Lighthouse Field State Beach and West Cliff
Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz County
The state-owned field and bluff on West Cliff Drive by the lighthouse, above Steamer Lane. Open from six in the morning and free to enter.
This parcel is state land even though it sits on the city's West Cliff Drive, so it goes through the state district office rather than the city. Its Beach, the small beach below the lighthouse, is part of this park unit and has its own record in this guide. Dogs must be leashed, six feet maximum.
The site
The practical details
Capacity notes
Not published for this unit.
Commercial photography
A paid shoot needs a separate commercial photography permit alongside the special event permit.
Parking
Free lot, open 8am to sunset.
Permit authority
Santa Cruz District, California State Parks, Special Events Office. (831) 400-8519, SCD.specialevents@parks.ca.gov.
Pricing
Day use is free. This unit carries no entry fee. Ceremony permit fees are not published on the unit's page.
See it on your wedding date
Set your date and this page fills in with the tides, what the weather is usually like, sunset, and where the sun will be.
Checked against the agency's own page on September 7, 2026
Sunrise, sunset, and twilight computed for this location. The marine layer rating reflects the time of year on this coast. Orientation and cover recorded for this spot.