Hidden Gems in Santa Cruz

Enjoying the beautiful view. Photo by Susan Dog-friendly (and off-leash) hiking can be hard to come by in Santa Cruz, so Susan and her best friend Roobin were thrilled to discover Byrne-Milliron Forest. Miles of off-leash hiking trails, awesome giant redwoods, eye-popping vista points complete with rustic lounge chairs, picnic tables, water stations for dogs and humans and other amusing and quirky amenities. Read more.

Cruising With Cosmo in Santa Cruz County

On the pier at Seacliff State Beach With 29 miles of beaches studding its extensive coastline, Santa Cruz County has plenty of room for DogTrekkers. Not all strands are dog-friendly, and all but one of those that are require four-legged visitors to be leashed. But don’t let that turn you off or away: the scenery is stunning and the county is so dog-friendly in other ways that you and your tail-wagger won’t have trouble finding ways to enjoy a fall getaway. Santa Cruz city officials, who two years ago lifted a ban on dogs downtown, are now dithering about dog policies at area beaches. Meanwhile, visitors who long to get some sand underfoot can stick to the tried and true. Read more.

Downtown Dogs in Santa Cruz

As we reported last year, the City of Santa Cruz had a longstanding ban on dogs, even the leashed, licensed and well-behaved, from its downtown area, causing painful surprise to many visitors. We're pleased to report that in response not only to the local dog community but merchants who complained that they were tired of losing tourist business to more dog-friendly towns like Carmel, the city government lifted the ban on a trial basis last summer and, when all went well, made the new policy permanent. Read more.

Sun sand, and tail waggin’ good times

Maya heads into the surf at Sunny Cove Beach.
Photo by Dave Kendrick.

If you and your pup don't live on the coast, you probably crave some surf and sand from time to time. Start at Mitchell's Cove, the number one dog beach in Santa Cruz. Read more.