Santa Cruz County

Bicycle Paradise! Santa Cruz County, on the northern tip of the Monterey Bay is just a scenic drive away from San Francisco and Silicon Valley through majestic redwood forests. On Monday, May 14th, the county of Santa Cruz will host the Stage Two finish of the Amgen Tour of California. Santa Cruz hosted stage finishes in 2009 and 2010 and now welcomes the tour back.

Santa Cruz County is the Gateway to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, has 29 miles of beaches and includes twelve State Parks and Beaches. Situated between magnificent redwood forested mountains and the Pacific Ocean, the county of Santa Cruz has world class vineyards and wineries as well as pastoral farmland producing some of the world’s finest produce. Boating, kayaking, whale and bird watching, running, zip lining, skydiving, surfing, cycling, golf, museums, music and the arts are just a few of the activities to attract locals and visitors alike. Great restaurants and accommodations ranging from camp sites to resorts make this area the perfect getaway. Cultural amenities include the Santa Cruz County Symphony, the Cabrillo Music Festival, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, the McPherson Museum of Art and History, the University of California Performing Arts Center, the Henry J. Mello Performing Arts Center, and Cabrillo Stage.

Stage Two of the Tour will travel down the coast on Highway One and climb into mountains and across the summit. The riders will descend into Soquel Village and the race will culminate in a dramatic finish in the town of Aptos at the beautiful campus of Cabrillo College, one of the nation's top-ranked community colleges. Aptos is a small coastal town which provides miles of cycling options and is home to 10,000 acre Nisene Marks State Park, a mountain Biker’s paradise. Aptos hosts the Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival with a Superenduro as well as the famous Jump Jam.

Santa Cruz County has a year round calendar of cycling events. It is not only the epicenter of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake; it is the epicenter of all things cycling.