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All 52 Santa Cruz Attractions »

Natural Bridges State Park

2531 West Cliff Drive near Swanton Blvd., Santa Cruz, CA
831-423-4609
Ranked #13 of 35 attractions in Santa Cruz
4.0 of 5 stars 30 Reviews
Type: State Parks, Geologic Formations, Beaches
Activities: Hiking, Viewing wildlife
Owner description: A refuge for wintering Monarch Butterflies, this park boasts a sandy cove, tidepools, a nature trail through the Butterfly Preserve, and several...... more » Owner description: A refuge for wintering Monarch Butterflies, this park boasts a sandy cove, tidepools, a nature trail through the Butterfly Preserve, and several hiking trails. There is also a bicycle path around the perimeter of the park. « less
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30 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    12
    12
    5
    1
    0
Date Rating
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Top Contributor
148 reviews 148 reviews
Reviews in 37 cities Reviews in 37 cities
36 helpful votes 36 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 April 2012

The beach is quite nice, the view of the arch in the rocks from that beach interesting, and the trails challenging enough to merit a serious hike, but the main attractions for me were the Monarch butterflies that pass through here in February through October and hang from trees and flit through the air in great masses. The trail through... More

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Montesano, Washington
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 April 2012

had so much fun running through the water, Saw a sleeping sea lion, really windy and cold, my boyfriend got his cell phone stolen here. but other than that had a blast. More

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See 3 more reviews by lauraschultz for Santa Cruz
SF Bay Area
Senior Contributor
46 reviews 46 reviews
Reviews in 20 cities Reviews in 20 cities
19 helpful votes 19 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 March 2012
1
person found this review helpful

There are better places for Monarch butterfly viewing, but the beach area itself is lovely. Note that you can park for free along the road, but if you go into the state park you must pay to park. Also, traffic in Santa Cruz can be absolutely awful at commute times, so avoid trying to get here when traffic is crawling... More

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Santa Cruz, Ca
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 March 2012

Nice beach, more private than the others. You can walk on a trail for all ages to see the Monarch Butterflys. More

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See 7 more reviews by SonoAgent007 for Santa Cruz
Chester, Connecticut
Senior Contributor
38 reviews 38 reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 March 2012

Watched the sunset here- very pretty spot. Nice beach, cool archway in water, and FREE! yay :) Great way to end the West Cliff Drive! More

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See 5 more reviews by Faye P for Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 March 2012

Lots of nature to see here. Butterflies in season, tidepools at the low tides, a beach, but it is usually cold up there so bring a sweatshirt and change of clothes for wet kids. More

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See 8 more reviews by Gina C for Santa Cruz
O'vale, CA
Senior Contributor
33 reviews 33 reviews
Reviews in 18 cities Reviews in 18 cities
53 helpful votes 53 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 March 2012

I have been going to this beach for over 30 years & I still love it. The tide pools are fun to explore & the beach is a nice sunny spot to relax. Now our grown kids love to adventure here too. More

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See 6 more reviews by leilagarces for Santa Cruz
Sacramento
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 21 February 2012

Great place for sunset often. Beach is ungroomed and lagoon can be stagnant. At low tide, tide pool are good. Visitor center is a good stop--either drive with fee or walk. When butterflies are in (Oct-Feb), it is a great place to visit. The Monarch Butterflies are beautiful. Really wonderful to have a State Park to provide wildlife experience as... More

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See 10 more reviews by luv2gooften for Santa Cruz
east kilbride
Contributor
16 reviews 16 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 February 2012

Returned here 3 years after I got married and the beach is as beautiful as it was that day. immaculate beach with surfers clutching boards as they raced towards the waves. perfect spot. More

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See 4 more reviews by lordchaff for Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Senior Contributor
37 reviews 37 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 February 2012

Weather you are seeking butterfly's in the tree groves, or relaxing on the beach for a day of surf and sun, you and your entire family can appreciate this beach. More

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See 22 more reviews by Beachmomma831 for Santa Cruz

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