural Bridges, and rip currents and big waves are common, so children should stay out of the water.

Redwoods Without a Hike

The Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell is flat and 0.8 mile long, and strollers manage it. The hollow Fremont Tree is open to enter, so bring a flashlight. Dogs are not allowed, and parking costs $10.

Mystery Spot

A tour here is aimed at older children. Tickets cost $12, children 3 and under are free, and parking is $5. Buy ahead for weekends because noon tours often sell out.

Water Safety

Water is cold, with rip currents and sneaker waves. Many beaches have no guards. Choose Cowell Beach or Main Beach for a lifeguard on duty.

Full Seymour Center details are on its tickets page . To compare family outings, search Viator .