Santa Cruz County is located on the Pacific Coast of California, between San Francisco and Monterey. The county is the northern coast of Monterey Bay. It has a population of about 260,000, and the city of Santa Cruz is the county seat.
With a redwood forest on one side, the ocean on the other, and a bay below it, this is an area of magnificent beauty. It has 29 miles of beaches, some of which are included in the county’s 14 state parks and beaches.
The climate is perfect for enjoying the glorious outdoors in this county. There are over 300 days of sunshine with temperatures in the mid-70s during summer and mid-50s during winter. There is an average of 31 inches of rainfall per year, mostly between November and April, while the humidity is lower than what you might expect in a coastal city.
Santa Cruz is another of the original counties that were formed in 1850 when California became a state. Its name means “Holy Cross.” Today, winemaking is a significant part of Santa Cruz county’s economy and culture.