Best Dog Beaches in Santa Cruz

Located in the Westside area of the city of Santa Cruz, Lighthouse Field State Beach is actually the name of a state park managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation and is situated adjacent to two bluff side beaches. The state park is comprised of two major parts. The northern portion of Lighthouse Field State Beach is a large grassy walking park, one of the last open oceanside forelands in urban California, that is situated in the north of West Cliff Drive. The southern portion is a rocky sandstone blufftop area which is called the Lighthouse Point (also known as Point Santa Cruz) as it features Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse and the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum – and is also has a paved esplanade running to its west which is popular with bikers.

There are two beaches adjacent to Lighthouse Field State Beach - one is located to its south just across West Cliff drive and is known as Its Beach and another is situated east of the state park and is called Steamer Lane. The park and the adjoining beaches usually don’t have any lifeguards, although Steamer Lane often sees lifeguard deployment during high surf conditions. However, the park and the beaches have many amenities including showers, restrooms, walking trails, picnicking areas, and drinking fountains, and also allow pets on a leash. The park and the beaches are easy to access - they are located at 701 West Cliff Drive. There are a number of free parking lots along West Cliff Drive and Lighthouse Point, from where you can access the state park and the stairs leading down to the adjacent bluff side beaches.

Located in the southern portion of Westside Santa Cruz, Mitchell’s Cove Beach is a bluff side beach situated along West Cliff Drive. The beach area sees large tides and currents throughout the day and usually, there is rarely dry sand on the beach. The beach area is almost inaccessible during high tide. There are several interesting rock formations on the beach including a monolith looking out to the Pacific Ocean. The bluff side areas along the beach are fixed into place with boulder embankments to ensure that they don’t get eroded away during storms. The beach doesn't have lifeguards, showers, or concession stands, but it does have a few restrooms. The beach area is pet-friendly - it allows dogs without leash between 10 am to 4 pm.

Nestled between the San Lorenzo River and Santa Cruz Harbor, Seabright Beach—also known as Seabright State Beach—is a beautiful sandy beach with soft light brown sand, located close to the iconic Santa Cruz Beach and Wharf. This half-mile stretch of sandy beach is loved for its scenic views and unique vegetation, including the rare pink sand verbena flower. Seabright Beach is sometimes considered part of the Twin Lakes State Beach, which lies just across the Santa Cruz Harbor.