Santa Cruz

Cowell Beach

Good for Relax
8.2
 / 10 Very good
#19 out of 385
in California

About

Weather

Today Tomorrow May, 1 May, 2 May, 3 May, 4 May, 5 May, 6 May, 7 May, 8 May, 9 May, 10 May, 11 May, 12 May, 13 May, 14 May, 15 May, 16 May, 17 May, 18 May, 19 May, 20 May, 21 May, 22 May, 23 May, 24 May, 25 May, 26 May, 27 May, 28 May, 29 May, 30 May, 31 Jun, 1 Jun, 2 Jun, 3 Jun, 4 Jun, 5 Jun, 6 Jun, 7 Jun, 8 Jun, 9 Jun, 10 Jun, 11 Jun, 12 Jun, 13 Jun, 14 Jun, 15 Jun, 16 Jun, 17 Jun, 18 Jun, 19 Jun, 20 Jun, 21 Jun, 22 Jun, 23 Jun, 24 Jun, 25 Jun, 26 Jun, 27 Jun, 28 Jun, 29 Jun, 30 Jul, 1 Jul, 2 Jul, 3 Jul, 4 Jul, 5 Jul, 6 Jul, 7 Jul, 8 Jul, 9 Jul, 10 Jul, 11 Jul, 12 Jul, 13 Jul, 14 Jul, 15 Jul, 16 Jul, 17 Jul, 18 Jul, 19 Jul, 20 Jul, 21 Jul, 22 Jul, 23 Jul, 24 Jul, 25 Jul, 26 Jul, 27 Jul, 28 Jul, 29 Jul, 30 Jul, 31 Aug, 1 Aug, 2 Aug, 3 Aug, 4 Aug, 5 Aug, 6 Aug, 7 Aug, 8 Aug, 9 Aug, 10 Aug, 11 Aug, 12 Aug, 13 Aug, 14 Aug, 15 Aug, 16 Aug, 17 Aug, 18 Aug, 19 Aug, 20 Aug, 21 Aug, 22 Aug, 23 Aug, 24 Aug, 25 Aug, 26 Aug, 27 Aug, 28 Aug, 29 Aug, 30 Aug, 31 Sep, 1 Sep, 2 Sep, 3 Sep, 4 Sep, 5 Sep, 6 Sep, 7 Sep, 8 Sep, 9 Sep, 10 Sep, 11 Sep, 12 Sep, 13 Sep, 14 Sep, 15 Sep, 16 Sep, 17 Sep, 18 Sep, 19 Sep, 20 Sep, 21 Sep, 22 Sep, 23 Sep, 24 Sep, 25 Sep, 26 Sep, 27 Sep, 28 Sep, 29 Sep, 30 Oct, 1 Oct, 2 Oct, 3 Oct, 4 Oct, 5 Oct, 6 Oct, 7 Oct, 8 Oct, 9 Oct, 10 Oct, 11 Oct, 12 Oct, 13 Oct, 14 Oct, 15 Oct, 16 Oct, 17 Oct, 18 Oct, 19 Oct, 20 Oct, 21 Oct, 22 Oct, 23 Oct, 24 Oct, 25 Oct, 26 Oct, 27 Oct, 28
Historical
Loading...
+22 oC +12 oC
Air temperature
7.8 M/S
Wind
+13 oC
Water temperature
1.9 M
Wave height

Santa Cruz, California,

even more interesting beaches

View

Key features

Beach overall scores

Water
Excellent
8.5/10
Cover
Pleasant
6.2/10
Cleanliness
Pleasant
6/10
Amenities
Frustrating
4.2/10
Booking.com
"The beach is an excellent spot for novice surfers to hone their skills. The waves are gentle and non-threatening, making it an ideal place to learn. My children had a blast learning to surf here with a friend, and it was an unforgettable experience. We even had the opportunity to surf alongside otters and sea lions, which was an incredible sight to behold."
Maximilian Mihajlovic
"This beach is a fantastic spot for both surfing and swimming, especially for beginners. The waves are small and manageable, making it an ideal location for novice surfers. Additionally, the beach is absolutely stunning and perfect for families with children. However, it's important to note that dogs are not allowed on or off leash, which is a bit of a disappointment. Unfortu..."
Troy Williams
Show more
Booking.com
"The beach is an excellent spot for novice surfers to hone their skills. The waves are gentle and non-threatening, making it an ideal place to learn. My children had a blast learning to surf here with a friend, and it was an unforgettable experience. We even had the opportunity to surf alongside otters and sea lions, which was an incredible sight to behold."
Maximilian Mihajlovic
"This beach is a fantastic spot for both surfing and swimming, especially for beginners. The waves are small and manageable, making it an ideal location for novice surfers. Additionally, the beach is absolutely stunning and perfect for families with children. However, it's important to note that dogs are not allowed on or off leash, which is a bit of a disappointment. Unfortu..."
Troy Williams
Read all reviews

Stays nearby

12 accomodations nearby
View all nearest stays
Improve beach data!
Found a discrepancy?
Make your contribution by updating the data.
Booking.com

Beach surroundings

Restaurants

  • Ideal Bar & Grill 4 min walk
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boa... 9 min walk
  • Hula's Island Grill 15 min walk
  • Betty Noodles 16 min walk

Attractions

  • Monterey Bay Nationa... 4 min walk
  • Santa Cruz Wharf 11 min walk
  • Neary Lagoon Park 11 min walk
  • Lighthouse Point 14 min walk

Transport

  • WVI 21.1km
  • Santa Cruz Metro Cen... 15 min walk
  • Roaring Camp, Big Tr... 9.4km

Localities

  • Santa Cruz 1.5km
  • Sacramento 185.8km

Travelers reviews

8.2/10 Very good
Average Reviews rating

Share your experience with other travelers

8.2/10 Very good
Average Reviews rating
This beach has no reviews yet. Be the first one!
See more

Questions and answers

What is the water and sand quality of the Cowell Beach?

The Cowell Beach is covered with soft and fine golden sand. It's very clean, the surface is pure and unmixed. The water is impeccably turquoise. The entrance to the water is also very convenient, covered with excellent fine sand.

What are the key activities at Cowell Beach?

For the main activity - sunbathing, there are no sun loungers on the Cowell Beach, so you need to take personal items with you and there is no natural shade, so be careful on a hot day.

The Cowell Beach is also suitable for the following water activities:

  • Sup surfing (Sup touring)
  • Surfing

Activities available on the ground:

  • Beach volleyball

Is the Cowell Beach good for swimming?

The entrance to the water is very smooth, the bottom is comfortable. The area has the high prevalence of sharks so all swimmers should be very careful. In the season the beach is attended by lifeguard.

Cowell Beach does not have a wave-protected swimming area, but there are usually no strong waves during the season.

There are few boats in the bay. So the overall recommendation of the Cowell Beach for swimming is positive.

Is the Cowell Beach good for families?

Family travelers should consider the following features of the beach. On the beach, there are minimal sufficient amenities such as sun loungers or beach bar. It's covered with pure soft sand and the entrance to the water is very smooth.

Is the Cowell Beach secluded and good for relaxing?

There are several buildings near the beach. During the high season, the beach can get very crowded, making it an unsuitable place for those looking for a relaxing holiday.

The following features add extra points:

  • Mountains/hills in the vicinity

Is there any food or beverages in the area of Cowell Beach?

The bar is located right on the Cowell Beach.

There are 4 restaurants nearby.Ideal Bar & Grill is the closest place located 300 meters from the beach.

What is the closest accommodation to the Cowell Beach?

There are 109 places to stay in the Cowell Beach area.

Some of the best hotels in the area of Cowell Beach include:

The most popular other types of accommodations nearby:

How far is the Cowell Beach from parking?

The Cowell Beach has a parking spot. It is not very large, so in high season it can be busy. The approximate distance from parking is less than 100 metres.

Are there any attractions nearby Cowell Beach?

There are 4 attractions near Cowell Beach that are popular with travelers. The nearest are Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center located in 0.3 km. See the attractions section for details.

What is the best time of the year to visit Cowell Beach?

The month with the highest temperature in Cowell Beach is September. Its average value reaches 26°C. The warmest sea is in September, the average value is 16°C. The coldest month is December with air temperature 14°C and water 13°C. See more details in weather section.

Is the beach good for sunbathing?

Cowell Beach (California) is not fully equipped for sunbathing. However, if you are not picky and are willing to spread out on a towel, you can sunbathe here as well. The natural shade will allow you to hide from the scorching sun in the peak of its activity. Well, the photos of our visitors will be the best proof of that, all the available photos of the beach are above.Cowell Beach (California) is a place for true nature lovers, but if you like sunbathing on the beach, then this location is not the best option. There are no sunbeds and umbrellas, and even there is no natural shade to hide you from the scorching sun. From positives, the presence of sand, on which you can sit comfortably. But do not forget sunscreen for this place, such a recommendation is relevant. Photos of the beach you can see above. All photos are taken by our visitors personally.

Sign in

or
Show

By signing in, I agree to BeachSearcher’s
Terms of use and Privacy Policy.


Join
Log in with Facebook or Google
or
Show

Already have an BeachSearcher account?

Add review
or
Publish a photo
Reset password

Have trouble remembering your password?


or

Enter the email address associated with your account
and we’ll email you a link to reset your password.

Back to login
Reset password

Have trouble remembering your password?


or

Enter the email address associated with your account and create a new password.

Show
Show
Back to login