Santa Cruz Harbor: Free Water Taxi

Santa Cruz Harbor 135 5th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

The free, inner-harbor water taxi operates between 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM, on summer weekends and holidays.  In addition to weekend service, the water taxi will operate on Thursday evenings during the Crow’s Nest beach barbecues from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM.  Passengers may be picked up and dropped off at the following locations:  X1 Gate (northeast harbor)  AA Dock (southwest harbor)  Launch Ramp (southeast harbor)  Please visit the Port District’s website to view the map for all water taxi pick-up and drop-off locations in the harbor. Visitor parking is available for water taxi passengers in the north harbor near X Dock. 

Free

Loch Lomond Recreation Area: Boat Tours

Loch Lomond 100 Loch Lomond Way, Felton, CA, United States

Starting in April, on both Saturday and Sunday of the second weekend of each month, the City of Santa Cruz staff will lead tours of Loch Lomond Reservoir on the Newell Jewell (pontoon boat).  The tours start at 11AM on both days and lasts about an hour. Attendance is limited to 25 people and is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The Loch Lomond Recreation Area is a 180-acre reservoir and part of the 2,800-acre watershed land holdings that the City of Santa Cruz Water Department manages in the Newell Creek watershed. It is open daily from late March through mid-October when the park closes for the season.

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park – Redwood Tour

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 101 N Big Trees Park Rd, Felton, CA, United States

Coast Redwoods offer a 100% satisfaction guaran-treed! Every Saturday at 12:00pm, we are taking folks on a guided walk through the Redwood Grove to talk about coast redwoods and to experience the forest together. On this 1-mile stroll, we will be chatting about life histories, ecology, etc. and sharing a wonderful adventure among these giants. Click here to RSVP. Let's plan to meet in the front of the Visitor Center, we hope you can join us!

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park: Redwood Tour

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 101 N Big Trees Park Rd, Felton, CA, United States

Every Saturday at noon, the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks will be taking folks on a guided walk through the Redwood Grove to talk about coast redwoods and to experience the forest. On this 1-mile stroll, you will be chatting about life histories, ecology, etc. and sharing a wonderful adventure among those old-growth giants over 200 feet tall. They say that the Coast Redwoods offer a 100% satisfaction guaran-treed!

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park: Redwood Loop Tour

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 101 N Big Trees Park Rd, Felton, CA, United States

Every weekend day at noon, the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks will be taking folks on a guided walk through the Old Growth Redwood Grove to talk about coast redwoods and to experience the forest.  On this 1-mile stroll, you will be chatting about life histories, ecology, etc. and sharing a wonderful adventure among those old-growth giants over 200 feet tall. They say that the Coast Redwoods offer a 100% satisfaction guaran-treed!

Free

Santa Cruz MAH: Free Admission and Scrapbook Making

Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Head to the Museum of Art and History for a family-friendly fun event that includes free admission to all current exhibitions in the museum.  This event is centered around the exhibit called, “Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley.”  The day’s activities will include scrapbook making hosted by UCSC’s Community Archives program, guided interactive tours of Sowing Seeds, and additional art activities. 

Free

Nicholson Vineyards: Summer Series

Nicholson Vineyards 2800 Pleasant Valley Road, Aptos, CA, United States

Enjoy summer weekend afternoons at the beautiful Nicholson Vineyards! They will be featuring local food vendors.  Saturdays from noon to 5pm – Enjoy perusing art from local artists  Sundays from noon to 5pm – Enjoy listening to local musicians July 6 & 7: Epoch Eats & True Blue Studio Music by R&B July 13 & 14: Mattia Pizza & Scout + Sea Music by Sam Kellerman July 20 & 21: Chubby Tacos & Luna Dorada Music by Dave Tate July 27 & 28: My Mom’s Mole & Natalia Aandewiel Music by Tom Jacobs August 3 & 4: Areperia 831 & Nathan Goldsmith Music by Will Breman August 10 & 11: The Pesce Veggie & Papelline Music by Kip Allert August 17 & 18: SC Eatery & Sierra Evans Music by Michelle Lambert August 24 & 25: Taquizas Gabriel & Desert Moon Designs Music by Wild + Blue August 31 & September 1: Real Taco & The Clay Chalet Bottle Bash Event

$20 – $45

Santa Cruz Mission – Hides & Tallow Demonstration

Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park, 144 School St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA

Come and learn how Mission Santa Cruz participated in a world economy back in the early 1800’s, and the roles the native people played in the hide & tallow industry. Watch a demonstration of how a branding iron works on leather, and get involved by dipping your own candle to take home.This is a FREE event, no reservation required. Rain cancels. The Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park is located on School St. off Mission and Emmet Street in Santa Cruz. Please call (831) 425-5849 for more information.

Wilder Ranch: Historic Grounds Tours

Wilder Ranch State Park 1401 Coast Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, horse barn, uniquely constructed 1860’s cow barn, 1858 farmhouse, and 1897 Queen Anne Victorian home. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 426-0505. Please reserve your spot online.

Wilder Ranch State Park: Historic Ground Tours

Wilder Ranch State Park 1401 Coast Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, horse barn, uniquely constructed 1860’s cow barn, 1858 farmhouse, and 1897 Queen Anne Victorian home.   *This is a 1 hour tour that starts at 1PM on both Saturday and Sunday *Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 426-0505

Wilder Ranch State Park – Ranch History Tour

Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA

Want to learn about the rich dairy history of Wilder Ranch State Park? Dreamt of peeking inside our beautiful Victorian homes and barns? Join us weekly on Saturdays and Sundays for a 1.5 hour long tour of the historic buildings of Wilder Ranch! Meet at the visitor's center at 1 pm. Pre-register here or join us on the day-of. This tour is free. Parking in Day-use lot is $10. Questions? Call (831)426-0505 or email [email protected]

Ben Lomond: Boomeria Lives On

Saint Andrew’s Ben Lomond 101 Riverside Avenue, Ben Lomond, CA, United States

Experience early music, swords, and Irish dancers like it was 300 years ago. Listen to pipe organ, brass players, crumhorn, viola, violin. Delight in watching historical sword play and Irish dancers while enjoying gourmet bites, wine, and other beverages. Organists Extraordinaire, Santa Cruz Brass Quintet, Bonny Doon Baroque, Wings of Fire Irish Dancers, and others will perform for you and yours.

$59

Santa Cruz Wharf: Swing Dancing

Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Whether you dance East Coast, West Coast, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Jitterbug, Balboa, Collegiate Shag or Blues you will find music, friends, and food while you improve your dancing digs! All levels, and various styles plus a social dance with great ambiance are welcome! Go Join the fun on the Second Saturday evening of each month at the Santa Cruz Wharf stage (weather permitting)!

Quarry Amphitheater: Talking Heads Movie Night

The Quarry Ampitheater 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Enjoy an outdoor film screening of Talking Heads “Stop Making Sense” with the redwoods as a backdrop.  Initially released in 1984 and refinished with newly found footage for the 40th anniversary, “Stop Making Sense” is an iconic concert film that follows the legendary rock band Talking Heads during their 1983 album “Speaking in Tongues”. 

$8 – $50

Cabrillo College: In The Heights

Cabrillo College Crocker Theater 6500 Perimeter Dr., Aptos, CA, United States

The musical, In the Heights, tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures. Where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.

$25 – $60