Hotels in Santa Cruz, CA

Santa Cruz, California is well equipped with public transit, making it easy to move throughout the city. The Santa Cruz trolley is a convenient way to go between the beach and downtown, while Santa Cruz Metro connects many nearby cities with downtown. The Metro system also provides quite a few bus lines that connect different parts of the city. If you are interested in hotels in Santa Cruz, California that are a short distance from public transportation, consider booking something that is in the downtown, such as the Bay Front Inn Santa Cruz. When you stay here, you will be within walking distance of a bus stop for lines 19 and 20.

Families may want to look for Santa Cruz, California hotels that are near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a popular amusement park that features a variety of games and rides. If you book a room at the Carousel Beach Inn, you will be less than a 15-minute walk from here. You can also choose to stay somewhere that is near the Natural Bridges State Beach, a state park that is famous for being a great spot to witness monarch butterfly migrations. The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Santa Cruz is a comfortable choice that is around a 5min walk from here. The Seymour Marine Discovery Center is another popular attraction in the city. There are cheap hotels in Santa Cruz that are near here, including the English Garden Studio Suite is a short distance away and also a quick drive from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Downtown Santa Cruz is known for being home to a variety of different dining options, including restaurants that serve cuisines like seafood, Italian, Mexican, and classic American dishes. In this neighborhood, you will also discover much of the city’s nightlife, ranging from trendy breweries to chic cocktail bars. If you want to be able to easily walk to a variety of different places to grab a bite to eat or a drink, try to look for lodging here. You can even find cheap hotels in Santa Cruz, California that are in the city’s downtown, such as the Capri Motel. The Courtyard by Marriott Santa Cruz is conveniently placed as well and will put you not only a quick walk from various restaurants and bars, but also from different attractions, like the Santa Cruz Wharf.

Santa Cruz, California is known for hosting many annual events that attract visitors from all over the state and country. There is the Santa Cruz Film Festival that typically takes place each June, at various movie theaters all over town. To be conveniently placed near many of these theaters, try to book hotels in the downtown, such as the Howard Johnson by Wyndham Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. There is also the Aloha Outrigger Races & Polynesian Festival that occurs each August at the Santa Cruz Wharf. By booking a room at the charming Sea and Sand Inn, you will be within a 5-minute walk from here. You may also be interested in going to the Santa Cruz County Fair that takes place each September at the city’s local fairgrounds and hosts a variety of musical performances, games, and activities. Staying at The Islander Motel is a great way to have affordable and comfortable lodging, while still being less than a 15-minute drive away from where all of the fun will take place.

3 nights is the typical length of stay for people visiting Santa Cruz.

On average, rooms will be priced around $172 per night when booking a hotel in Santa Cruz; however the price you pay for your room will vary significantly depending on seasonality, location and facilities.

In January prices are at their lowest and represents the most cost effective time to book a hotel room in Santa Cruz. You may find the cost of your room has decreased by 31%.

Hotel rooms in Santa Cruz are generally cheapest on Sunday and more costly on Thursday.

$270 per person, per night, is on average, what you can expect to pay for luxury hotels in Santa Cruz. To put this in perspective, $172 per person, per night is the average price of a hotel in Santa Cruz, which is a price difference of around 30%% to stay at a luxury hotel.

$63 is how much a hostel (and up to 2 star hotels) in Santa Cruz could cost you each night. Booking a hostel could save you $127 when compared to the average price of a hotel in Santa Cruz.

While temperatures in February are perfect for outdoor activities near Santa Cruz, there is significantly more rainfall than other months with around 5.5″ expected throughout the month. Considering this, some great places to visit near Santa Cruz in February are Museum of Art and History, Seymour Marine Discovery Center at Long Marine Laboratory, and SeaWorld San Diego.

There are currently 327 vacation rentals available in Santa Cruz. Most of our users opt to stay at Beach Haven, which is the most popular vacation rental in Santa Cruz. Compare vacation rentals in Santa Cruz.

The number of operators available for hotels in Santa Cruz is 398 as of February 2025.

Prices for hotels in Santa Cruz were last updated today.

Below are the 5 user recommended hotels in the area of Santa Cruz that is closest to Natural Bridges State Park. The average price near Natural Bridges State Park is $561/night, with prices varying based on several factors including time of year. Hotels near Natural Bridges State Park are typically 71% more expensive than the average hotel in Santa Cruz, which is $161.

If you’re planning on staying at any of momondo’s recommended hotels in the area of Santa Cruz nearest to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, you should expect to pay around $120/night. This price fluctuates based on time of year. In general, a rate under $120/night is a good deal for momondo users staying near Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Hotels near Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk are typically 25% less expensive than the average hotel in Santa Cruz, which is $161.