Santa Cruz Nightlife

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall ... not too difficult to figure out what this bar is about. Whether you are a beer specialist or a casual drinker, there is no way to be disappointed with what is available here. It is a pleasant bar in downtown Santa Cruz that also offers pub food. There are comfortable booths, some tables, outside seating and a larger room in the back if you are coming with a crowd.

Dress Code: Casual but clean

4 more images

In 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake destroyed virtually all of downtown Santa Cruz. The benefit from that was the removal of hideous 50's and 60's era storefronts, and the rebuilding of a completely redesigned downtown oriented toward foot traffic and disabled tourists. At night, the street is full of street actors, break dancers, and musicians, and the people of Santa Cruz are themselves amusing to watch. Sidewalk restaurants provide a view of these activities, and then there are a number of fine bookstores, surf shops, shoe stores, used record stores, and import shops. Santa Cruz has a special reputation for fine bead stringing stores and other shops that cater to the eccentric bohemian tastes of the locals that live there. There is also a fine old movie theater. The best time to visit is during August through October when the fog is typically burned off and evenings warm. Downtown is also fun during the day...

Dress Code: Casual and Fun. It can be cool in the evening though, so wear more than a swimsuit. Most restaurants will require shoes and shirt.

During the summer Pepsi hosts Friday night free concerts on the beach! These can be loads of fun. Fill a picnic basket, pack a blanket, and head on down to the beach. The performers might be from the '80's (or earlier) but what is more fun than bopping to Herman's Hermits or Eddie Money on a Friday night after work with the sand between your toes?

Two shows nightly: 6:30 and 8:00

Check out the schedule at www.beachboardwalk.com

Traditionally the last concert of the year, on Labor Day weekend is The Drifters, singing... you guessed it: "Under the Boardwalk".

Man, those dudes are getting OLD!

Dress Code: It's the beach! But be prepared for the fog to roll in. And when the concerts over, catch a ride on the Big Dipper, California's historical wood roller coaster.

Pacific avenue is the main st. down by the ocean. The bus lets you off in the middle of it all. there are a lot of bars, pubs, taverns ect... We went to an Irish place called Rosie McCann's a couple of times, there weren't that many people inside though. Another bar we visited was the Red Room. This wasn't located on Pacific, but it wasn't too far. It's on Cedar St. It is kinda small but it had a cool ambiance. Now it's been awhile so correct me if I'm wrong but we also went to another bar with a tropical theme...palm trees inside and such, I believe it was called Tampico Lounge, also located on Pacific Ave. Whatever the name I know we enjoyed it. :)

Dress Code: We always dressed up a little, but Santa Cruz in general is pretty laid back

The Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular clubs in town, and caters to a straight and gay audience. There's a bar here, and also live music from DJs, who often have theme nights ('80s Night, Hip-Hop Night, House/Trance Night, Disco Night, Goth Night, etc)

Dress Code: The dress code is usually kept casual, but nothing too risky or anything.

The most popular music club in town. It caters to variety of local and sometimes international acts (Neil Young, Papa Roach, Emmylou Harris, Ice T, Nirvana, and Alanis Morissette have all played here), but for most of the time, it pays attention to the local scene.

The most popular music among Santa Cruz's youth is punk, without a doubt. Sorry dance music folks, but this isn't your town. You're bound to hear some sort of punk music if you're in town. Other really popular forms played at the Catalyst are reggae, surf rock, and ska, another big favorite. A burgeoning local hip-hop movement is starting in Santa Cruz at the moment, and you can catch a lot of their new talent start here.
Older fans will appreciate many classic rock and blues legend often try to stop by at the Catalyst.
A bar is also inside for over-21 guests.

Dress Code: Casual clothes, but expect to find a lot of Hawaiian shirts and gas station jackets with the younger crowds. It's also very common for giant mosh pits to break out on the floor with local punk shows.

One of my favorite clubs in Santa Cruz is the Red Room.It is a great bar with character. It is relatively small but full of interesting people. You can also play pool there if you are lucky enough to get a spot. Besides the Red Room, the Poet and Patriot is a nice Irish pub where a lot of fun can be had. For dancing or music the Blue Lagoon is a good place as well as Palookaville which holds live music and the Catalyst as well. However if you like jazz music you must go to Kuumbwa Jazz Center. It is a great place and if you are lucky you are bound to see some of the greats within Jazz music.

Dress Code: Santa Cruz is a pretty laid back hippy-esque town where anything pretty much goes.