Santa Cruz, California City Guide

For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Santa Cruz, California Travel Guide has been your connection to Santa Cruz's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.

Santa Cruz History

Santa Cruz was given its name, which means “holy cross,” by Spanish explorer Don Gaspar de Portola in 1769. In 1789 Santa Cruz became the site of Northern California’s 12th mission, Mission Santa Cruz, and soon after, the Spanish founded the area as one of three California Pueblos, or settlements, along with San Jose and Los Angeles. The town of Santa Cruz developed outwards from the Mission Plaza, but it wasn’t until 26 years later that it obtained its charter.

Once California became a state in 1849 and settlers began migrating in droves, Santa Cruz became an important logging, commercial fishing and agricultural center. Though it still relies on these industries for its economic stability, tourism has become its primary economic booster. Due to its scenic beauty, mild climate (300 days of sunshine a year) and wealth of activities, Santa Cruz continues to attract thousands of tourists a year and with the recent harbor developments the number of visitors is expected to increase even more.
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