Twin Lakes State Beach

*HEAT ALERT: With temperatures set to exceed 110 degrees throughout much of the state this week, California is urging everyone to take extra precautions as they celebrate the Fourth of July. Governor Newsom has directed the Office of Emergency Services to activate its State Operations Center. Read about how California is preparing for this heatwave. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for parts of California from 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2, through Sunday, July 7, at 8 p.m. PDT. Please be sure to take extra precautions when heading outdoors and know before you go by checking the park’s webpage ahead of time. Visit our safety tips webpage and get the latest on the weather at weather.gov.

The Park is currently OPEN.

Reservations

Contact Number

(831) 427-4868

Park Accessibility Information

View the Park Accessibility Information

Park Hours

Call the beach

Park Activities

Are Dogs Allowed?

Yes

Day-Use Activities & Facilities

Exhibits and Programs
Fishing
Interpretive Exhibits
Beach Area
Swimming
Windsurfing/Surfing
Geocaching

Trail Use

Hiking Trails

Park Facilities

EV Information

E-Bike Locations
EV Charger Icon

EV Charger Locations

Other Facilities & Visitor Information

Restrooms / Showers
Outdoor Showers
Drinking Water Available

Boating

Looking for your next adventure?

California State Parks Backpacking Adventures offers naturalist-led backpacking trips through the Santa Cruz Mountains each summer, including our NEW "Cars-BA" Family Camp at Big Basin! Online registration is open now!

The small craft harbor in downtown Santa Cruz is approximately in the middle of Twin Lakes State Beach, which extends for a distance parallel to East Cliff Drive and Portola Drive. The beach has a mile of sandy shoreline, popular for swimming and picnicking. The park’s adjacent Schwan's lake is a good location for bird watching.

Parking
For parking information, please visit http://www.dpw.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/Home/ParkingPrograms.aspx.