Santa Cruz Surfing Museum

Small but very interesting museum inside a historic lighthouse. Great place to learn about local surf history and enjoy amazing ocean views. Perfect stop while walking along West Cliff Drive.

Visted as sun was setting great place to just chill with some Music playing in background. Parking can be busy. Did not go into the musuem

The connection between Hawaiian Royalty and world class wave riders from Santa Cruz California is rich, ethereal, and worth investigating. Stop in and smell the salt in the air, sea the salt of the earth, and let the well manicured grass of the surrounding space brush some California sand from between your toes.

Didn’t go to the actual museum.. However an amazing spot to visit, good views of the sifters down below catching waves..

If you are into surfing, this is a must-see. There are lots of cool pictures and boards from the 1930s to 1990. Free parking and free to get in.

While visiting Santa cruz, I have been wanting to check this museum out. Unfortunately, Google was wrong and said it opened at 10 but didn't open til noon. We weren't able to check out inside the museum, but we still were able to have a great view of the coast and surfer watch, which wasn't too disappointing.

I've been here many times, but I've never seen it inside. It's just a place where I sat on a chair and drank a drink and enjoyed the sunset and the rising sun a lot. It's a place where you can enjoy the surfing of many surfers and just make you feel happy when you see your dog running on the wide lawn. I hope you take the time and enjoy the time someday !! It is priceless !!!!

Small, poignant, smile-inducing homage to local surf culture & history, lovingly curated & housed in a charming, functioning, red brick one-room lighthouse, that’s also a bittersweet family memorial for a son lost to the waves & his passion. Sitting alone amidst a lovely green lawn, standing prominently on a spit of land overlooking famous Steamer Lane, with a commanding view of the surfing action down below. Very limited hours, but well-worth planning for! Limited parking on site, but easily walkable from all other nearby sites.

This is a tiny 1 room museum packed with surf history. For the general public it's a quick 5 min stop. Outside the museum the views on W Cliff Dr are more readily appreciated. If you are lucky there will be surfers to watch. We spent about 45 minutes walking around, and another 20 minutes eating our picnic lunch. The weather was chilly when the fog rolled in midday in late June, so make sure you bring a jacket. Parking is a bit tricky. There are multiple public parking along that area that is within walking distance. Right before the museum opened was quite difficult to find spots but we found one at the 3rd lot. As we walked we saw spots available and filling constantly. I think it's a popular spot but most tourists don't stay long.

We enjoyed checking out the Santa Cruz Surf Museum. (why are so many surf museums small? They deserve a lot of space!) After finding a parking spot, whew, we enjoyed the museum and learned something along the way. The location is beautiful.

I came here mostly for the lighthouse. If you have the passport, you can have it stamped here! Overall, the museum itself is small, but jam packed with information. Outside is vast and obviously beautiful! We lounged and watched a little sea otter catch and eat a fish. Worth the stop if you're on the boardwalk or near by.

Me and my family waited for 45 mins for whoever was working to "be right back". Super disappointed as this was the main reason we drove all the way down to santa cruz. Major let down as this place is only open for 4 hours.

Small little surf museum full of history and a few souvenirs to buy. Cool history and boards from different times and different surfers, glad we stopped in.

Santa Cruz Beach. Lots of things to do. Public parking is free near the museum, at the Municipal Wharf on the south side of the museum, there's a fee (see pic for rates). Things To Do: - Surfing Museum - Surfing area is on W. Cliff Drive - Restaurants to enjoy good food - Amusement Park for family outing - Nice place for a stroll - Great location for jogging Known as the mecca place to surf. Highly recommended. .

This little bitty museum has a whole lot of history in it!! Find a parking spot, enjoy the view and check out the history that literally covers the walls inside. It's a great tribute to the sport and the athletes and the family history that surfing has. Bring a couple bucks and leave a donation so that people can continue to enjoy this spot.

Nice piece of history located in Santa Cruz. It is very cozy in the actual museum- very close quarters. They have a small gift/souvenir area as soon as you enter in the right hand side. It is very informative on the alleged roots and beginning of surfing. Without spoiling it - one should visit.

Giving this place 5 stars cause it's very uniquely Santa Cruz. It's about the size of a master bathroom but, there is a lot of surf history and souvenirs to be seen. Hours are random so if they happen to be open pop in for a minute. Then go back to watching the surfers.

This is seriously one of the smallest museums you will ever likely see. Located inside the old lighthouse on West Cliff Drive, the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum shows a slice of the local culture that is justifiably world-renowned, and makes this spot a definite must-see in this town. If you are exploring the other sites, or just out and about walking the cliffs, you will want to make it a point to stop by. The museum is FREE to enter, though donations are welcomed and appreciated. It is easy to get to, and visible from almost anywhere along the waterfront. Inside is a tiny single room with dozens of surfboards, paraphernalia and info displays for your viewing pleasure. The density of the history crammed in here is certainly impressive. And as an added bonus, you can hang around in the small park outside and watch many surfers in the waves below as they catch the swells at one of the city's most popular surf spots. Be aware that the space inside is very small, and can get cramped on busy days. Parking is usually pretty easy, with a small lot next to the building, and several others along West Cliff Drive nearby. You can also very easily walk or bike to the spot from downtown, the pier, or the boardwalk, too. The staff are pretty friendly and will have a few other tidbits of info should you ask. All in all, this is a great tribute to the sport that holds such an esteemed place in the hearts of the locals and fans alike. Definitely make it a point to stop by and see for yourself.

A great place with all the memorabilia you'll need. Outside is the perfect spot to watch the waves crushing in, and surfers, riding it. Santa Cruz at its best!

Nice little museum. It showcases history of surfing and we found it VERY interesting and informative. The attendant could be a little more friendly, but we didn't buy anything so I didn't mind her lack of attentiveness/friendliness. There's plenty of parking closeby the museum and the restrooms are located a parking lot across it. That lot has a small snack shop, an outdoor wash area, and there was a taco food truck during our visit. The views from this museum is amazing, and we did quite a bit of dog and people watching LOL!

The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum is tiny, but it has all the necessary elements to give a non-surfer like me a nice lesson in the history of surf, and an old surfer like my other half, that pang of nostalgia for a time when he was one with the waves. Of course its location doesn't hurt cause you're watching surf dudes and dudettes jump off the cliffs right outside the museum doors to hit the waves. A very pleasant stop on our way down from San Francisco to Big Sur. Have a picnic on the grounds right outside the museum and watch some very agile bodies rip the waves... Surf's Up!!!

Super cool place to get the history on surfing. Yahyurrr. Free donations welcomed. Great place to check out surfers below.

Little light house on west cliff drive . This is the best parking area ( no cost& no time limit) if you are going to Mitchell Cove Dog Beach . Great views of the ocean and Boardwalk and Peir from here . Seems like there are AWAYS SEA LIONS on the big rock.A good place to eat lunch or launch your surf board . The museum itself is tiny but if you're a surf fan it's worth a peek . This is a great place to take some pictures of the coolness that is SantaCruz.

Mini Museum in a Lighthouse. We visited during our Summer Trek to Central Cali. Quite an interesting place. Look around and see mementos of surfers. A surf board with a chunk taken off by a shark bite. The lighthouse sits on west cliff drive. Parking is no problem. Walk around with the wind in your hair. See the waves come crashing against the rocks. And the sea lions sunning themselves on a rock closeby. I got pretty good pictures thanks to pretty zoom lenses. Beautiful sight. Beautiful Site. I loved it!

Free museum to check out if your in the area. Not a big space but filled with a lot. You get to learn surf history and why it's so big in Santa Cruz. My 4 year old liked walking around looking at everything. It didn't take too long to explore. Before or after your done they have a spot where you can watch surfers hit the waves outside.

It doesn't get more beautiful than the cliffs of Santa Cruz. We took this after a stop at the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum which is a small but wonderfully curated collection. The Museum is coast side to the ocean so you can walk for a while after checking out the exhibits. The park itself is called the Lighthouse Field State Beach and features the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse. https://www.threegirlsfourtires.com/home/pjandjuliaclarksantacruz

This a super tiny surfer museum located in the lighthouse on west cliff drive by steamers lane. Actually a lot of surfers use the drop outside as a way to get into the surf, so literally right by steamers lane which is very appropriate given the subject material. There is a large surface lot which is open dawn to dusk ish, but is closed overnight.On those super popular peak tourist days in summer (or when there is a surfing competition. That's more common then you might think. Amongst other things the local high school fields a surf team.) there are a couple of lots close by, but if you are making a day of it you might as well park somewhere else farther away and walk down west cliff drive. It's an utterly fantastic walk, and you won't regret it. As stated this is a tiny museum. It will be totally full with ten-fifteen people in it. That rarely happens, but if it does don't sweat it. As again, the exhibit space is so small, they'll be out in 20 minutes or so. While it is on the tiny side care has been given to how it's organized. While it's small it also tells the story of surfing in Santa Cruz very accurately. The photo's, testimonials, verbal/audio segments and other static displays are very well done. They have included a surf board that has survived a confirmed shark attack. There are no fee's for parking or entering, but donations are always welcome and there is a gift store selling stuff should you want something as a takeaway. Hours are a little wonky something like 12-4 in the winter three days a week or so, and only a few hours more in the summer. When you are done, or before you enter make sure to check out the surfers in the ocean right outside, and also the surfers memorial. It's not a must see as such-unless you are really into surfing/surfing history- but really makes a sweet add on to any Santa Cruz beach side trip.

What a great way to get yourself immersed into the surfing world and where its come to. Lots of information and pictures to look at and read. To see the different shapes and sizes of the surf boards is very interesting. You'll even see one with a huge bite out of it!! Its a small museum but worth the visit. You might even catch a wedding happening out on the front lawn like we did! You'll be drawn to the outside left of the museum...lots of surfers to watch catch a wave. Parking is free but you might have a hard time finding one on a beautiful day and have to park in the dirt lot kiddy corner across the street. They sell t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and handmade wooden magnets. Other reading material as well to buy, not a lot though. Great place to visit when doing the Santa Cruz thang!

So interesting and great artifacts and information about local surfers and surfers from around the world . Really enjoyed the pictures. I enjoy surfing myself but you don't need to be a surfer to enjoy this place . Check it out if your in Santa Cruz , it's a must

Tiny little museum in the old lighthouse at Steamer Lane. It's a cute little museum, showing the history of surfing in Santa Cruz since the 1920s. It's worth stopping if you're in the area. Just outside, you can see how surfing looks today at the world famous Steamer Lane. The museum's hours are short: 12pm - 4pm, Wednesday through Sunday, but the price is right (free) and it won't take you more than 20 minutes to explore. Parking can be a hassle right out front, but there are several lots nearby along scenic Westcliff Drive.

Great museum, goes through the history of surfing since the 30s or something like that. Had to also say that Nick who works there is doing a great job! If the management is reading this, he is great, definitely keep him on as long as possible. Really kind guy, and in such a small space it makes a huge difference.

Great place to stop! All sorts of surfing memorabilia and history. Very cool to see the sport eveolve so much over the years. Also check out the haircuts from the 60s, 70s, and 80's...LOL. Right outside is a popular surfing area, you can exit this place and find surfers in the water. Great place to watch and bring the dogs!

It's a curious place, tiny but you'll learn a lot from the exhibits. It's right next to the beach, next to a lighthouse. We were hoping to learn more about lighthouses, but surfing is probably a more interesting subject.

This place is super tiny, but super cool. They make very good use of a very small space. A nice trip down memory lane for surfing culture in Santa Cruz. Right above Steamer, it's nice to check out the spot and then dip into the museum and check out the history. Parking can be a little tricky, but well worth it for a visit.

Very small. Good facts and photos however. Don't expect to spend much time here. Great location next to beautiful coast line.

A must visit if you are a surfer, love surf music or just want to see some surf history. It's hard to believe there's any surfing here when there were no waves at all today.

A wonderful museum to see the history of surf, and while you're at it check out the great surfers over on steamers Lane, some killer waves when it's pumping

I've never seen so much information packed into such a small space while at the same time not feeling overwhelmed. The building itself is beautiful and the displays give you a good depth of knowledge about surfing. The addition of the memorial plaque to the three Hawaiian Kings who brought surfing to Santa Cruz is great history as well.

Arrived during advertised hours. Museum was closed. Sign on door said back in fifteen min. Waited 30 min and no one ever showed up.

I was driving from Orange County to San Francisco along PCH when I found out about this and thought that, as a surfer I have to stop by. Let me just say, it is very very small. The size of most peoples living room. So if you are traveling with a girlfriend, she might be upset that you dragged her here for something so small. But the museum is still cool. There are antique surfboards made of wood that weigh over 100 pounds. It shows the history of surfing. Has a section about surfing in culture, movies, and a cool little shark attack section. I doubt it changes much, if at all. So it may be a thing you do once and never again. But if you are a surfer, its worth just stopping by. And after you are done, you can go walk over to the edge of the cliff and watch surfers in action. Again, if you are passing through and like surfing, I would say you have to stop by.

Pretty cool location and local history.

Wow, great all around family experience ! Really just doesn't get more beautiful than a sun filled day near the cliffs of SC. Super cool curated collection of epic stories and exhibits. Located at light house field state beach. Family fun, centrally located and a must stop spot on the coast for a little cultural tutorial !

I have been there a few times since it opened. Cute. Once I went as it was getting dark on a winter night during clear weather. The museum was closed during that trip but it was still a charming visit. There was plenty of parking and still people walking, bike riding, sightseeing in the dark. It is up on cliffs over the water.There is fencing to designate where you should stay away from cliffs. A welsh corgi was far down on the water's edge running its little heart out chasing the incoming waves. Boy he was fast. Worth visiting at least once in a lifetime, and if nearby, making return trips to acknowledge its charm.