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Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town!

Vacation home near Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz

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Photo gallery for Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town!

Beach nearby, sun loungers, beach towels
Smart TV, fireplace, video games, DVD player
Smart TV, fireplace, video games, DVD player
Smart TV, fireplace, video games, DVD player
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

3 bedrooms2 bathrooms1320 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi
  • Outdoor Space

Explore the area

View in a map
Santa Cruz, CA
  • Place, Twin Lakes State Beach
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Sunny Cove Beach
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Place, Santa Cruz Harbor
    ‪16 min walk‬
  • Airport, San Jose, CA (SJC-Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl.)
    ‪60 min drive‬

Room options

About the neighborhood

Santa Cruz

Seaside stay .Within a 10-minute walk of this Eastside Santa Cruz vacation home, you'll find Twin Lakes State Beach and Lincoln Beach. Sunny Cove Beach and Santa Maria's Beach are also within half a mile (1 km).
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What's nearby

  • Twin Lakes State Beach - 1 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • Sunny Cove Beach - 6 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Santa Cruz Harbor - 16 min walk - 0.9 miles
  • Seabright Beach - 19 min walk - 1.1 miles
  • Pleasure Point Park - 3 min drive - 1.8 miles

Getting around

  • Watsonville, CA (WVI-Watsonville Municipal) - 26 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪People's Coffee - ‬14 min walk
  • ‪Crow's Nest Restaurant - ‬19 min walk
  • ‪Coffeetopia - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪Verve Coffee Roasters - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬7 min walk

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town!

Santa Cruz Vacation Rental Permit #: 251305

You will be “Walkin’ on Sunshine” anywhere you go in this delightful Santa Cruz home. The bright and colorful, newly redecorated 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath home sleeps 7. The house is centrally located on 14th Ave. in Santa Cruz, just a short walk down the street to the 14th Avenue Beach (Blacks Beach) entrance to Twin Lakes State Beach.

These are the nicest, warmest beaches in Monterey Bay, with perfect sand, great boogie boarding, and fire pits for nighttime gatherings. Near the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor and the famous Crow’s Nest restaurant, you can rent kayaks or stand-up paddle boards or relax and watch the sailboat races on Wednesday afternoons.

The smoke-free, family friendly, house is fully furnished in seaside décor with all the amenities to make your stay comfortable and relaxing. Kick your feet up and enjoy your morning coffee and catch some rays up on the sunny second story deck. Unwind in the evening sitting on the large sofa in front of the big-screen TV and the cozy gas fireplace. Enjoy your favorite tunes or connect to the web with high-speed Wi-Fi.

Sleep in comfort in the serene downstairs bedroom, decorated in peaceful décor, with a luxurious queen bed and flat screen TV. The upstairs bedroom has a full size bed, a private bathroom and access to the wraparound deck. The kids will love the third bedroom that includes bunk beds (with a trundle and small seats that fold out into sleeping cushions), another big flat screen TV, and a Wii video game system.

The kitchen is fully equipped with granite countertops, gas stove, French door refrigerator, and dishwasher. Plates, glasses, cooking and eating utensils are provided. There is a separate laundry room with front loading washer and dryer.

Guests will also enjoy the large, private backyard with room for the kids to run, or play on the play structure with swings. You will love relaxing on the hammock under the palm trees, and the large patio with the gas grill. No need to pack beach chairs, sand buckets, shovels, boogie boards or a beach umbrella as we provide all of that for you, including a few small wetsuits. There is even a wagon to help you bring all of your stuff to the beach.

Just a 5 minute drive to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and 10 minutes to the adorable beach town of Capitola. There are also plenty of local surf spots.

This is a great home for families in a residential neighborhood. It is not a party house.

Our location is just 45 minutes from Carmel and Monterey, 45 minutes from San Jose International Airport and just over an hour from San Francisco Airport.

This house is completely non-smoking. Sorry, no pets are allowed.*

*Pleaese note that the owner does have a dog that sometimes joins us at the home, so we don't recommend anyone with pet alergies books this home.


Keywords: Beach, Beach House, Cute, Twin Lakes, Live Oak, Live, Oak, Santa Cruz, harbor, Yacht Harbor, boardwalk, wharf to wharf, blues festival, wharf, ocean, waves, surfing, boogie boarding, sand, sunshine, bright, colorful, family, kids, relax, deck, BBQ, grill, hammock, Capitola, near beach, Seabright,

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Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach nearby
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Car recommended
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee grinder
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Ice maker
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 3 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 private bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Shower
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Fireplace
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels
  • Stereo
  • Video games
  • Video library

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Garden
  • Gas grill
  • Outdoor furniture

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washer/dryer

Comfort

  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoking not allowed

Location highlights

  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near a hospital
  • Near the marina
  • Near the sea

Things to do

  • Water sports equipment
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Snorkeling nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Theme park nearby
  • Whale watching nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 1,320 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

An adult age 18 or older must assume all liability for the booking
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Check-out instructions

The host requires you complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Strip any used beds, gather used towels, and store extra beds
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks, and take out the trash
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Remove and wash white sheets and white pillowcases from used beds - leave beds unmade. Wash and dry all colored beach and dish towels. There should only be one load of white laundry for the cleaners.
If you used the BBQ, make sure it is clean and covered and that the gas is turned off. Place all sand toys, boogie boards, umbrellas and chairs in the container in the backyard
Run dishwasher with last load of dishes. (You don’t need to put them away). No kitchen items should remain dirty or on the counters. Our cleaners should not need to wash any kitchen items.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Events

No events allowed
Adhere to the guidelines in rental agreement

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Adhere to the guidelines in rental agreement
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a private host, not a professional engaged in trade or business. Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited. Note from host: Adhere to the guidelines in rental agreement For guests' safety, the property includes a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock in each accommodation.

Property Registration Number 111562

Frequently asked questions

How close is Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town! to the airport?

This vacation home is 14.9 mi (26-min drive) away from the Watsonville, CA (WVI-Watsonville Municipal) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

Does Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town! have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at this vacation home.

How close is Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town! to the beach?

This vacation home is a short 1-minute walk from Twin Lakes State Beach and 6-minute walk from Lincoln Beach. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Does Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town! offer free breakfast?

This vacation home does not offer free breakfast.

Is there a casino at Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town!?

No, there is no casino at this vacation home.

What time is check-in at Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town!?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

Is there free parking at Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town!?

Free parking is not available at this vacation home.

Does Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town! have a pool?

This vacation home does not have a pool.

Does Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town! have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this vacation home.

How close is Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town! to downtown Santa Cruz?

This vacation home is 0.4 mi away from Twin Lakes.

Bright and Colorful - Family Friendly! Short walk to the Best Beaches in Town! Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 205 out of 221 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 15 out of 221 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 221 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 221 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 221 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Simon P., san francisco

Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay as always! We love the little yellow house - location is killer and the house is always spotless. Perfect for our family of 5
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2026

10/10 Excellent

Katie C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Hosts are wonderful to work with. The location is amazing. House is very family friendly.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Carol S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great house for a three generation visit - dropping off incoming freshman to UCSC. Beach accessible with about 10 minute walk, lots of beach equipment. Beach is nice and has fire pits - great for roasting s'mores at sunset. Very well equipped and clean house and kitchen. We really enjoyed the yard and ate most of our meals there. There is a small step down into the bunk room that took me by surprise, but once we knew about it we were fine.Would love to come for a return visit!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

kathryn h.

Liked: Cleanliness
Very nice home. Comfortable. Well stocked kitchen. Nicely decorated. Walking distance to the beach.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jan Paul S.

Liked: Cleanliness

All fine

Stayed 9 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lori V.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great!

The property was great. Backyard was so nice with lots of space. I would definitely rent this house again.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

willette l.

Liked: Cleanliness
Property was great. Quiet, clean, amenities were all good. I recommend that a strip of yellow or red tape be placed on the step down area and the words "STEP DOWN'' be written on the tape. Renters need to be made aware of the distance in flooring from the hallway to the 2nd bedroom and loft area.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Linda P.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great location

Well appointed and comfortable!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Susan S., Live oak ca

Liked: Cleanliness

Beds

Everything was awesome except for the beds. Mattress were not comfortable Would not hurt to put memory foam on it
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Carrie M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Santa Cruz conference trip

We loved this location just a short walk to the beach. We enjoyed the spacious living room and easy to use amenities. Some of the bedrooms had less privacy than others which was ok for us but not ideal. Overall great place to stay in Santa Cruz.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

janeenandjerry c., Santa Rosa, CA

Liked: Cleanliness

Another wonderful visit!

This home is perfect for us to visit our son and his family. The grand kids love playing in the backyard! Thank you Mike & Donna!
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jeremy B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Awesome time by the beach

We loved our stay. The house was very clean and nice and the owners were easy to reach with questions. The location is awesome too as it is just a short walk to the beach. We would definitely stay at this house again. Strongly recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Joshua S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Nice house in good beach location

ProsClose to beachWalking distance to restaurantsEasy access to freewayNice house, furniture and everything in good shapeNice extras like video gamesNice big backyard ConsHouse smelled like mildew and it was visible on some of the blindsDifficult to fit two cars in driveway and street parking is limited
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

janeenandjerry c., Santa Rosa, CA

Liked: Cleanliness

Another lovely Sunshine visit

Always clean and bright. Our grand kids love the yard! We walked to the beach everyday. Great taqueria's on both corners. El Rosal bakery is fun. The Sunday Farmer's Market in the Live Oak shopping area is always a must for us! Thank you Mike & Donna!
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mary Anne L.

Liked: Cleanliness

Wonderful Beach Getaway

This property hosted our family for a fun weekend in Santa Cruz - close to the beach and surrounding Capitola. Easy access to freeway and a quite neighborhood. All the amenities close by, really felt like home!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Eileen M., Connecticut

Liked: Cleanliness

CLEAN and comfortable house

We are an extended family group staying at this house in order to visit a family member at UCSC. PERFECT LOCATION! So clean (which I think is really important)! House had EVERYTHING we needed. Perfect amount of space!!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Stephen M., Yorba Linda

Liked: Cleanliness

Great property!

This is my 2nd time staying here at this house and it's a great property.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Peggy S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Family get-together

Short walk to the beach. Kids loved the backyard.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ashley F.

Liked: Cleanliness

Quick family trip

Our stay was short and quick but we enjoyed every minute. The back yard and play set along with the parking was definitely a plus! When we first got there my code didn't work. I contacted Mike and he fixed the code issue right then and there, issued a temporary code which worked and we were able to get in.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Linda B.

Liked: Cleanliness

love it here

We have rented this property year after year for almost 10 years. We love the neighborhood, the beach, the back yard and feel very comfortable in Donna and Mike's home. Thank you.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lori W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Family vacation with grown children

Our oldest son requested a Santa Cruz vacation to relive many childhood memories. He and his girlfriend flew in from Ohio. Our youngest came from Sonoma and his friend flew up from LA. We made wonderful memories and many laughs were had!!! The location is perfectly situated between Capitola & the Boardwalk. The home was very well stocked. Updated beach chairs & beach towels would be a bonus - but no complaints. It was nice that these items were supplied. Very spacious layout and comfortable beds. Wish we could have stayed longer. We would definitely recommend this house to anyone looking to rent in the area.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shanna S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great family beach house

This house was perfect for our family of five (three boys 4, 7, 9). It was spacious, kitchen well equipped, lots of bedding and blankets to be cozy. The fenced in backyard was such a lifesaver so the kids could go outside and we didn't have to worry. They loved the swingset. The location was fantastic- 7 min walk to the beach, mexican food on the corner and a 7 minute drive to Trader Joe's and Target. We loved our week here.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Roze M., USA

Liked: Cleanliness

Beach house Vaca

The property is perfect! The amenities they provide are above and beyond. We had any and everything we needed. Kids, adults noone was forgotten. I didn't need to contact owners, everything was easy and just as described, I know if i had they would have been very responsive! We will be back :-)
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Caroline P.

Liked: Cleanliness

Exactly What You and Your Family Need in Santa Cruz

My family and I (myself, husband, parents, children (3.5 and 1.5) just spent 5 nights here. We cannot say enough wonderful things about this property from the house itself and the kitchen amenities to the backyard with the swing set and the grill/patio. We were very happy with the neighborhood- walking distance from the beach, close to market and food, as well as the famers market held in the shopping center nearby on Sundays. It also is a short drive to the Santa Cruz boardwalk and in a convenient location to highways and roads to go to Monterey/Carmel. Traveling with small children is always very daunting but this house was perfect with the backyard keeping them entertained and it is well maintained and also fenced in. The house was well stocked- towels, kitchen accessories etc. We also found the washer/dryer to be an added bonus and very useful in case it was needed. There is always room for improvement (although it was not much)- we found the floors could be cleaned a little better by their cleaning service and there was an awkward step leading to one of the bedrooms and the upstairs room that was not marked so just be careful. Would we stay here again? ABSOLUTELY! This house is perfectly sized for 6 guests and is exactly what you need as a home base and a place to stay to enjoy your vacation! Thank you to the owners for thinking of the small details and making your guests feel at home and comfortable. THANK YOU!
Stayed 5 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lori J., Lewes

Liked: Cleanliness

Very happy!

Wonderful location and owner was very helpful when we had questions. It’s a peaceful neighborhood and easy walk to the beach.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024