Historical Buildings Walk (Self Guided), Santa Cruz

Apart from surfboard-filled shores, Santa Cruz is also rich in history reflected in the old buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While none of Santa Cruz's historic architecture sprang up overnight, a great deal of it was lost, or severely damaged, in a single go on October 17, 1989 as a result of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Still, some of the historic buildings have survived and today, thoroughly restored, define the character of downtown Santa Cruz.

Here are some of the historic spots that allow visitors a fantastic opportunity to immerse in a bygone era:

Holy Cross Church – one of the Catholic temples associated with Mission Santa Cruz, built in 1931; features a traditional Spanish garden.

Neary-Rodriguez Adobe – Santa Cruz's oldest structure, dated back circa 1810.

Octagon Building – a historic redbrick octagonal edifice, constructed in 1882.

Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium – home to the Santa Cruz Symphony and the Cabrillo Festival, opened in 1940.

Hinds House – a historic, Victorian-style edifice built in 1888-1889; the largest surviving Stick-Eastlake house in Santa Cruz County – now a historical inn.

Del Mar Theater – originally built in 1936, renowned for its Art Deco style.

Golden Gate Villa – a Queen Anne-style house from 1891; listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places since 1975.

To explore the historic part of Santa Cruz with its architectural landmarks in more detail, take this self-guided walk. Your next best thing to time travel!

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Tule.

How it works: Download the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app turns your mobile device into a personal tour guide and its built-in GPS navigation functions guide you from one tour stop to next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walks in Santa Cruz

Map Instructions: (1) Click the "Nearby Sights" button to view the nearby attractions; (2) click a map pin to see sight information.

Guide Name: Historical Buildings Walk
Guide Location: USA » Santa Cruz (See other walking tours in Santa Cruz)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles

Sights Featured in This Walk

WalkBuilder (customize this walk)

Use the WalkBuilder tool below to customize this walk to suit your interests. Instructions: click

at the upper right corner in the map above to view other sights in the city. To learn more about a sight, click a map pin. Click the “+” or “–” to add or remove a sight from the walk. To reorder the selected sights, simply drag and move them up or down the list in the left column.

Click here to view route map

Enter a name for your custom walk, along with your email address, in the fields below. You will receive the instructions for retrieving your custom walk in the GPSmyCity app by email. The GPSmyCity app offers turn-by-turn travel directions to guide you from one attraction to the next.
Walk Name*:
Email*:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I access my walking tour in Santa Cruz?
Save your walking tour on the website. Then download the GPSmyCity app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign in to your GPSmyCity account. Next, download “Santa Cruz Map and Walking Tours” within the app. Your walk will appear on the Walks screen.

2. How do I view other attractions in Santa Cruz?
At the upper-right corner of the map above, click the “Nearby Sights” button to show or hide other sights in the city. Click a map pin to view details about a sight. To add a sight to your walk, find it in the right column of the WalkBuilder tool above and click the “+” button next to it.

3. How do I re-arrange the sight order?
In the left column of the WalkBuilder tool, drag a sight to move it up or down the list. Then click “Click here to view route map”. Repeat this process until the route meets your needs.

4. Can I add my hotel to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add your hotel as the starting point, the ending point, or both (creating a loop route). This feature is currently available only in the GPSmyCity app.

5. Can I add my own sights to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add sightss that are not in our database and include them in your walk. To do so, sign in to your GPSmyCity account on the website or use the GPSmyCity app.

6. How many sights can be included in a walking tour?
For technical reasons, the number of sights in a walking tour is currently capped at 20. This limit may be increased over time.

Walking Tours in Santa Cruz, California

Create Your Own Walk in Santa Cruz

Creating your own self-guided walk in Santa Cruz is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Santa Cruz Introduction Walking Tour

Santa Cruz dates back to the founding of Mission Santa Cruz, founded in 1791. The modern city's incorporation dates back to 1866, and some of the most popular industries were agriculture, lime mining, gunpowder manufacturing, and lumber.

In July 1885, three teenage Hawaiian princes took a break from their boarding school, St. Mathew's Hall in San Mateo, and came to cool off in Santa... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles