Seacliff State Beach
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 8 a.m. – sunset
- Entrance fee
- $10 per dayAnnual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed6-ft leash
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(831) 685-6500
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Covering about 114 acres, Seacliff State Beach lies in Santa Cruz County, about 2 miles east of Capitola.
Popular activities here are surfing, fishing, geocaching, biking, and picnicking. On the water side, there is a swimming beach. Overnight options include campsites, with RV sites and showers.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – sunset | — |
Official wording
8am to Sunset
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Day Use | $10 |
| Bus, Large | $100 |
| Bus, Small | $50 |
Official wording
Special rates may apply for peak season, high demand holiday periods, and during weekends. Prices are subject to change without notice. • Vehicle Day Use: $10.00 • Bus, Large: $100.00 • Bus, Small: $50.00
California park passes
- California Explorer Annual Pass — $195. Vehicle day-use entry to 134 state parks incl. high-demand Southern California beaches Details
- Golden Poppy Annual Pass — $125. Vehicle day-use entry to 112 state parks Details
- Historian Passport — $50. Admission for up to four people at per-person-fee State Historic Parks Details
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Annual Pass — $50. Entry to State Vehicular Recreation Areas that collect day-use fees Details
- SNO-Park Pass — $40 season / $15 day. 18 SNO-PARK winter recreation areas Details
From the California state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveCalifornia
- Phone
- (800) 444-7275
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed · leash up to 6 feet
Are dogs allowed? DOGS must always be on a leash no longer than six feet and attended by humans. For a list of locations that you can take your dog to in Santa Cruz County, view Where Can I Take My Dog?
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
Campground Closure
Seacliff State Beach Recovery fund
www.ReserveCalifornia.com
Overnight facilities: RV/Trailer Campsites w/Hookups, RV Access
Max trailer: 36 feet
Max camper/motorhome: 40 feet
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
PicnickingFishingSurfingGeocachingHikingBikingCamping
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Drinking water
- Picnic areas
- Visitor center
- Nature center or museum
- Parking
Water
- Swimming beach
Camping
- RV camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Overview
Seacliff State Beach is often recognized by the crumbling WWI vintage tanker, the SS Palo Alto, that sits at the end of the fishing pier. The beach is a popular swimming spot with a long stretch of sand backed by bluffs. There are covered picnic facilities and a visitor center. Take the State Park Drive exit from Hwy 1 and proceed west through the neighborhood of Aptos to the entrance. Phone (831) 685-6500 for more information.
Historic winter storms in early 2023 destroyed over half of the fishing pier, significant sections of the seawall, much of the fill material on which the campground was built, and more than half of the Promenade Trail. Efforts are underway to restore public access. For more information, visit the Seacliff State Beach FAQs webpage.
Read more from the park
Picnic Area
Many accessible picnic sites under shade structures are available in the South End Day Use Area. Accessible parking and restrooms are available.
Trails
The Promenade Trail south of the pier is usable for approximately 0.3-mile (one-way). Sections of the original asphalt trail are still intact. Some sections of the trail have been re-routed around damaged portions of the trail. Trail surface of the re-routed sections are a mixture of compacted aggregate and native soil. Accessible parking and restrooms are available in the South End Day Use Area.
Beach/Shore Access
Parking, comfort stations and outdoor rinsing showers in the Rio Del Mar Beach area are accessible.
Beach wheelchairs are available for use, free of charge. Reservations at least five business days before your visit are recommended, but not required. Online reservations can be made by visiting the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks Beach Wheelchairs website. For more information or assistance, please phone Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks at (831) 429-1840 or email parks@thatsmypark.org. For requests less than five business days, please phone the park directly or phone the Santa Cruz District Special Events Office at (831) 335-8497 or email SCD.specialevents@parks.ca.gov.
Exhibits/Programs
The Seacliff visitor center & park store features natural and cultural history interpretive exhibits, a tidepool tank, an aquarium, and a selection of souvenirs and educational items for sale. Parking and route into the visitor center & park store are accessible.
Other Information
An overlook offering sweeping views of the northern Monterey Bay coastline is available just past the park entrance, at the edge of the bluff-top parking lot. Multiple accessible parking stalls are available in the bluff-top lot; route to the overlook is accessible.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 201 State Park Drive
Aptos, CA 95003 - Nearest town
- Capitola — about 2 mi east (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 36.9728, -121.9128
- Phone
- (831) 685-6500
- SCD.specialevents@parks.ca.gov
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
Take the State Park Drive exit from Hwy 1. Proceed west through the neighborhood of Aptos to the entrance.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- California State Parks Listing page (one link per unit, page_id = officialId), unioned with the CSP Enterprise GIS 'ParkEntryPoints' ArcGIS layer (coords, address, county, unit number, management status) and the 'CSPParkUnit_CurrentStatus' layer (open/partial/full closure)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
- Photo: Seacliff State Beach Aug 2019.jpg — CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication), Thomson200
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology