Team off-site in Santa Cruz

Boost team spirit and get work done

Within a short ride from the Bay Area, Santa Cruz is a perfect spot for your next team off-site. Startups and tech teams come from all over the world to live, work and enjoy the coastal lifestyle.

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Why 

Santa Cruz

?

Why choose 

Santa Cruz

for a retreat?

Santa Cruz is the hometown of the Californian “surfer dude.” The 29 beaches that surround the city are great for many fun (and often stress relieving) team building activities like surfing, paddleboarding, mountain biking, and beach yoga.

You will stay in the center of Santa Cruz within a short distance from the beach, coffee shops, grocery stores, hip restaurants, wineries and cool bars.

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Team building activities in

Santa Cruz

We've put together a list of

team-building activities for company retreats in

Santa Cruz

, including options that work well for both small and large teams.

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Surfing in Santa Cruz
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Kayaking in Santa Cruz
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Brewery Tour in Santa Cruz
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Sailing Tour in Santa Cruz
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Wall Climbing in Santa Cruz
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Whale Watching in Santa Cruz
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Tie-Dye Workshop in Santa Cruz
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Drumming Workshop in Santa Cruz

Sample

Santa Cruz

Retreat Itinerary

Set along West Cliff Drive, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and nearby redwood forests, this Santa Cruz retreat agenda brings together outdoor team activities, focused sessions, and relaxed coastal evenings.

Day 1: Arrival & Beachside Welcome

Easy arrival, ocean air & casual kickoff

  • 13:00–17:00Airport transfers & hotel check-in (Downtown or West Cliff area)
  • 18:00–19:30Sunset stroll along West Cliff Drive
  • 20:00–22:00Group dinner at a local coastal restaurant
  • 22:00+Optional bonfire or relaxed beach hangout

Day 2: Work & Coastal Activities

Focused sessions with outdoor breaks

  • 08:00–09:00Breakfast at hotel
  • 09:00–10:30Plenary session (team goals & alignment)
  • 10:30–11:00Coffee break
  • 11:00–12:30Breakout workshops
  • 12:30–14:00Lunch near the hotel
  • 14:00–16:00Main activity: Beginner surf lesson or paddleboarding session
  • 16:00–18:30Free time (Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk or relaxing)
  • 20:00–22:30Dinner in Downtown Santa Cruz

Day 3: Nature & Final Evening

Light exploration & team connection

  • 08:00–09:00Breakfast at hotel
  • 09:30–10:30Wrap-up session & reflections
  • 11:00–14:00Main activity: Scenic coastal e-bike ride
  • 14:00–18:00Relaxation time (cafés, beach, or shopping)
  • 20:30–lateFarewell dinner with ocean views

Day 4: Departure

Easy wrap-up

  • 08:00–10:00Breakfast & informal chats
  • FlexibleDepartures & transfers

United States retreat experiences

FAQs about company retreats in

Santa Cruz

What makes Santa Cruz a good destination for a corporate retreat or team offsite?

Santa Cruz is a strong choice for teams that want a coastal California setting with a relaxed, outdoorsy feel. It combines beach access, redwood forests, and a casual atmosphere that helps teams unwind while staying productive.

How easy is it to reach Santa Cruz for a team retreat?

The closest major airport is San Jose International Airport (SJC), about 45 minutes by car. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is around 1.5 hours away, offering more international connections for distributed teams.

When is the best time to plan a team retreat in Santa Cruz?

Late spring through early fall, especially May to October, tends to offer the best weather, with temperatures between 64–77°F. Summers can be busy, while winter is quieter but may bring cooler, foggier conditions.

Which areas are best to stay in Santa Cruz for a company retreat?

Downtown Santa Cruz is convenient for walkability and dining, while Westside offers a more laid-back local feel. Capitola, just 10 minutes away, provides a colorful seaside setting with a slightly slower pace.

What activities can teams include in a Santa Cruz retreat?

Popular options include surfing or paddleboarding, hiking in the redwoods at Henry Cowell State Park, beach games, wine tasting in nearby Santa Cruz Mountains, and boardwalk visits.

Is Santa Cruz suitable for combining work sessions and outdoor activities?

The area is well suited for this balance. Teams can schedule meetings in the morning and easily transition into outdoor activities like beach time or forest hikes in the afternoon.

How long should a company retreat in Santa Cruz last?

A 3 to 4 day retreat is common. This allows time for structured work, one or two key activities, and some downtime to enjoy the coastal environment.

What makes Santa Cruz different from San Francisco for an offsite?

Santa Cruz offers a more relaxed and nature-focused experience compared to San Francisco. It’s better suited for teams that want fewer urban distractions and more time outdoors.

What kind of food experiences can teams expect in Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz has a strong local food scene, with fresh seafood, farm-to-table restaurants, and casual beachside dining. Teams often enjoy group dinners with ocean views or visits to local breweries.

Can Santa Cruz accommodate both small and large company retreats?

Santa Cruz is generally better suited for small to mid-sized teams. Larger groups can be accommodated, but may need to split across multiple properties or nearby areas.

💛 Wall of love 💛

We had an unforgettable company offsite in Panama with 19 team members, and everything from start to finish was exceptional. The food was incredible, authentic, fresh, and consistently delicious throughout the trip. Our hotel stay was fantastic, especially the strong air conditioning, which was a huge plus in the tropical heat! Surf Office did an outstanding job managing everything. As a small team, using them was a huge help to ensure we hit deadlines, found team-building activities, and had a good selection of food choices. They were professional, highly organized, and incredibly on top of every detail, making the experience smooth and stress-free for everyone involved. From scheduling to coordination and on-the-ground support, they handled it all flawlessly. Transportation during the event was well-organized and reliable, making it easy to move between activities without a hitch. Overall, this was a 10/10 experience. Highly recommend this destination and working with Surf Office for any team looking to recharge, connect, and be inspired in a beautiful location. We will absolutely be using them again for our next company off site!

Ashley
Operations Director

I had a great experience working with Surf Office! Elke and Alvaro were extremely helpful throughout the process and I always felt confident our retreat planning was in good hands. We've held 2 retreats working Surf Office and would recommend them to anyone looking for help planning a company retreat.

Sarah
Project and Operations Manager

We are a 100% remote Software Company that has been doing self organized Teamevents since 2016. They are a very important part of our company culture and something the whole company is looking forward to throughout the year. As the company grew we have been searching for a partner to organize a Teamevent for 50 People in 2024 and have found the perfect one with Surf Office. The main advantage for us was not them taking over the main organization, it was that they just had the same vibe. You can find people who will organize a team retreat for you - but only a few will catch the right vibe and select the right venues - Surf Office does! Needless to say that the whole process was smooth and the organization was flawless. If you are a boring company, please do not hire them. But if you are a bunch of people that are working together and actually like each other, i would really give it a shot. For us, a Teamevent has never felt this easy.

Gerald
Head Of Marketing

We recently partnered with Surf Office to organize our company retreat in Osaka, Japan, and we couldn't be more pleased with the experience. From the outset, Surf Office showed exceptional ability to coordinate across time zones, manage the language barriers, and handling the logistical complexity of a group of 100+ people with ease and professionalism. The team from Surf Office were flexible, communicative, and proactive every step of the way. They helped us plan everything, from the event scheduling to restaurant reservations, hotel reservations for 100+ people, team activities, and last-minute changes They ensured the entire retreat was seamless, memorable, and highly energizing for our team. Thanks to their support we were able to focus on what mattered most: connecting as a team, exploring a new culture, and building lasting memories We highly recommend Surf Office to any company looking to run a world-class team offsite, especially in international destinations.

Kiran
HR Consultant

We went to Lisbon with 31 employees from all over the world. The event had been organised by SurfOffice/Elke. The hotel was top, the activities were top and the food was top. The communication with Surf O. was very good too, and it helped that Elke is a Dutch woman living in Lisbon. The coda app was not very handy at first, but turned out to be useful at the end/towards the event. We look back at a very successful All Company Meeting in Lisbon!

Marianne
HR Coordinator

We can highly recommend Surfoffice for company retreats! From the very first contact until the end of our trip, everything went smoothly. Communication was consistently fast, reliable, and highly professional. A special thanks goes to Stef, who supported us throughout the entire organization process. She was always available, answered all our questions, and made the planning process extremely pleasant with her friendly and helpful approach. Lola also did an excellent job in finding the perfect accommodation for our group — her quick and competent assistance was invaluable. The accommodation itself was beautiful, with an incredibly kind host who took great care of our group and prepared delicious meals for us. Surfoffice provided us with a perfectly organized company trip — efficient planning, outstanding support, and a wonderful experience for the entire team. We are already looking forward to our next trip with Surfoffice!

Sabrina
Chief of Staff

SurfOffice delivered an absolutely outstanding service. Their attention to detail, responsiveness (literally day and night!), and presence throughout the entire process went far beyond our expectations. The whole team was a true pleasure to work with — professional, proactive, and always one step ahead. A special thank you to Cris, Romane, and Angela: you were exceptional. Your dedication, kindness, and efficiency made all the difference. Thank you again — we would 100% recommend SurfOffice and look forward to the next collaboration!

Marion
Workspace Experience Manager

Great support, personalised service and great experience. Would highly recommend Surf Office services to any organisation. Their follow-up tools make it very easy to also communicate with your team.

Michael
Senior Program Manager

I organized our company retreat with the help of SurfOffice, specifically with the help from Candela and Álvaro. They helped me tremendously, made sure important things were taken care of, deadlines were met and they made sure we could have a smooth experience with the company during the week - we had an absolute blast on Gran Canaria and the Team had an amazing week! The communication was absolute S-Tier. Clear, quick and always friendly, which made organizing an event very enjoyable, which normally is a rather monotone and sometimes even chaotic experience. I came into this without any event organization experience and leave with a "wow, this was smooth!". Thank you for this!

David
HR Lead

Team building activities

The most popular team building activities are surf lessons, SUP lessons and tapas night but there are plenty more to choose from.

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