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Villa Maria Del Mar

4.8 ★★★★★ 41 Google reviews · Beachfront wedding venue in Santa Cruz, California · 0.4 mi to the sand

Ocean view On-site lodging

Plan your tour

  • Setting beachfront venue, 0.4 mi to the sand — verified by its distance to a real shoreline
  • Lodging on-site rooms come up in reviews and the venue's own info — a built-in room block for a destination beach wedding; ask what's included
  • Phone +1 831-475-1236
  • Website villamariadelmar.org — most venues book tours right on their site

At a glance

21918 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

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On the property

What couples name in their reviews of Villa Maria Del Mar and what the venue states on its own site — the fastest way to tell what's actually here before you drive out.

🌊 Ocean Views 2 mentions

“Imagine the big picture windows with a spacious view of the ocean mixed with the sound of crashing waves, now that is just the setting to ease your heart and mind.”

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🛏️ On-Site Lodging 5 mentions

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What couples highlight

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 41 Google reviews — in their own words, and only about the wedding and the setting.

🏝️ breathtaking beach setting 7 mentions

“Gorgeous view of the ocean, delicious food, amazing site for a private retreat!”

🤝 staff who go above & beyond 2 mentions

From the reviews

I just returned home from another wonderful weekend spent at this scenic retreat center. The location, which overlooks Monterey Bay, is an excellent place to refresh one’s soul. Villa Maria Del Mar is owned and operated by the Sisters of the Holy Names, a congregation of Catholic women religious.

★★★★★ — Carrie, Nov 2019

Villa Maria Del Mar is a fabulous and serene place to retreat. Whether it's for a weekend or a week, you will be pampered with delicious food and comfortable rooms and a view of the Pacific Ocean that can't be beat. Amazing sunrises and sunsets. The sisters really know how to treat you right.

★★★★★ — Suzanne, Jan 2022

My husband has been going to his Jesuit retreat at the Villa for the past 25 years. Simply beautiful and spiritual to say the least. I started joining him a few years ago and love the Villa just as much. The sisters are welcoming and the view is breathtaking.

★★★★★ — Melinda, Dec 2017

I went with ISP group in June fell in love with my bedroom view room 12 so serene so nice the community you must experience this peace of heaven .The staff and cooks were terrific , professional, humble,great service im going back soon.

★★★★★ — Alice, Oct 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews, filtered to comments about the wedding and the setting. Read all 41 reviews →

Getting married at Villa Maria Del Mar

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.

See their weddings page

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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.