Entry No. 29 — the Santa Cruz file — filed under: shipwreck

Seacliff State Beach — SS Palo Alto wreck

A WWI concrete tanker too late for the war was towed here in 1930 and refitted as a floating ballroom-and-café amusement pier — it cracked in half in a 1932 storm, was sold to the state for $1, and has spent nine decades slowly disintegrating into Monterey Bay; the pier out to it was finally demolished in March 2023 after successive winter storms tore the stern off, leaving the rusted concrete hull visible as an offshore ruin and artificial reef.

The move: Walk the bluff-top trail at low tide to see what's left of the self-styled 'Ship of Dreams' poking out of the surf, then picnic at the fire pits where Depression-era Santa Cruzans once danced on a boat that was already sinking.

• 📍 Aptos
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 201 State Park Dr, Aptos, CA 95003

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · parks.ca.gov

last checked: 2026-07-20