Happy Harbor

Photo gallery for Happy Harbor

A deck with outdoor seating, a large umbrella, and a view of a marina with boats.
A marina with boats docked, a beach, and a parking area.
A house with a yellow front door, a balcony with outdoor furniture, and an American flag.
A marina with numerous boats docked, surrounded by residential buildings and greenery.
A kitchen with white cabinets, a wooden countertop, a stove, and a microwave.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Walk to Seabright Beach

Popular amenities

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill
  • Refrigerator
  • Washing machine
  • Internet
  • Onsite parking available

Explore the area

View in a map
Santa Cruz, CA
  • Place, Santa Cruz Harbor
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Twin Lakes State Beach
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Place, Seabright Beach
    ‪16 min walk‬
  • Airport, San Jose, CA (SJC-Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl.)
    ‪61 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen
Office
Balcony
Garden

Add dates for prices

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  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
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About the area

Santa Cruz

Located in Eastside Santa Cruz, a neighbourhood in Santa Cruz, this holiday home is near theme parks and near the beach. Mystery Spot and Roaring Camp Railroads are notable landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Monterey Bay and Capitola Beach. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with nearby fishing, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling.
View more Holiday homes in Santa CruzOpens in a new window
Map
Santa Cruz, CA

What's nearby

  • Santa Cruz Harbor - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Harbor Beach - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Twin Lakes State Beach - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Seabright Beach - 16 min walk - 1.2 km
  • Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - 8 min drive - 2.2 km

Getting around

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

Restaurants

  • ‪Crow's Nest Restaurant - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪El Chipotle Taqueria - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪People's Coffee - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪California Wraps - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Happy Harbor pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Happy Harbor?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Happy Harbor?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Happy Harbor?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Happy Harbor located?

Located in Eastside Santa Cruz, this holiday home is within 1 mile (2 km) of Santa Cruz Harbor, Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Twin Lakes State Beach and Harbor Beach are also within 5 minutes.

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 20 out of 23 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 23 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 23 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 23 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 23 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.4/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great property in a terrific location close to the beach and wonderful restaurants. Loved the views!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location! Went sailing, walked on the beach, walked all over the place and sat on the deck over looking the harbor and ocean with coffee and wine!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very special stay at a very special place. Beautifully decorated, charming cottage fully stocked kitchen,, super comfortable beds, lovely view of Santa Cruz yacht harbor, lighthouse, boats and, of course, the ocean. We hosted a family dinner for 12 comfortably, even with 3 very busy children. Bring ground coffee, no Keurig but justabout everything else.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Sept, 2026
Thanks so much for choosing Beachnest Vacation Rentals, Deborah, and we are so glad you enjoyed your stay at the Happy Harbor in Santa Cruz!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy
Great place!
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Happy Harbor is a wonderful rental. You can't beat the location. It was very clean, spacious, and quiet with the beach close by. Also, the beds are very comfy! Beachnest, the host, has done an excellent job at including very you need in the home. I think the only thing missing is an Air Fryer but who really needs that when there are so many great restaurants near by. They were also very responsive with any questions we had. We've stayed at few other homes in the area but I think this beats them all. We are looking forward to returning in the future!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful harborside house! Thank you
Stayed 3 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful house surrounded by colorful flowers, awesome view of the Harbor on both decks. Walking distance to the beach and shops (not for me and my friend of nearly 60 years, but for our kids in their 50's). Super comfy beds! We had minor issues with screen to lower deck. Great communication with hosts. The only really bad thing was that we had to leave .
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property was well maintained and the host was easy to connect with.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Dec, 2025
Thank you for choosing Beachnest Vacation Rentals!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful house is a great location. We booked this for UCSC graduation weekend and it was perfect. A short drive/uber to campus, walkable to the harbor. House itself was clean and comfortable. Parking was tight, but it worked out.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Tranquil Beach Retreat.

Adorable house, great for all ages! Had fabulous views from the 2 decks. Loved all the reading material and even enjoyed a visit from Blu the harbor cat. Hope to stay again!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 30 Jun, 2022
Thank you for choosing Beachnest Vacation Rentals, Lanette! We are so glad you enjoyed your stay at the Happy Harbor in Santa Cruz.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy, great views, beach themed home

Had a lovely stay at beach themed home. Loved the views and decor of home. Walking distance to the beach and close to Santa Cruz board walk. Nice out door patio with view of marina. Large deck off the master with beautiful views. Definitely would stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 30 Jun, 2022
Thank you for choosing Beachnest Vacation Rentals, Priya! We are so glad you enjoyed your stay at the Happy Harbor in Santa Cruz.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

View of Harbor

Nice dwelling in a nice area overlooking harbor. Easy access. No problems.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

boardwalk beach week

The house was as pictured. The location was centered to both downtown Santa Cruz and Capitola. The furnishings were complete and there was no problem with anything. We were three adult females with three female children.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Aug, 2022
Thank you for choosing Beachnest Vacation Rentals, Linda! We are so glad you enjoyed your stay at the Happy Harbor in Santa Cruz.
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Liked: Check-in, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Communication

Great location but..... maintenance, cleanliness and management not so great.

We loved the location. The fees were outrageous for a two day stay. The house was lacking general maintenance and cleaning. The toilet downstairs was sketchy, the water kept running and it didn't want to flush. The managers said turn off the water to the toilet, after they told us to jiggle the handle. It would eventually turn off. About a $30 part would fix that issue. The front slider screen fell off the frame the first time we opened it, we texted and crickets. The lights in the bedrooms were odd. In the room I stayed in only one lamp in the entire room worked and the walk in closet light didn't work. There was an extension cord stapled to the wall that led behind a dresser and under the carpet. There was an overloaded power strip that the light was on but I'm not sure what the deal was with the lights. I'm sure that doesn't meet California electrical code. Fire hazard for sure. There was bird poop on the screens, wall, and the patio surround that was quite unsightly, obviously had been there awhile and not cleaned up. The tracks for both of the sliders were dirty and full of debris. Obviously the $#%) cleaning fee for two nights was not being utilized correctly. Wouldn't stay there again but I liked the neighborhood.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 31 Jul, 2022
It was unfair retaliation on social media - but it doesn't change the fact that we rated you a one-star guest. Perhaps this will assist other management companies in determining whether or not to rent to you in the future.
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely harbor location!

The house is as advertised. Location is fabulous! Lower deck is THE place to spend time! Quick walk to the Crow's Nest, market and beach. Parking was not too bad. Furnishings are dated and hodge podge. A little too much clutter-decor for my taste. Owners clothes in downstairs bedroom closet stuck me as odd.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location. Great house.

Even though it rained most of the days we were there we had a great time. The location was great for visiting different places around the area and for just hanging out near the harbor. Beach was near by for when it was not raining. House was a great hang out space for when it was raining. We would definitely stay again.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beach House Happiness

The house was darling, location was fabulous and we will be back again!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Place

The location is ideal. Close to the Beach and Harbor. Lots to see and do. The house was clean and comfortable, with all the desired appliances. We stayed here in August 2021 with three generations - grandmother, father, daughter and spouses. Something for everyone.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous property in a great location!

Such a cute, clean, comfortable and lovely place with a fantastic view! Easy walk to the beach and restaurants. Fantastic.
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2021
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Location, listing accuracy

Overall experience

When we arrived at 3:00PM our check in time, the Housecleaner was there & had not mopped the floors yet. She was surprised to learn that 3:00 was our check in time. She hurriedly mopped but they were filthy. We cleaned them ourselves as our infant granddaughter was getting dirt stains on her hands, knees & feet. After that, we loved our stay. The house was charming, great location, & wonderful view. Thank you very much! We hope to stay there again!!!💓
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Twin Lakes location in SC!

We recently stayed at this property that is overlooking the harbor in Santa Cruz. This place is super cute and the views were amazing! Easy walk down to the beach and kayak rental right nearby as well. There are even a couple of places to eat within walking distance. We brought bikes and biked down to Pleasure Point which was great. All in all this place is perfect for a family of 4+.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 17 Nov, 2020
Thanks for choosing Beachnest Vacation Rentals, John! We are so glad you enjoyed your stay at the Happy Harbor, and hope you will come again.
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