Bonny Doon

This charming area offers a small-town vibe and an artistic, eclectic flair.

Welcome to Bonny Doon

Tranquil and private small town with an eclectic flair

Well known for its lavender farms and wineries, Bonny Doon is located approximately 10 miles north of Santa Cruz. This charming area offers a small-town vibe and an artistic, eclectic flair.

Founded in the 1850s as a logging camp and considered part of the southern San Francisco Bay Area, the population here is small. There are less than 4,000 permanent residents of Bonny Doon, and there is no city center or commercial shops. The town contains several wineries, including Bonny Doon Vineyard, plus a church, two fire stations, an ecological reserve, an elementary school, and a private-use airport.

The state beach is dotted with coastal redwoods and is a frequent stop for visitors traveling scenic Highway 1, and the area is attractive to hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Ocean views encapsulate Bonny Doon on days when fog is not present, and The University of California, Santa Cruz is located nearby, attracting a number of students and faculty residents alike.

What to Love

• The small town and close community

• Close proximity to the San Francisco Bay ARea, Santa Cruz, and the beautiful beaches of the North Coast

• Wineries, lavender farms, nature and lots of outdoor activities

Local Lifestyle

A colorful mix of the rural lifestyle and unpopulated beach town, Bonny Doon is an attractive location for hippies, yuppies, and families. The population here is highly educated, and the plethora of outdoor recreation is inviting to nature enthusiasts.

Dining, Entertainment & Shopping

While Bonny Doon is not a commercial district, residents are in close proximity to Bay Area amenities. Locals take pride in their small-town atmosphere and take advantage of their natural surroundings.

There is a wealth of mountain biking and hiking trails located near Bonny Doon, including those that traverse Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park’s Fall Creek and Garden of Eden and the Ben Lomond Quaker Center. Residents also frequent Bonny Doon Beach, a stunning strip of ocean backed by dunes and surrounded by high cliff walls, and the North Coast, a scenic section of the town where the ocean meets the mountains. Here, visitors can swim and sunbathe in Davenport and Waddell.

Things to do

Wine tasting is a big pastime in Bonny Doon. Residents can have a creekside picnic at Beauregard Vineyards and sample a variety of handcrafted wines. At Bonny Doon Vineyards, you can find a historic tasting room hidden among the coastal redwoods. At Hallcrest Vineyards, you can enjoy an award-winning glass of cabernet on the property’s back deck.

Swanton Berry Farm,

the first organic strawberry farm in California, is also a popular local attraction, winning guests over with crops of strawberries that are super sweet, red, ripe, and sustainable.

Thousands of locals gather annually for the Bonny Doon Art, Wine, and Brew Festival, which benefits the Bonny Doon Elementary School’s science and art programs. The event consists of endless tastings from local wineries and breweries, plus artist and craft vendors, food trucks, and live bands.