Half Moon Bay Beach or Santa Cruz Beach today?
Half Moon Bay, California · Santa Cruz, California — 66 km apart
Updated 4:03 AM PDT
60Half Moon Bay Beach
vs
60Santa Cruz Beach
Too close to call today. Half Moon Bay Beach scores 60 and Santa Cruz Beach scores 60, 66 km apart. Pick on what you plan to do rather than the overall number.
Which one, for what
- Go to Half Moon Bay Beach for surfing — surfing 84 vs 79.
- Go to Santa Cruz Beach for swimming, families with kids — swimming 49 vs 45.
| Activity | Half Moon Bay Beach | Santa Cruz Beach | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swimming | 45 | 49 | Santa Cruz Beach |
| Families with kids | 47 | 54 | Santa Cruz Beach |
| Walking & shelling | 75 | 78 | tie |
| Surfing | 84 | 79 | Half Moon Bay Beach |
Conditions side by side
| Now | Half Moon Bay Beach | Santa Cruz Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Water temperature | 59°F | 61°F |
| Wave height | 5.1 ft | 4.1 ft |
| Air temperature | 58°F | 60°F |
| Wind | 3 mph | 5 mph |
| UV index | 0 | 0 |
| Next tide | Low 5:34 AM | Low 5:15 AM |
| Water quality | Not monitored | Graded A |
Both readings taken at the same moment, from the same sources, so the comparison is like for like.
Frequently asked questions
Should I go to Half Moon Bay Beach or Santa Cruz Beach today?
They score within a few points of each other (60 and 60), so pick on what you plan to do rather than the overall number.
How far apart are Half Moon Bay Beach and Santa Cruz Beach?
About 66 km in a straight line. Far enough apart that conditions can genuinely differ between them.
Which is better with kids, Half Moon Bay Beach or Santa Cruz Beach?
Santa Cruz Beach today — 54 against 47 on our family score, which weights calm surf and UV most heavily.