The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Natural Bridges State Park

Sand Plant Beach is a nice sandy beach in a deep rocky cove, surrounded by sandstone walls on three sides. The narrow mouth of the cove can trap seaweed along the waterline. From Old Cove Landing Trail a small footpath descends into the back of the beach. The main trail wraps around the back of the beach and continues to Fern Grotto Beach nearby, then to Wilder Beach and the Wilder Ranch visitor center parking lot.

Fern Grotto Beach is a nice sandy beach in a deep rocky cove, surrounded by sandstone walls on all sides. The grotto is a shallow cave at the back of the beach with ferns draping down over the entrance. The mouth of the cove isn’t large. From Old Cove Landing Trail a small footpath descends into the back of Fern Grotto Beach. The main trail wraps around the back of the beach and continues to Sand Plant Beach to the north, or Wilder Beach to the south.

Antonelli Pond is a man-made pond fed by Moore Creek on the west side of Santa Cruz. The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County has restored this neighborhood with trails for hiking and dog walking, enjoy a picnic, or get close up to birds and waterfowl. A pleasant, short trail travels on both sides of Antonelli Pond. To make a contiguous loop one can travel along Delaware Ave a short distance to connect to both trailheads. The western section (closest to Shaffer Rd) offers the longer of the two paths. The accessible path travels for .25 miles past riparian habitat, interpretive panels, and picnic tables, and ends at a loop around an immature native pollenator garden. Views across the pond invite bird watching. The shorter accessible portion of the eastern path turns to dirt at about one-tenth mile. Afterwards the trail becomes compacted dirt and narrows to less than 28 inches for a short distance. I was able to continue another .15 miles before mud prevented further passage however, other barriers make this a turnaround point for those on wheels. https://landtrustsantacruz.org/protected-areas/antonelli-pond

Northern entrance to the coastal park from Delaware Ave. The trailhead is pedestrian and biker only, The former road goes straight to the beach, while smaller trails turn east into the Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve, and West into the upper portions of the State Beach Park.

Stunning Natural Bridge Beach is known for its natural arches made of fine clay or mud rock, carved by time, water, and wind. The beach is also known for being home to a colony of monarch butterflies, with over 150,000 coming to live here for the winter. If you're lucky, you might even spot whales!

A small but cozy beach along East Cliff Drive, featuring a lake and a park. There’s bike parking nearby and benches overlooking the water, making it a great spot to pause during your ride, enjoy the ocean views, or even take a refreshing dip. The beach is especially nice during low tide.

For cyclists exploring Santa Cruz, Pleasure Point Beach on 38th Avenue beckons with its beauty and recreational opportunities. Ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and surfing, the beach offers a picturesque setting. It is accessible via a brief walk from the road.

In the summer of 1885, three young Hawaiian princes ignited the California coast's surfing phenomenon by introducing their boards and the ancient Hawaiian sport to the American mainland. A commemorative plaque near the former lighthouse, now home to a quaint surfing museum, immortalizes this significant moment in history.