Waddell Creek Beach(Waddell State Beach)

Located in the town of Davenport, Waddell Creek Beach is a wide beach that is a part of Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the oldest and one of the largest state parks in California.  Also known as Waddell State Beach, Waddell Creek Beach is the northernmost beach in Santa Cruz County and is situated at the mouth of Waddell Creek across another state park named Rancho Del Oso. Waddell Creek Beach is backed by steep hills and trails making it a popular destination for hiking, biking, and backpacking. Waddell Creek Beach offers a couple of amenities including restrooms, showers, and a campground. There are many fun activities at Waddell Creek Beach including surfing, windsurfing, fishing, kiteboarding, bodyboarding, birdwatching, and beachcombing. If you are looking for additional activities, the Skyline to the Sea Trail begins at Rancho Del Oso and is a well-known spot for mountain biking and horseback riding. Getting to Waddell Creek Beach is very easy – the beach’s paid parking lot is situated at 3640 Cabrillo Highway and is a two-minute walk away from the beach.

If you are looking for attractions near Waddell Creek Beach, you can drive 25 minutes to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, the historic and first surfing museum in the world featuring photographs, videos, and surfboards related to 100 years of surfing history in Santa Cruz, exhibitions, and Mark Abbot Memorial Lighthouse – an awesome vista point to watch the surfing culture and click Instagram-worthy pictures. The gravity-defying Mystery Spot is among the most prominent illusion-based tourist attractions where visitors can experience demonstrations that disobey gravity inside a wooden building and while walking up a steep hill. Bigfoot Discovery Museum is devoted to an American folklore ape-like creature Bigfoot and features tchotchkes from the 1970s Bigfoot boom and the 1980s resurrection with Harry and the Hendersons memorabilia. Another good museum near Waddell Creek Beach is the Aptos History Museum which is home to many historical exhibits, photographs, and antiques from the city of Aptos.

If you are looking for attractions near Waddell Creek Beach, you can drive 25 minutes to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, the historic and first surfing museum in the world featuring photographs, videos, and surfboards related to 100 years of surfing history in Santa Cruz, exhibitions, and Mark Abbot Memorial Lighthouse – an awesome vista point to watch the surfing culture and click Instagram-worthy pictures. The gravity-defying Mystery Spot is among the most prominent illusion-based tourist attractions where visitors can experience demonstrations that disobey gravity inside a wooden building and while walking up a steep hill. Bigfoot Discovery Museum is devoted to an American folklore ape-like creature Bigfoot and features tchotchkes from the 1970s Bigfoot boom and the 1980s resurrection with Harry and the Hendersons memorabilia. Another good museum near Waddell Creek Beach is the Aptos History Museum which is home to many historical exhibits, photographs, and antiques from the city of Aptos.

If you get hungry, there are very few restaurants within a 10-minute drive of Waddell Creek Beach. The bar-restaurant Cascade Bar & Grill serves soups, salads, pancakes, artichoke, cocktails, and beer. Whale City Bakery is a vegetarian-friendly restaurant featuring cakes, muffins, waffles, pastries, and live music shows – and was awarded the Travellers’ Choice 2020 Award by Tripadvisor. Another good restaurant near Waddell Creek Beach is Café Brasil which is located a 20-minute drive away. Café Brasil is a local eatery serving feijoada completa, tofu, smoothies, sandwiches, and rice – and has an outdoor patio setting.

If you are looking for a hotel near Waddell Creek Beach, you can drive 25 minutes to many nearby hotels. The 4-Star Mediterranean-style hotel Casablanca Inn welcomes pets and offers incredible suites with an ocean view and whirlpool tubs. Sea & Sand Inn is a 3-Star hotel featuring three luxury king spa rooms, two spacious family cottages, and 22 ocean-view suites and rooms. If you are looking for a budget-friendly hotel near Waddell Creek Beach, the 2-Star Beachview Inn is another good option.