Located on the Central Coast, and overlooking the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Santa Cruz offers the quintessential California experience. Approximately 70 miles south of San Francisco, this coastal town of 58,000 is rich in natural beauty. With a mild climate year-round, and approximately 300 days of sunshine, Santa Cruz County offers 29 miles of coastline and old-growth redwood forests nearby. Hailed as "A classic beach town with a boardwalk and surfer vibe" in 1,000 Places
to See in the U.S. and Canada Before You Die, Santa Cruz is home to the century-old Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a vibrant downtown area, Big Basin Redwoods State Park (California’s oldest state park), Mission Santa Cruz, a world-class arts and culture scene, U.C. Santa Cruz, and California’s first surfing museum. Santa Cruz offers exceptional beaches, thrilling sporting events, quaint shops, sumptuous restaurants, award-winning wineries and is the perfect setting for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a wide variety of road and mountain biking choices.
"The City of Santa Cruz is honored and excited about being chosen as a host city for the 2009 AMGEN Tour of California. Santa Cruz is home to a thriving community of bicycle enthusiasts. I know hundreds of business owners, racing fans and community members who look forward to opening our doors to racers and fans."
to See in the U.S. and Canada Before You Die, Santa Cruz is home to the century-old Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a vibrant downtown area, Big Basin Redwoods State Park (California’s oldest state park), Mission Santa Cruz, a world-class arts and culture scene, U.C. Santa Cruz, and California’s first surfing museum. Santa Cruz offers exceptional beaches, thrilling sporting events, quaint shops, sumptuous restaurants, award-winning wineries and is the perfect setting for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a wide variety of road and mountain biking choices.
"The City of Santa Cruz is honored and excited about being chosen as a host city for the 2009 AMGEN Tour of California. Santa Cruz is home to a thriving community of bicycle enthusiasts. I know hundreds of business owners, racing fans and community members who look forward to opening our doors to racers and fans."
- Mayor Ryan Coonerty
