01
Best overall pick
La Selva Beach
La Selva Beach Neighborhood • Quiet Local Beach With Bluffside Neighborhood Access • Local Favorite
A relaxed neighborhood beach with broad sand, gentle waves, and a lived-in local feel just steps from town.
La Selva Beach is what nearby residents mean when they talk about “going down to the beach” — a wide, walkable stretch of sand backed by modest bluffs and homes. Access is via the neighborhood park and stairways, so it tends to feel more local than the nearby state park lots. Come for unhurried walks, dolphin sightings, and mellow sunset hangs rather than big facilities or crowds.
02
Best for long walks
Manresa State Beach
North Of La Selva Beach • Open State Park Shoreline With Sweeping Bay Views • Best For Beach Walks And Bonfires
A long, open state beach with plenty of parking, fire pits, and room to roam in either direction along the bay.
Just up the road from La Selva, Manresa State Beach offers a big parking lot on the bluff, marked trails to the sand, and enough space that it rarely feels packed. It’s a go-to spot for sunrise or sunset walks, casual surf checks, and small campfire gatherings in the designated rings. Expect basic state park amenities, wide-open views down the curve of Monterey Bay, and a nice balance between easy access and a wild-coast feel.
03
Best for classic state park feel
Sunset State Beach
South Of La Selva Beach • Dune-Backed State Park With Picnic Areas And Campgrounds • Great For Families And Picnics
A broad, sandy beach backed by dunes and campgrounds, with sheltered picnic spots and a low-key family atmosphere.
A short drive south, Sunset State Beach feels a bit more tucked away, with a network of roads leading through farms and dunes to the blufftop parking. The beach itself is wide and scenic, ideal for kites, sandcastles, and lingering over a picnic at one of the shaded tables. Camping above the beach adds to the community feel, and on clear evenings the sunsets over the bay live up to the name.
04
Best for pier and history buffs
Seacliff State Beach
Aptos Seacliff Area • Beachfront Promenade With Pier And Historic Ship • Great For Easy Strolls And People-Watching
A gently sloping beach with a paved promenade, pier views, and the quirky concrete ship just offshore.
Seacliff State Beach, a short drive north toward Aptos, trades dune trails for a level promenade that runs right along the sand. It’s an easy place to bring strollers or mobility aids, watch surfers and seabirds, and take in the view of the old concrete ship at the end of the pier. The mix of day-use visitors, locals out for a walk, and the campground above the beach gives it a lively but not overwhelming feel.
05
Best for resort-adjacent vibes
Seascape Beach
Seascape Neighborhood, Aptos • Blufftop Resort Access To A Wide, Walkable Shoreline • Great For Relaxed Stay-And-Play Days
A long, gently curving beach below the Seascape neighborhood, popular with resort guests and locals looking for an easygoing day by the water.
Below the Seascape resort area, this stretch of sand feels a bit more polished without losing the mellow Santa Cruz County character. Stairways from the bluff lead to a wide beach that connects with adjacent stretches at lower tide, so you can walk for quite a distance. It’s an appealing choice if you’re staying nearby or want a beach day that pairs easily with a patio drink or meal up on the bluff.