Things to do nearCowell Beach

Cowell Beach sits at the heart of Santa Cruz's waterfront, anchored by the Municipal Wharf that has defined this shoreline since the early twentieth century. The beach takes its name from the Cowell family, whose lime works once shaped the local economy, lending the spot a quiet historical weight beneath its easygoing surface.

The gently breaking waves here have made Cowell Beach a training ground for generations of surfers. The nearby Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, housed in a lighthouse on the bluff above, tells that story in vivid detail and is well worth a short walk from the sand.

Beyond surfing, visitors swim, play volleyball, and stroll the shoreline toward the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, whose rides and aromas of popcorn drift pleasantly down the coast. The wharf itself offers fresh clam chowder and Dungeness crab at several long-standing seafood spots.

Cowell Beach rewards visitors with an authentic slice of California coastal life, combining natural beauty, living surf culture, and easy access to one of the state's most storied waterfronts.