California's Longest Walkable Pier Is Fully Reopening Soon With Tasty Restaurants, Shops, And Fishing

There are dozens of ways to get your 10,000 daily steps in. You can wander your neighborhood, hit the treadmill, or clean your entire house. However, if you want to get yourself moving in a far more scenic area, you may want to pay a visit to California's longest walkable wooden pier, Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. It's an experience you'll be able to fully enjoy once again after large swells did major damage in December 2024. According to KSBW, the whole pier will be reopened in February 2026. When the swells hit, the area affected was already under construction, and it has since caused a dip in visitors, some business owners and employees told KSBW. 

However, not only will the repairs be completed in time for the summer tourist season, but they're adding in a new sea lion viewing window so visitors have more of an opportunity to check out the animals who frequent the area. Additionally, some of the new pilings have been set at an angle to better protect the structure. 

Located in a vibrant city known for the famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk, the pier extends 2,745 feet (just over half a mile) into Monterey Bay and offers dining and shopping options. Plus, it's the perfect spot to do some fishing. Built over a century ago to serve a shipping port, it's all about entertainment and enjoyment these days. This is a lively location, hosting between 1.5 and 2 million visitors each year before the damage.

Santa Cruz Wharf is a wide pier with paid parking areas on it. If you're looking for a unique spot for a drink and a bite to eat, hit Makai Island Kitchen and Groggery. It's a pan-Asian bar and restaurant with poke bowls, mai-tais, and tiki-bar vibes, rated 4.3 stars on Google. Next door is Riva Fish House, which has beautiful water views and classic seafood dishes featuring mussels, oysters, and prawns. At the pier's end, Stagnaro Brothers not only has a full menu but also bills itself as "the largest fish market in Northern California." In all, there are about half a dozen dining spots stretched along the pier with a variety from classic seaside fish and chips or ice cream to chic wine bars and fine dining.

If you're looking to do a little shopping, there are also plenty of places for that on the wharf. Santa Cruz Bay Company has gifts and souvenirs. Marini's Candies, which has been around in Santa Cruz since 1915, offers some mouthwatering sweets like candied apples, caramel corn, and saltwater taffy. It was voted the third-best candy shop in the nation by USA Today in 2025. Noland's on the Wharf has beachy clothing to outfit your vacation and surfing supplies. That's perfect for this area, as Santa Cruz is where surfing first came to America. To plan your shopping spree, the city website has an online map of the Wharf shops.

In addition to shopping and dining, the Santa Cruz Wharf is the perfect place to cast a line and catch some fish to complete your vacation relaxation plan. The east side of the wharf is set up for fishing, and depending on where you park your equipment, you can nab a variety of species. The best part is that you can do it without a fishing license (although you must still obey state minimum size and bag limit regulations). 

The main part of the wharf has a sandy bottom, and you can try for several types of surfperch, kingfish, and small sole. The set-to-reopen end of the pier has a sort of artificial reef, so you may find other species. In addition, you'll find fishing wells where you can drop your line straight down between the pier pilings. 

Wildlife viewing is another popular activity, with several telescopes along the pier and the possibility of spotting whales or dolphins cruising Monterey Bay. Sea lions are nearly always spotted lounging and barking around the pier, and the new viewing hole at the end should give visitors an up-close look at the charismatic pinnipeds. You can even rent kayaks from on-site vendors or take guided tours. Finally, while you're visiting Santa Cruz, don't miss the Pleasure Point district, the "Jewel of Santa Cruz."