13 days in Santa Cruz Itinerary

Let the collections at Carmel Mission and Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History capture your imagination. Pacific Grove Oceanview Boulevard and Pigeon Point Light Station will appeal to history buffs. Explore Santa Cruz's surroundings by going to Big Sur (Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, &more), Mission San Juan Bautista (in San Juan Bautista) and Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (in Moss Landing). And it doesn't end there: enjoy the sand and surf at Natural Bridges State Beach, take in the waterfront at Santa Cruz Wharf, look for all kinds of wild species at Ano Nuevo State Reserve, and admire the majestic nature at Garrapata State Park.

To see traveler tips, where to stay, and tourist information, read Santa Cruz day trip planning tool.

Newark to Santa Cruz is an approximately 7.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or take a bus. Due to the time zone difference, you'll gain 3 hours traveling from Newark to Santa Cruz. Plan for a bit cooler temperatures traveling from Newark in August, with highs in Santa Cruz at 74°F and lows at 57°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 29th (Tue) so you can travel back home.