Santa Cruz, California is one of the most beautiful areas in the entire country.
Not only are there long stretches of sandy beaches, beautiful ocean views, lush plant life, and incredible architecture, but the majority of the days here are sunny.
It makes perfect sense for there to have been so many notable film shoots here in Santa Cruz. The communities here explode off of the screen!
These are the key reasons why Santa Cruz has consistently been a popular place to shoot a movie. For these same reasons, it’s also why people love to live here.
Santa Cruz has had this reputation for decades, and it’s why the community has thrived for so long and continues to do so. So many movies have used the beautiful setting of Santa Cruz to set their story over the years.
Here are just a few beloved films from over the years filmed right here in Santa Cruz.
The Lost Boys (1987)
This cult-vampire flick from the 80’s is still a favourite of many in the genre.
The Lost Boys is also one of the more celebrated productions ever to film in Santa Cruz. Nearly every exterior shot was filmed in Santa Cruz, capturing the unique beaches, boardwalks, and buildings that overlook the ocean.
Many of the scenes in The Lost Boys take place at recognizable landmarks that are still there today. You can even go on a tour of the various spots and stand where they stood.
The characters frequent the Santa Cruz Boardwalk throughout The Lost Boys, checking out iconic and historic landmarks like the Louff Carousel and the Giant Dipper roller coaster, both of which are still there today.
Birdbox (2018)
While most movies film in Santa Cruz for the boardwalks and beaches, the hit Netflix movie Birdbox, starring Sandra Bullock, went in a different direction.
Just north of Santa Cruz are beautiful forests with trails, hikes, and rivers to explore. The area here truly offers so many wonderful landscapes, and the Birdbox team definitely found it when filming in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.
Chasing Mavericks (2012)
It was inevitable that Santa Cruz would be featured in a movie about surfing. After all, it is one of the best surfing communities in the world.
Chasing Mavericks is an uplifting surfing story starring Gerard Butler, and the camera work makes a point to film some of the most spectacular locations, and waves, in Santa Cruz.
The Santa Cruz Boardwalk serves as the backdrop for the film in many scenes, but many others as well. Pleasure Point in Capitola and Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz are prominently featured surfing scenes.
BumbleBee (2018)
This spinoff of the Transformers franchise was a big hit in 2018, likely due to it’s critical praise, receiving a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie was set primarily in Santa Cruz, so of course there are scenes of the famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk.
What we also get a great sense of are the panoramic views that life in Santa Cruz offers. Many of the shots are filmed from the beautiful seaside Cliff Drive, the road that follows the shoreline here.
It’s hard to capture all of the enormous beauty that cliffside, sunset views are like in Sunset Cruz, but BumbleBee gets pretty close to it.
Us (2019)
Us, the instant horror-classic movie from the mind of Jordan Peele (Get Out) captures Santa Cruz possibly better than any movie ever has.
Yes, it’s a horror movie, but he uses the exciting sights and sounds of the boardwalk, and calm quiet of the ocean to build suspense.
The opening 15 minutes take the audience through the Santa Cruz Boardwalk at night, and then we spend time at the popular Main Beach throughout the day, and we even get a chance to see the Seabright neighborhood, where the main family stays.
Because we see so much of the Santa Cruz community, as well as the drives between communities and impressive residential neighborhoods, Us is a fantastic tour of the area.
For more information on the Santa Cruz real estate market, please contact Lauren Spencer online today or call 1-800-226-4717.
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