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The Grove: Santa Cruz Event Center

4.4 ★★★★☆ 177 Google reviews · Oceanfront wedding venue in Santa Cruz, California · 0.1 mi to the sand

Historic, oceanview venue for corporate events, balls, weddings and concerts.

Plan your tour

  • Setting oceanfront venue, 0.1 mi to the sand — verified by its distance to a real shoreline
  • Phone (831) 423-5590
  • Website beachboardwalk.com — most venues book tours right on their site

At a glance

400 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Get directions

On the property

What couples name in their reviews of The Grove: Santa Cruz Event Center and what the venue states on its own site — the fastest way to tell what's actually here before you drive out.

🪵 Boardwalk Beach Access

“The views of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and the Pacific Ocean are a sight to behold”

More venues with boardwalk beach access →

What couples highlight

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 177 Google reviews — in their own words, and only about the wedding and the setting.

🏝️ breathtaking beach setting 11 mentions

“Still iconic and beautiful venue as ever before.”

From the reviews

Last time was here was my Watsonville High School graduation in 1997. Still iconic and beautiful venue as ever before. Here for friends Christmas party 🥳 🎉

★★★★★ — Jlt_Productions, Dec 2023

Candlelight made the ambiance in the room warm and relaxing. The music was played exceptionally well. The only downside is that the audience wasn’t respectful of other people’s desire to listen without hearing them whispering. I’m going back to hear the rest of the series playing at the Cocoanut Grove in Santa Cruz.

★★★★★ — Barbara, Nov 2023

Very nice venue with great view of the wharf. Food was very good though salmon looked farmed. Chocolate dessert was delicious. Ridiculous company policy did not allow you to take home food you couldn't eat.

★★★★☆ — Dawn, Mar 2026

Amazing venue to host your events. I have been here multiple times and been impressed by the beauty that this venue offers. The views of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and the Pacific Ocean are a sight to behold

★★★★★ — Sriram, Mar 2024

Excerpts from public Google reviews, filtered to comments about the wedding and the setting. Read all 177 reviews →

Getting married at The Grove: Santa Cruz Event Center

Two things make the tour worth the drive. First, see the ceremony spot at the exact time of day you'd say your vows — a west-facing beach glows at sunset but bakes at noon, and you'll want to feel the wind, watch where the sun sits, and walk the path your guests take across the sand. Second, bring your real questions: the weather backup (where does the ceremony move if it rains or the wind kicks up?), who pulls the beach permit, the sound-ordinance curfew, the catering and bar policy, and exactly what's included — chairs, setup, and teardown on sand are where quotes quietly diverge. Peak beach dates book 12–18 months out, so if the tour feels right, ask what's open in your season before you leave.

Check wedding info on their site

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Dream Inn

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Ocean Echo Inn & Beach Cottages

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Bright accommodations, some with kitchens, in a guesthouse offering breakfast & beach views.

1.7 miles away

All beach venues near Santa Cruz, CA →

Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and couples' reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this venue? Claim your listing — it's free.