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Santa Cruz, United States

Stay in Santa Cruz: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Santa Cruz

All 24 on Santa Cruz's map

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About Santa Cruz

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces S, so wind from the N blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing S. Wind from the S blows onshore, wind from the N blows out to sea, and wind from the W or E runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 900 m out (1 in 88). The sea is about 12°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 15°C in August, its warmest (4/3 wetsuit and boots). For kitesurfing at intermediate level the best month is usually February, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Santa Cruz. Within 5 km we also list 15 surf spots.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 7 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), direct.

    See flights MDW → SJC · Skyscanner from about £225 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h 05 from the airport to Santa Cruz.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Santa CruzAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Santa Cruz · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Santa Cruz · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Santa Cruz on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Mon 19: 13 kn gusting 17, side-shore. Water: waves 0.9 m.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct07knside0.8 mwaves
Mon 19Oct2417knside0.9 mwaves
Tue 20Oct07kncross-off0.8 mwaves
Wed 21Oct08knside0.8 mwaves
Thu 22Oct06knsidechop
Fri 23Oct1816knside0.8 mwaves
Sat 24Oct06kncross-off0.8 mwaves
Sun 25Oct08knoffnot safechop
Mon 26Oct08kncross-offchop
Tue 27Oct06kncross-offchop

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan0of 7
  2. Feb1of 7
  3. Mar0of 7
  4. Apr0of 7
  5. May0of 7
  6. Jun0of 7
  7. Jul0of 7
  8. Aug0of 7
  9. Sep0of 7
  10. Oct0of 7
  11. Nov0of 7
  12. Dec0of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight MDW to SJC, then 1h 05 by road. About 7h 25 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 3 kn gusting 7, cross-offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.8 m.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 5 kn gusting 8, side-shore. Water: waves 0.8 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 2 kn gusting 6, side-shore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 12 kn gusting 16, side-shore. Water: waves 0.8 m.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 0 kn gusting 6, cross-offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.8 m.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight MDW to SJC, then 1h 05 by road. About 7h 25 door to door

Rough cost

About £905–£1,655 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £225–£465
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £115–£190
  • Stay £270–£455
  • Food £260–£480

Places to eat near Santa Cruz

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.