With a couple days to spare before the jam pack weekend hit, we took a cruise of the coast to Santa Cruz, California. This has always been a place we have drove through on our way up to San Francisco or Napa Valley but we finally got to spend a couple days enjoying the area before making our way down to Paso Robles. Here’s a look at a few areas to hit when visiting Santa Cruz!

Shark Fin Cove – Located in Davenport this is definitely one of the main attractions on the northern coast and a must see when in Santa Cruz. The jagged rock stands out in the middle of the ocean and is a true spectacle to see when visiting. After parking your car off the main highway its just a short walk to the cliffs that you can stand and have a birds eye view, or walk down to the beach through a slightly paved trail.

Panther Beach – Man this place is incredible! At low tide another beach called Hole-In-The-Wall becomes accessible through an opening in the rock wall on the south end of Panther Beach. The trail to the beach can be found at the far north end of the dirt parking lot with a steep trail to Panther Beach. The trail can easily become eroded and make for a tough hike to get to the beach but once you are down it is well worth it. Head to the north and climb over another huge rock face built alongside the cliff and another beach is there with no one insight!

Natural Bridges – This beach has one of the best vantage points for scouting migrating whales out in the ocean. Further down the beach, you can access tidepools which offer a glimpse of life beneath the sea, we found sea stars, shore crabs and tons of other ocean life. 

Even though we are only a 6-7 hour drive away, Northern California feels completely different then here in Southern California. The weather and geography is so much different and the jagged cliffs along the coast make it feel untouched by development. If you are from Southern California and searching for a local photographer we’d love to talk details and see what event you are planning! From a large, California wedding to a destination intimate elopement we would love to be there to capture the moments of your day. As mentioned, we are Local San Diego wedding photographers but are always on the move capturing weddings throughout California and surrounding states. So, if you are recently engaged and searching for a wedding photographer in San Diego or starting a family and searching for a family photographer in San Diego make sure to reach out! Coffee or wine on us! Hope to talk soon.