East Santa Cruz

Offers a wonderful mix of seaside, rural, and residential areas to explore

Welcome to East Santa Cruz

Offering a mix of properties and a bustling commercial district, this slice of Santa Cruz has character.

Situated in the heart of Santa Cruz, just across the San Lorenzo River from downtown and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, East Santa Cruz is a diverse slice of California filled with a mix of luxe properties, modest homes, and entry-level apartments. Considered more working-class than its Westside neighbor, this area is attractive to a beach-centric population thanks to the Banana Belt - the sunniest district in Santa Cruz.

Featuring a bustling commercial district on Soquel Avenue and a plethora of eateries, the East Side is a hit with buyers because of its character and geography. The neighborhood is filled with beaches and hills, urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods, and lots of natural beauty.

What to Love

Considered the heart of Santa Cruz
Filled with a mix of luxe properties, modest homes, and entry-level apartments
Offers a bustling commercial district and a plethora of eateries

Local Lifestyle

Low-key is the best way to describe the East Santa Cruz lifestyle. Residents enjoy the beach, the Boardwalk, yearly festivals, and gazing at the Pacific from their windows.

Dining, Entertainment & Shopping

Beaches are the main form of entertainment in East Santa Cruz. Local favorites include Seabright Beach, which stretches out for a half-mile and is the perfect vantage point for Wednesday night sailboat races, and Twin Lakes Beach, a popular place for swimming, picnicking, and birdwatching.

Residents also frequent the DeLaveaga Golf Course, a public hilltop 18-hole course with a tricky 10th hole, two-level driving range, and well-stocked shop. Another local spot filled with charm, The Mystery Spot is a tourist attraction where visitors experience demonstrations that appear to defy gravity.

The Crow’s Nest, located right on the beach where the Harbor meets the sea, is a popular gathering spot for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Things to do

At Santa Cruz Harbor, community members can partake in boating and other extracurricular marine activities. Open Studios Art Tours, which operates during the first three weekends in October, allows artists to open their studios so that friends, neighbors, and guests can discover their work.

Schools

Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Happy Valley Elementary School is located approximately 3.5 miles from downtown Santa Cruz. One of four single-school districts in Santa Cruz County, it is considered one of the area’s best schools.