Lighthouse Field State Beach is located along West Cliff Drive, stretching from Columbia Street to Pelton Avenue. The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum is here, in the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, and just off the point, geography and ocean waves conjoin to create the waves at Steamer Lane that Santa Cruz is famous for.
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Entrance Fee: None
Parking Fee: None
- Restrooms
- Pets allowed on the cliffside trail
- Surfing
- Cliffside walks
- Kayaking (on calm days)
The nearest lodging to Lighthouse Field State Beach is in downtown Santa Cruz.
- Gorgeous views and great walks
- Opportunities to get down to a sandy beach are limited
- If you go to Lighthouse Field expecting to watch the surfers at Steamer Lane, you could be disappointed. Some days, the water at this famous surfing spot can be calmer than your bathtub.
Santa Cruz beaches can be foggy in early summer, sometimes all day long.
Lighthouse Field State Beach is on West Cliff Drive. From the Boardwalk and downtown, take Pacific Avenue to West Cliff and follow it along the clifftops.
From Highway 1, turn south on Swift Street to Cliff Drive and turn left.

