About Santa Cruz
Located on Monterey Bay just south of San Jose, Santa Cruz is the county seat and the largest city in the county. Known for its excellent climate of warm weather all year long and spectacular beaches, parks, and forests, the city is a popular tourist spot.
One of the top attractions in Santa Cruz is the beach. There are literally over 100 of them but the main beach is packed with activities from the boardwalk to the seaside cafés. Be sure to bring your sunglasses and sunblock.
Pacific Avenue is also a well-known attraction featuring the Town Clock, Friendship Garden, Del Mar Theatre, and Mission Hill. And with more than 25 restaurants to choose from, you can enjoy a bite to eat or just have a drink at one of the bars.
With so many things to do and such great weather, finding a Santa Cruz meeting space will not be difficult. The hardest thing will be choosing between so many terrific venues. Whether you want an informal outdoor meeting or a large corporate meeting, Santa Cruz is blessed with numerous facilities and service providers that will fill your needs.
Meeting Space Options in Santa Cruz
As you are searching for your perfect meeting space in Santa Cruz, hire some locals who can help you with all the decisions and work to be done. No matter how many people you plan to have at your meeting, it is good to have some food, drinks, and décor to make it memorable.
- Destination Management Companies
When planning a destination event, Destination Management Companies (DMCs) can help produce the kind of event you want in your destination. You may not be familiar with Santa Cruz, but a Santa Cruz DMC will help you out with all the necessary details. When planning a meeting in Santa Cruz, you can hire a DMC to handle all of the processes – from securing suitable venues, the best vendors, and abiding by the city’s local laws.
- Florists
You will find a number of professional florists and floral designers in Santa Cruz with the props and chops to bring the city’s beauty to your meeting venue. Whether you want artificial bouquets or real bouquets with freshly cut flowers, you can get a Santa Cruz florist to provide the type of flowers you want. Great floral work will complement the décor and make your meeting venue pop.
- Private Caterers
Getting the right food vendor on board is a huge step to making your meeting a success and your guests, happy. When it’s time to make your choices, you can prepare your menu for the meeting alongside a Santa Cruz caterer. You can find good catering companies in the city that will ensure all meals are well cooked and tasty. You can get such private caterers that will not compromise on meals for your meeting space in Santa Cruz.
Meeting Space Companies in Santa Cruz
After you choose your Santa Cruz meeting space, you are ready to turn it over to the professionals. It is a good thing that this Californian city has a plethora of event vendors and companies to help you out.
- Danzante Events and Design
Danzante Events and Designs is a premier wedding and event planning company in Santa Cruz, California, specializing in weddings and elopements. With about a decade of experience planning and designing weddings in the city, Rebecca Zavaleta and her team have been part of all kinds of weddings, including those in the LGBTQ+ community.
- Wylie Weddings and Events
Wylie Weddings is a one-stop-shop for all your event planning, design, and production needs for your Santa Cruz weddings and events. With over a decade of experience, they take pride in working with clients to create custom packages to help design, organize and implement their vision. And offer Services ranging from day-of coordination to full event management, floral design, among other event management services.
- All Occasions Entertainment
For over two decades, All Occasions has been providing services to residents of Santa Cruz and the greater Bay Area with weddings to corporate events, and everything in between. With a stellar reputation for personalized and professionalism, their award-winning DJs will plan and perform your event to create lifetime memories.
Pros and Cons of Meeting Spaces in Santa Cruz
Even with all of its good points, the city has some disadvantages you need to know about before signing anything. Make sure your meeting space in Santa Cruz is exactly what you want before you start sending out invites.
Advantages
- Lots of activities
There are plenty of activities you can engage in when in Santa Cruz for a meeting. From surfing to enjoying natural views, hiking, among others.
- Vibrant art community
There is access to a vibrant, unique, and abundant art community in Santa Cruz that art lovers can enjoy when in the city for a meeting.
- Fine weather
Santa Cruz boasts pleasant weather with more than the average amount of sunshine year-round.
Disadvantages
- Small town
Santa Cruz is a small town. There is always a great possibility of running into someone you know.
- Tourists
The beaches and attractions can get very crowded during the summer when all the tourists show up. Try to remember that you are one of them.
- High costs
Being such a fun and famous California beach city, expect to see high prices for just about anything you buy.
Famous Places in Santa Cruz
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
One of the top attractions in the area is the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, which is home to the oldest amusement park in California as well as a casino, mini-golf, and a variety of games. Opened in 1907, you can enjoy more than 35 attractions as well as three roller coasters and a water ride. And plenty of carnival food too! It is also the longest pier on the west coast at just over ½ mile long.
- Santa Cruz Wharf
Constructed in 1914, the Santa Cruz Wharf is another top attraction in Santa Cruz. Enjoy the warm sandy beach, clear blue waters, and fun and entertainment at the Santa Cruz Wharf. This is another top sight in Santa Cruz that you can visit when in the city for a wedding. The wharf is a popular spot for souvenir shopping, dining, boat tours, and you can even see some sea lions if you are lucky.
- Lighthouse Field State Beach
Experience some alone time and some quiet at the Lighthouse Field State Beach when in Santa Cruz. Located at the northern end of Monterey Bay, the 38-acre protected beach is a great spot to relax, walk by the coastline, and access surf areas. It also houses the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, housed in a 1967 lighthouse featuring more than 100 years of surfing history.