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.

No items found.

Talk to our venue advisors

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.

Get 3 personalized venue proposals

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.

No items found.
Surfing in Santa Cruz
No items found.
Kayaking in Santa Cruz
No items found.
Brewery Tour in Santa Cruz
No items found.
Sailing Tour in Santa Cruz
No items found.
Wall Climbing in Santa Cruz
No items found.
Whale Watching in Santa Cruz
No items found.
Tie-Dye Workshop in Santa Cruz
No items found.
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 💛

Surf Office was amazing to work with - from the initial introductory call to the final day of our corporate retreat! They are well-organised, transparent, super reliable and the communication throughout the planning and execution phase was prompt and clear. We are looking forward to working with them for future company retreats.

Nienke
Operations Associate

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Elke and Álvaro to plan our onsite, and I genuinely couldn’t have asked for a better experience. From the very beginning, they were incredibly friendly, responsive, and genuinely enthusiastic about helping us create a great event. Elke was so thoughtful and organized, always making sure every little detail was covered and keeping everything running smoothly. She brought such a positive energy to the process — she was super approachable and made collaboration easy and fun. Throughout the entire planning period, they both went above and beyond to support us. I really appreciated how proactive they were in anticipating our needs, and how enjoyable every interaction was. It truly felt like working with partners who cared as much about the success of our onsite as we did. Thank you, Elke and Álvaro, for being such a joy to work with! I’d happily work with you both again any time.

Thea
Manager of Operations

It's our second year working with Surf Office for our company offsite (30 pax first year, and 42 pax second year), and we're super happy! This year our offsite was a huge success, with direct impact on our employees' satisfaction, company culture, and alignment with our mission. The week they put together for us was perfect on all fronts: venue selection, logistics, activities, last-minute changes - everything was super well executed. Couldn't recommend them more! And... I know whom we're working with next year!

Charlotte
Head of Strategy & Operations

Working with Surf Office was a great experience from start to finish. Communication was smooth, the planning was thoughtful, and the platform made coordination easy. We really appreciated the well-curated suggestions for locations, activities, and restaurants – everything felt carefully considered. Beyond that, the setup created a great team atmosphere, making it easy to connect and enjoy our time together. We would definitely recommend Surf Office to any team looking for a well-organized and inspiring retreat.

Alina
Business Operations & People

Danielle, Giselle and the SurfOffice team were extremely cooperative, understanding and flexible to support my team’s 80-person offsite in Belgrade, Serbia. From being patient with our company’s lengthy vendor due diligence and procurement process, to responding swiftly when an attendee misplaced her passport - everything went really smoothly. Working with them took a huge load off our shoulders and their relationships with hotels/activities/venues also helped us secure good deals. Would definitely recommend their services to any company who’s looking to plan for an enjoyable team offsite.

Peera
Strategy & Operations Manager

We recently organized our company offsite with SurfOffice, and we couldn’t be happier with the experience. From the very beginning: The location selection and contract negotiations with Giselle, to the actual planning and execution of the offsite together with Elke, everything was handled exceptionally well. Working with Elke was truly outstanding. She was incredibly proactive, always thinking several steps ahead, and responded extremely quickly to every question or change. She managed to get fast answers from all providers: from transport companies to hotels and local activity partners- and did so with a consistently friendly and professional attitude. Thanks to her dedication, we had little organizational workload on our side, and we always felt fully supported. The offsite turned out to be an amazing experience for our whole team, and we’re certain we couldn’t have organized something like this on our own. SurfOffice played a huge role in making our offsite in Kemer such a success, and we can wholeheartedly recommend them to any company planning an offsite for a larger group.

Anna
Senior Growth Marketing Manager

Sara was fantastic in organising our company trip to Istanbul - she was quick to reply, offered great solutions to issues, and made the trip itself seamless and enjoyable. Already looking forward to the next one!

Tom
Operations and People Assistant

Expertise and competence in service. Friendly, helpful, and respectful communication. Comfortable, welcoming, and inspiring surroundings.

Lesia
Human Resources Generalist

This was our second year working with Surf to plan our annual company retreat, and once again, they smashed it. We had a beautiful, restorative and fun retreat just outside of Barcelona that the whole team loved. It was so lovely to have the team's support in planning such a complex event, and they did a great job at helping us stay within budget. Great experience overall.

Hadeel
Operations Associate

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.

Our Food expert in

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

 on Instagram

Our closest location

Closest airport

Currency

JOIN THE CLUB

Join the club of innovative companies which organise
retreats with Surf Office.

stripegoogleinvisionciscoshopifytoptalintercomhotjarproxyclickevboxautomaticclose.iomytaxiangelisthelpscouteventmobitrezormyndmattermostaragon oneWorkday logosmall improvementsawincloudbees

Organize your next company retreat with Surf Office

Get a quote