Santa Cruz, California is a sleepy beach town surrounded by beautiful mountains and equally gorgeous coastline. Boasting a quaint downtown area and popular boardwalk with rides and games, Santa Cruz has been a favorite vacation spot for many seeking a beach vacation without the hustle and bustle of an over-crowded tourist locale.



When shopping for a hotel to spend your stay, many factors come into question, the three most important being: location, price, and quality. Santa Cruz offers many hotels in any and all of these categories. For some, a mountain getaway only a few minutes drive from both the beach and downtown is the preference. The Hilton in Scotts Valley (Santa Cruz's neighboring town) offers classic Hilton elegance with price. This hotel is a ten minute drive from both the Boardwalk and downtown Pacific Avenue. On the other side of Santa Cruz is Chaminade, a luxurious resort with sweeping mountain views set fifteen minutes from downtown and the beach. For those shopping fiends, many hotels and inns are available in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz. The Comfort Inn and University Inn and Conference Center are both very affordable and located blocks from downtown and the beach. With these hotels, a car is unnecessary unless planning to go outside Santa Cruz city limits. If an ocean view with a budget is what you crave, then Best Inn and Suites on the Boardwalk and Best Value Inn-By-the-Beach are your best bets. Both located across the street from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and its beaches, they're your perfect match for waking up to the smell of the ocean breeze. If the tourist crowds of the Boardwalk do not suite your fancy, head over to the Coast Santa Cruz Hotel, located on the beach between the boardwalk and the coastline residences. From here, you can go one way towards downtown and the Boardwalk, you can step out onto the beach, or take a walk along West Cliff Drive to see the coastline, walk on the beach, and watch the surfers. This path is four miles of ocean, sand, cliffs, and panoramic views of the Monterey Bay.

These are not the only hotel options in Santa Cruz, there are also many motels, inns, hotels, and bed and breakfasts for you to stay. Any choice is a good choice because chances are you will not be spending very much time in your room. Santa Cruz, although small, offers so many things to do and see in an easy to navigate area. If downtown is not enough to wet your shopping appetite, ten minutes down highway 1 is the Capitola Mall. And just over highway 17 is Valley Fair, the largest mall you'll encounter before you hit San Francisco.

All along the Monterey Bay are famous beach hot-spots such as Carmel and Monterey. The vibe of those towns is very different from that in Santa Cruz. Mainly, Santa Cruz is a hole-in-the-wall town with friendly residents and a relaxing atmosphere. Wherever you go, you will not be disappointed.