I was spending a wk in Santa Cruz and wanted to explore sights away from the Boardwalk. Lighthouse Field Beach was on my list. I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of experiences at the park. An amazing trail along the majestic cliffs overlooking the ocean from the Wharf to Natural Bridges. The area had many walkers, runners, bike riders. Surfers were easy to watch from the trail, a dog beach had its own four legged visitors. The elevated view allowed you to see an expansive view of the bay, and the waves up against the shorelines. There was the Surfer Museum at the Lighthouse, a small eatery by the parking lot, restrooms, and additional trails across the street. My experience was so memorable, I came back the next morning to run the trail along the water. My advice, get a short distance out of town and visit Lighthouse Field Beach State Park. Today I took another trip to the Lighthouse. Looking out to the ocean, slightly south, I saw a whale breaching & spouting water. Was a 1st for me. Also, waves were pretty big today. Over 50 surfers out in the water. Cool day by the Lighthouse.