The historic logging town of Felton is surrounded by majestic coastal redwood trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Located just an hour south of the East Bay Area, Felton can be an easy day-trip or a stop-over on a vacation to Santa Cruz.
My family of four drove down from the East Bay Area one summer weekend to camp and enjoy the Santa Cruz Mountains and realized Felton had a lot more to offer than I expected. Read on for some tips to make the most of your family’s trip to Felton.
Felton is located on the stolen and occupied lands of the Sayante Ohlone tribe.
Before you go
- The drive from the East Bay Area to Felton is about an hour and fifteen minutes long without traffic. Consider beginning your trip before commuting hours (2-7pm) to avoid traffic.
- Plan for variable weather. The Santa Cruz Mountains have variable weather, with warm summer days (mid-70s) to chilly winters (~40s). The fog can be present year-round and can make early mornings and evenings cooler, even in the summertime. Dress in layers.
- Bring Tecnu in case you or your kiddos run into poison oak. It is everywhere.
What we packed
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Sunscreen and hats
- Snacks
- Baby carrier
- Wagon
- Tecnu
BASE COST
- Roaring Camp Railroads steam train rides: $24-$42 for riders 2 and older
- Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Parking: $10/car
- Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Campground reservation: $35/night for a tent site with 8 campers and two cars max
Add-Ons
- Meals from town (if not bringing your own)
Top 5 Kid-friendly Activities in Felton
1. Go for a hike in the redwoods
Great for getting fresh air
3+ hours; $10/car
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is located on 4,600 acres of land in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with miles of trails through coastal redwoods and sandy dunes. The old growth redwoods found here are special because there are only five percent left of them in the world.
There are multiple entrances to the park. Drive to the entrance off of Highway 9 to have direct access to the redwood grove.
Hike the 0.8 mile Redwood Loop Trail to see the best old growth redwoods. The trail is short, shady, and perfect for strollers and wheelchairs. There are bathrooms along the trail.
Parking fee for day-use is $10. See the park brochure here.
2. Ride a steam train
Great for older kids, train lovers, and enjoying the scenery
3+ hours; $24-$42 for riders 2 and older
Roaring Camp Railroads has one of the last steam train railroads in operation in the nation.
Take the 75-minute Redwood Forest Steam Train ride through the redwoods or the three-hour Santa Cruz Beach Train ride from the mountains to the beach.
Although a bit pricey, the ride on the steam train is quite exciting. Our kiddos loved the “choo choo” of the train, watching the trees as we whizzed past in our open-air car, and asking questions about how trains work.
The length of the ride was challenging, though. Our kiddos (at the time 4 and under 2 years old) had fun sitting on our laps for about 30 minutes, then we spent the remainder of the trip trying to make sure they weren’t moving about the cabin. I recommend bringing snacks or small toys to keep your little ones busy if they start to get antsy.
Tickets range from $24.95 for children to $42 for adults. Luckily children under two are free. Reserve your tickets in advance here.
3. Cross the historic Felton Covered Bridge
Great for a historical, shaded walk over the river
30 minutes; free
The 80-foot-long wooden bridge was built in 1872 and used to be the only way in and out of Felton. It is a massive structure behind a fun playground and very beautiful.
The bridge is wide, made of wood, and only for pedestrians. Our family crossed over the bridge and enjoyed climbing around and looking through to see the San Lorenzo River flowing below us.
4. Visit the Felton Covered Bridge County Park Playground
~30 minutes; free
The Felton Covered Bridge County Park has a large playground for big and small kids alike.
The playground is directly in front of the bridge, so budget enough time for your family to do both. Unlike the bridge, however, the park is uncovered and very exposed.
The playground had a lot of climbing structures for our preschooler and a smaller, toddler-friendly structure for our 2-year-old.
At the time of this writing, the park’s restroom was a very clean Porta Potty with a portable handwashing station.
5. Check Out the Horse Stables
Great for animal-lovers
~1 hour; free
The Covered Bridge Equestrian Center is located just on the other side of the Covered Bridge from the playground.
Once you cross the bridge, turn left, and follow the signs that will take you to the Equestrian Center. There are horses for your kids to watch and greet along the dusty way to the center.
Visitors are welcome, free of charge, but are asked not to pet or feed the horses. Lucky for us, some horses were being moved from their stables to a large field for exercise at the time of our visit.
Our kids had fun talking with the stable hands, learning the horses’ names, and asking why they were wearing shades over their eyes. Even though we learned this was to keep bugs and dust out of their eyes, my toddler did not like that the horses couldn’t see. She told the story about the horses and their closed eyes for week.
Where to Eat
Cowboy Bar & Grill
~$20/person
The Cowboy Bar & Grill is a simple and basic restaurant located close to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, and was a perfect spot for lunch for our party of eight, including four little kids.
There was ample outdoor seating, extra fenced-in space for our kiddos to roam without worry, kid-friendly staff, and a kid-friendly menu.
We ordered the pulled pork fries ($16), quesadilla ($14), and a few beers. I wouldn’t say the food was amazing, but it was decent and the kid-friendliness made me appreciate that we tried it out.
Something Sweet
Penny Ice Creamery
Great for local, organic ice cream and marshmallow fluff
~$7+/person
Penny Ice Creamery
Penny Ice Creamery is one of my favorite small-batch ice cream spots in Santa Cruz.
So, you can imagine my surprise when we passed by a sign indicating that Penny’s had a new location in Felton.
Yes, I yelled to my husband to pull over immediately!
Stop on your way in or out of town for a quick scoop of delicious ice cream with the tastiest, locally sourced ingredients. The strawberry and vegan dark chocolate are family favorites, especially with the torched marshmallow fluff on top.
Where to Stay
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Campground
Although Felton has no shortage of Airbnb and vacation rentals, we decided to get a campsite at the Henry Cowell State Park Campground for $35/night per site.
Read our reviews about this campground here.
Although I’ve driven through the Santa Cruz Mountains many times to reach the city of Santa Cruz on the coast, I’ve never really taken the time to stop in Felton or any other mountain towns along the way. The beach was always calling my name, so I drove straight through the mountains and down to the coast every time.
I love redwoods and I love mountains, so I am surprised that I hadn’t ventured into the Santa Cruz Mountains before with my family and am so glad that I did. We had a wonderful time exploring the trees, the history, and the town.
I am looking forward to our next trip, when we plan to visit the Bigfoot Discovery Museum and spend more time in downtown Felton.
What are your Santa Cruz Mountain recommendations? Share in the comments below.
This post is part of a series of posts about the area around Santa Cruz, California. Check out our other posts to plan a fun adventure with your family:
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
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