Monterey State Beach or Santa Cruz Beach today?
Monterey, California · Santa Cruz, California — 42 km apart
Updated 4:03 AM PDT
60Monterey State Beach
vs
60Santa Cruz Beach
Too close to call today. Monterey State Beach scores 60 and Santa Cruz Beach scores 60, 42 km apart. Pick on what you plan to do rather than the overall number.
Which one, for what
- Monterey State Beach does not lead on any activity today.
- Go to Santa Cruz Beach for swimming, families with kids, walking & shelling — swimming 49 vs 45.
| Activity | Monterey State Beach | Santa Cruz Beach | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swimming | 45 | 49 | Santa Cruz Beach |
| Families with kids | 49 | 54 | Santa Cruz Beach |
| Walking & shelling | 72 | 78 | Santa Cruz Beach |
| Surfing | 79 | 79 | tie |
Conditions side by side
| Now | Monterey State Beach | Santa Cruz Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Water temperature | 57°F | 61°F |
| Wave height | 4.5 ft | 4.1 ft |
| Air temperature | 59°F | 60°F |
| Wind | 3 mph | 5 mph |
| UV index | 0 | 0 |
| Next tide | Low 5:26 AM | Low 5:15 AM |
| Water quality | Graded A+ | 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 Monterey State 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 Monterey State Beach and Santa Cruz Beach?
About 42 km in a straight line. Far enough apart that conditions can genuinely differ between them.
Which is better with kids, Monterey State Beach or Santa Cruz Beach?
Santa Cruz Beach today — 54 against 49 on our family score, which weights calm surf and UV most heavily.