Seacliff State Beach

About

Seacliff State Beach has a mile-long promenade backed by bluffs. The paved path is accessible for joggers, bikers and dog walkers. Favored for its fossils of extinct marine creatures in the bluffs, this beach is also known for sea glass often collected by locals. There are covered picnic facilities, BBQs and a visitor center. Beachfront day-use access, including ramadas and picnic tables, is available for use and all parking areas are open at Seacliff State Beach. Camping is not available.

Famously known for the SS Palo Alto, the historic concrete ship built at the end of World War I — too late to be used for war as intended — this historic landmark also known as the “Cement Ship” is now a prominent feature of Seacliff State Beach. The concrete ship once served as a Roaring 20s-era soiree and lay close to shore as a unique attraction for wildlife and tourists. The pier leading to the ship was popular among fishers and curious spectators seeking to get close to a monument of wartime history until it was badly damaged during storms in January 2023 and removed.

Winter storms in early 2023 caused catastrophic damage to the state beach. The storm damage compromised large sections of the seawall, destroyed the campground, and damaged the pier beyond repair.

Seacliff State Beach, and areas all along our coastline, are increasingly impacted by climate-driven hazards. Improving the resilience of our coastline starts with studying coastal processes, planning for change, and adapting to new conditions to develop a desired vision of the future that meets the needs of Californians. This is a process that can only be successful with robust community input and science-based decision-making. Learn more on the Seacliff Resilience website.

Learn more about Seacliff State Beach in the California State Parks brochure: English | Spanish.

Operating Hours

• May 1 to Oct. 31 – 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Nov. 1 to April 30 – 8 a.m. to 30 minutes after sunset

Directions

From Highway 1 take the State Park Drive exit and drive south,toward the ocean. The park entrance is at the end of State Park Drive.

Check the Santa Cruz METRO schedule for public transportation options.

Things to do

Picnic Area

The picnic area with the ramada next to the Visitor Center may be reserved by contacting the special events coordinator at (831) 400-8519 or by email at SCD.specialevents@parks.ca.gov; all other shaded picnic areas are first-come, first-served. One person may hold one picnic table only. Picnic areas include tables, barbecues and trash cans. Alcohol is prohibited.

Beach Area

Swimming, surfing and boogie boarding are popular.

Trails

A one-mile beachside paved and gravel trail runs the length of the park. There also are dirt paths in the upper part of the park. Bikes are allowed.

Environmental Learning

The SS Palo Alto attracts an immense variety of marine life: mussels, barnacles, sea stars, sea anemones, ocean worms, rock crabs, harbor seals, pelicans, cormorants and, in the summer, sooty shearwaters. Sea lions, dolphins, whales and sea otters are often spotted in the water. Learn more about the area’s wildlife in the Visitor Center.

Accessibility

Beach wheelchairs are available for use on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are recommended. Contact the State Park Special Events Office at SCD.specialevents@parks.ca.gov or 831-400-8519, Tuesday to Friday excluding holidays, between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. Email is preferred.

Visitor Center

Exhibits share the natural and cultural history of the area including Seacliff’s cement ship, marine fossil beds and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The Visitor Center also houses an aquarium and viewing tank with ocean creatures to observe. The Visitor Center is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ParkStore

The ParkStore is open or you can shop online!

The Seacliff ParkStore has an ocean theme, which celebrates the creatures that call the waters around Seacliff home – especially great white sharks, who often bask in the warm waters just offshore. The store also celebrates the nautical history of the SS Palo Alto, a beloved local landmark also known as “the Cement Ship.” The store also carries a wide selection of classic beach souvenirs, and books about local history, flora and fauna, and ocean conservation. And of course, it sells a variety of apparel, hats and souvenirs featuring Michael Schwab’s iconic Seacliff ship image.

The ParkStore (201 State Park Drive, Aptos) is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fees and Passes

An Automatic Pay Machine is available to pay for parking, in addition to our friendly kiosk staff. Parking is $10 and supports the park. Credit card payments are encouraged. Annual State Parks passes also are available to purchase at the entrance kiosk.

Fourth graders and their families in California are eligible for The Adventure Pass! The Adventure Pass is a 3-year pilot program that provides free park entry to 4th graders at Seacliff State Beach and 18 other state parks in California! Learn more and get a pass online.

Services

Restrooms
Showers
Picnic areas
Docent-led educational programs for kids and families
Beach wheelchairs are available to borrow for day use. Learn more and make a reservation.

Camping

The campground is closed.

Seacliff State Beach Campground is currently closed due to extensive storm damage that was caused in early January 2023. The closest state campground is New Brighton State Beach. To make camping reservations at New Brighton or other state parks in the area, please visit www.ReserveCalifornia.com.

State Parks is studying coastal processes, planning for change, and adapting to the new conditions to develop a desired vision of the future that meets the needs of Californians. Learn more. You can help with Seacliff’s recovery by donating to the Seacliff State Beach Resilience & Recovery Fund.

Field Trips

This is a Kids2Parks Participating Park! 

Kids2Parks is an innovative park-equity program to bring students from Title 1 schools to State Park field trips. The program, a partnership between California State Parks and Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, increases the number of students who have visited a state park or beach by reducing barriers to access. The program offers transportation funding for field trips to all Title 1 schools in Santa Cruz County and select Title 1 schools in San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. Learn more.

History

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

The S.S. Palo Alto, one of a few cement ships built during World War I, has been a popular attraction for visitors since it was put in place in 1930. The plan was to turn the ship and the pier into an amusement and fishing ship. The Cal-Nevada Company quickly constructed a dance floor on the main deck, a cafe in the superstructure of the ship, a 4-foot heated swimming pool and a series of carnival type concessions on the aft-deck. Unfortunately, the Cal-Nevada Company went bankrupt after only two seasons. The ship was then stripped — leaving the pier and the ship to be used only for fishing and as a nature preserve.

The deteriorating ship was closed to foot traffic in 2000. Winter storms in 2016 and 2017 turned the stern of the ship over onto its side and damaged the far end of the pier.

The winter storms in 2023 caused devastating impacts to core elements of Seacliff State Beach’s critical infrastructure and visitor amenities. The storm damage compromised large sections of the seawall, destroyed the campground, and damaged the pier beyond repair. The pier was removed in Spring 2023.

Regulations

Climbing on the sandstone cliffs and digging or collecting fossils are prohibited.
Rollerblading and skateboarding are not allowed.
The speed limit in the park is 15 mph.
Vehicles are not allowed on gravel or dirt walkways.
Dogs must be on a leash no longer than six feet and always attended to.
Do not feed or leave food out for wildlife.
Alcohol is prohibited on the beach and in day-use areas.
Fires are not allowed on the beach.
Recreational drones are allowed only above the field adjacent to the upper parking area or by permit.

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.