Santa Cruz in April

September and October are Santa Cruz's secret weapons. The summer crowds thin out, but the weather stays warm and the ocean temperature peaks around 65 degrees. Plus, you'll actually find parking downtown. Spring brings wildflowers to the coastal bluffs and fewer people, though morning fog can linger until noon. Summer means boardwalk season — the rides run daily, concerts happen on the beach, and every college kid in California seems to migrate here. It's fun but crowded and expensive. Winter gets a bad rap, but locals know it's prime surfing season. The swells are bigger, the sunsets more dramatic, and you can have entire beaches to yourself. Just pack layers — it might be 70 degrees and sunny at noon, then 50 and foggy by 4 PM. And here's something most visitors don't realize: Santa Cruz gets its best weather when the rest of California is on fire. Those offshore winds that fuel wildfires inland create perfect beach days here.