3 lots · 640 spaces. Scrub the time slider for the crowd estimate.
On-street parking
400 metered spaces · Metered/free · Beach St and W Cliff Dr fill before 10 AM in summer. Pay by plate or ParkMobile.
Local moves
The Boardwalk owns the large parking structure on Riverside Ave -- it charges $10-20/day but is always the safest bet.
Beach Street metered parking is free after 6 PM and on Sundays.
The lot on W Cliff Drive at the wharf entrance fills early but turns over faster than the Boardwalk structure.
Cowell's Beach has limited free street parking on W Cliff Drive -- arrive before 9 AM.
Santa Cruz Metro buses connect downtown and the University to the beach -- Route 3 runs to the Boardwalk.
happy hunting
Lot locations, counts, rates and hours are real, geocoded from each address. No live space-count feed is published, so availability is estimated from typical beach crowds and today’s weather. Your location is used only in your browser to sort by distance.
Main parking at Santa Cruz Beach: W Cliff Drive Wharf Lot (Free (2hr)) and Boardwalk Parking Structure ($10-20/day), plus street parking at Metered/free. Check today’s water, surf and UV on the conditions page.