Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History

Santa Cruz is located at the northern tip of the Monterey Bay on the Central California coast, approximately 60 miles south of San Francisco.

To reach the UCSC campus

From San Jose/South San Francisco Bay Area

• Cross the mountains on Highway 17 south and proceed to Santa Cruz.
• Take the "Highway 1 North, Half Moon Bay" exit off of Highway 17.
• Follow the signs for Highway 1/Half Moon Bay onto Mission St. (Highway 1 North).
• Turn right on Bay Street and follow it onto the UC Santa Cruz campus, where it becomes Coolidge Drive.

From Monterey area/Highway 1 from the south

• Take Highway 1 North
• In Santa Cruz, follow the signs to Highway 1 North/Half Moon Bay. This will put you on Mission St. (Highway 1 North).
• Turn right on Bay Street and follow it onto the UC Santa Cruz campus, where it becomes Coolidge Drive.

From Half Moon Bay/ Highway 1 from the north

• Take Highway 1 south from Half Moon Bay
• Highway 1 becomes Mission St. as you enter Santa Cruz.
• Turn left on Bay Street and follow it onto the UC Santa Cruz campus, where it becomes Coolidge Drive.

If Traveling by Bus

• Bus lines coming into Santa Cruz will drop you off at the Greyhound station in downtown Santa Cruz. Walk next door to the Santa Cruz Metro Station and take any University bus (numbers 10-19).
• Take the bus to the Science Hill stop on campus.
• Walk from the Science Hill bus stop to the Norris Center in the Natural Sciences 2 building room 239. Click here for a map of Science Hill

Once you are on the UC Santa Cruz campus

Parking directions to the Core West Parking Structure

• Just past the campus's main entrance at the corner of Bay and High Streets you'll see a pullout at an information kiosk on your right where you can purchase a temporary guest parking permit (no permit needed after 5 pm or on weekends). Day parking permits cost six dollars.  Alternatively, limited hourly parking is available on the second floor of the Core West Parking structure. You can pay for hourly parking right on the second floor of the parking structure
• After purchasing your permit, continue up the hill and go through 2 stoplights.
• Now on Coolidge Drive, follow this up through the grasslands into the forest of central campus
• At your 6th stop sign, turn left on Heller Drive
• Make another immediate left at the next stop sign into the Core West Parking Structure
• Walk from the parking structure to the Norris Center in the Natural Sciences 2 building room 239.Click here for a map of Science Hill.

Closer parking for a shorter walk or if you're dropping off equipment/specimens

• Note: Please call the Norris Center at (831) 459-4763 first to arrange for dropping off equipment or specimens.
• You can purchase an "A" or disabled parking permit at the information kiosk on your right just past the main entrance at the corner of Bay and High Streets. Note that it is not necessary to purchase a permit if you're just dropping something off at the Norris Center. It is best to call campus police to notify them of this to avoid a parking ticket. Do this by calling (831) 459-2231 when you get to campus.
• From the base of campus, continue up the hill and go through 2 stoplights.
• Now on Coolidge Drive, follow this up through the grasslands into the forest of central campus
• At your 4th stop sign, turn left on Red Hill Road
• Follow this for a short distance (approximately 200 yards) and look the concrete building entitled "Interdisciplinary Sciences" in front of you. Once at this building veer to the right and drive up a short hill to the loading dock area of the Science & Engineering Library.
• There are very few parking spots here. If dropping off specimens or equipment, please park alongside the Interdisciplinary Sciences building on your left. Please do not park at the library loading dock or in the fire lane.
• The Norris Center is located in the Natural Sciences 2 building, which is directly across the quad from the library loading dock. Click here for a map of Science Hill.
• If dropping off equipment or specimens, call the Norris Center at (831) 459-4763 to notify staff that you have arrived.  A staff member can come out to meet you in this parking area.