Santa Cruz Attraction Visits and Ticket Tips

October 31, 2026

Santa Cruz offers a short list of ticketed attractions and a few free ones. Use this page to compare them side by side. Figures are in US dollars and subject to change, so confirm with each operator.

Redwood Forest Steam Train

Where: Roaring Camp Railroads, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton.
Length: 75 minutes, departing daily.
Fares: $42.35 adult (13 and up), $26.45 child (2 to 12), under 2 free.
Parking: $10 per vehicle. Grounds entry is free except at special events.
Good to know: the locomotives date from 1890, and steam is not guaranteed on every run.

The Felton to Boardwalk Beach Train is paused, with Roaring Camp announcing its return for spring 2027. Santa Cruz METRO Route 35 serves Henry Cowell and the Felton Covered Bridge, a short walk away.

Mystery Spot

Where: 465 Mystery Spot Road. It is a California Historical Landmark, No. 1055, named in 2014.
Tickets: $12 per person, with ages 3 and under free and active-duty military free with ID.
Parking: $5 per vehicle on arrival.
Hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm. Tours leave every half hour or more often.
Tips: get there 30 minutes early. Weekend and holiday tours frequently sell out around noon. Same-day tickets are sold until 2 hours before a tour.

Seymour Marine Discovery Center

Where: 100 McAllister Way, on the UCSC Coastal Science Campus.
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
Admission: about $9 to $12, so look at the website. Tickets last 30 days. Children under 3, UCSC students and members are free.
Highlights: touch pools, aquariums and one of the largest blue whale skeletons on display. Tours come with admission, first-come.
Parking: paid by ParkMobile on weekdays, free on weekends.

Wilder Ranch State Park

Free ranch tours start at 1pm on Saturday and Sunday. No reservation is needed, but a phone call to confirm is wise. The day-use fee is $10 per vehicle, and dogs are not allowed. The Park Store is closed until further notice, and Ohlone Bluff Trail work causes intermittent closures in October 2026.

Sanctuary Exploration Center

A free, short stop at 35 Pacific Avenue with Monterey Bay sanctuary exhibits. Opening is 10am to 4pm, most days Thursday to Sunday, so call ahead.

Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park

The Mission adobe on Mission Plaza opens Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday, 10am to 4pm, and closes for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Official fares are on the Roaring Camp site and tickets for the Seymour Center are on its visit page . To compare organised tours, search GetYourGuide .