Mystery Spot

Mystery Spot is an attraction in Santa Cruz, CA, part of the San Francisco Bay Area guide. Cost: under $25.

465 Mystery Spot Rd · Santa Cruz, CA

Why you should go…

The Mystery Spot calls itself a gravitational anomaly in the redwoods outside Santa Cruz. A guide leads you through a wooden cabin set at a steep slant, where balls appear to roll uphill and you can lean much farther than seems possible. It became a California Historical Landmark in 2014. Tours leave every half hour and often sell out on weekends and holidays, so buy tickets online ahead of time. There is a hiking trail on the property too.

#roadside attraction
#gravity hill
#guided tour
#redwoods
#optical illusion

What's around here?

The closest stops to Mystery Spot, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

Tours
Outdoor Adventure
Club Ed Surf School and Camps
$50+
A longtime Santa Cruz surf school offering lessons, rentals and camps near Cowell Beach.
2.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours
Sightseeing
Outdoor Adventure
Santa Cruz County
Free
California coastal county known for its beaches, redwood forests, and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
2.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Local Gem
Downtown Santa Cruz
Free
Santa Cruz's walkable downtown shopping and dining district along Pacific Avenue.
3.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
Attractions
Iconic
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Free
Ride a 1924 wooden roller coaster and a 1911 carousel at a seaside amusement park set right on the sand of Main Beach.
3.5 mi awayMore like this
Attractions
Family Favorite
Roaring Camp Railroads
$25–$50
Narrow-gauge steam train rides through redwood groves to the summit of Bear Mountain, from a recreated 1880s logging town in Felton.
3.9 mi awayMore like this
Attractions
Iconic
Winchester Mystery House
$25–$50
A sprawling, architecturally bizarre Victorian mansion built by firearm heiress Sarah Winchester, open for guided tours.
21 mi awayMore like this