Twin Lakes State Beach
Also known as Twin Lakes SB
- Status
- Open (per official listing)
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed6-ft leash
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(831) 427-4868
Official page last checked Oct 30, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
In Santa Cruz County, about 2 miles southeast of Santa Cruz, Twin Lakes State Beach covers about 111 acres.
Popular activities here are surfing, boating, swimming, fishing, and geocaching. On the water side, there is a swimming beach.
Fees and passes
Per vehicle at most parks (vehicles of 9 people or less, walk/bike-in free); per person at State Historic Parks and museums; amounts vary by park and are listed on each park page.
Statewide fee rule from California's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
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 Dogs are allowed on the east side of the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. Dogs may not be left unattended and must be on a leash no longer than six feet. 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.
Things to do
BoatingFishingSwimmingSurfingGeocachingHiking
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Drinking water
- Nature center or museum
Water
- Swimming beach
✓ 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
The small craft harbor in downtown Santa Cruz is approximately in the middle of Twin Lakes State Beach, which extends for a distance parallel to East Cliff Drive and Portola Drive. The beach has a mile of sandy shoreline, popular for swimming and picnicking. The park’s adjacent Schwan's lake is a good location for bird watching. Phone (831) 427-4868 for more information.
Beach/Shore Access
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.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 2875 East Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95062 - Nearest town
- Santa Cruz — about 2 mi southeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 36.9624, -121.9994
- Phone
- (831) 427-4868
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
The small craft harbor in downtown Santa Cruz is approximately in the middle of Twin Lakes State Beach, which extends for a distance parallel to East Cliff Drive and Portola Drive.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 30, 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)
“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