Seabright State Beach

About

Seabright State Beach is popular among tourists and locals alike. Located between the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the Santa Cruz Harbor, Seabright State Beach offers a unique shoreline, including a view of boats on their way out or into the Santa Cruz Harbor and the Walton Lighthouse a short distance away.

This beach was home to the Scholl-Mar Castle. Once a unique staple of Seabright State Beach, the Scholl-Mar Castle was a Moorish-style castle in the 1930s that welcomed beachgoers. Bilingual interpretive panels sharing this history were added to the beach in summer 2023. Watch the event here.

Now Seabright State Beach serves as a prime location for surfers, swimmers and sunbathers. Leashed dogs are welcomed at this beach. Bonfires are allowed in State Parks-provided fire rings.

Operating Hours

Day-Use Area 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Directions

Seabright Avenue at East Cliff Drive marks the center of this south-facing beach. Parking and beach access is available at the west end of East Cliff Drive near Alhambra Avenue, Mott Avenue and at the end of 3rd Avenue.

By Bus: Take Santa Cruz METRO routes 68, 91x to 68, 69W to 68, or 69W to get to the beach.

Things to do

Beach Area

Visitors enjoy sand volleyball, swimming, surfing, windsurfing, fishing and paddle boarding. There are fire pits for use, first-come, first-served.

Bonfires

Fire rings are provided at this beach. Bonfires are only permitted inside of those rings.

Accessibility

Beach wheelchairs are available for use. Reservations are recommended. Contact the State Park Special Events Office at SCD.specialevents@parks.ca.gov or 831-335-8487, Monday to Thursday excluding holidays, between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. Email is preferred.

Fees and Passes

Parking is free on surface streets in the neighborhood.

Services

Restroom
Fire rings
Free parking
Lifeguards on duty (summer only)
Beach wheelchairs are available to borrow for day use. Learn more and make a reservation.

History

Seabright State Beach is in the unceded homelands of the Awaswas-speaking Ohlone Tribe known as the Uypi, who stewarded these lands since time immemorial. Centuries of colonial violence led to the removal and displacement of the Uypi. Today, their descendants continue their stewardship and presence here, in partnership with State Parks.

The area was once known as Castle Beach, named for a now-gone landmark, the Castle. The Castle was first built around the turn of the 20th century by James Pilkington as a bathhouse. Over the years it was expanded. It operated as a restaurant and art gallery before being demolished in 1967. Learn more about the beach’s colorful past in the book Santa Cruz’s Seabright Beach by historian and author Traci Bliss. Purchases benefit Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.

Seabright Beach is a unit of nearby Twin Lakes State Beach.

Regulations

Dogs are permitted on leash.
Fires must be confined to fire rings provided.
Alcohol is not allowed on the beach or in day-use areas.
A fishing license is required.

Recreate Responsibly

Before you visit, check the Recreate Responsibly page to protect yourself, family, friends and your community by following these measures during your visit.