Attractions
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
You can learn all about marine life at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. It has some fun marine science exhibits geared toward children, but its major attraction is the aquarium, which features an open-top container in which you can see and touch invertebrates like sea stars, sea urchins, hermit crabs, and sea anemones. There’s also a shark tank which gives visitors a chance to touch a swell shark (don’t worry, it’s friendly!). Rockfish, eels, decorator crabs, and jellyfish can also be seen, and there are outdoor gardens that display various skeletons and sculptures of marine life, including an 87-foot long blue whale skeleton. (This is one of the only four blue whale exhibits in North America.) The Discovery Center also sits on a gorgeous landscape of coastal bluff communities which make for a fantastic hike.
Swift Street Courtyard
Enjoy a variety of independent shops, bakeries, cafes, and more at Swift Street Courtyard. This bustling social and commercial hotspot is a favorite among locals, and it’s bound to become a favorite of yours too. Once a Brussels sprouts packing factory, Swift Street Courtyard now sports umbrella-shaded outdoor tables, a beer garden, countless pastry and lunch shops, a yoga studio, and much more. If you’re looking for breweries, you’re in the right place. Swift Street Courtyard is home to The West End Tap Room and Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery, both of which offer great beers and food. There are also plenty of wineries and shops nearby, so it has something for everyone.
