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July 2023 by Matt D.
Awesome set-up!! Fun crowds, bands, beautiful setting and the fog gave us great running conditions!
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August 2022 by Tom Harvey
This run as is authentically as fun as Santa Cruz. Big thank you’s to the community, City of Capitola. City of Santa Cruz run volunteers and all of the great runner participants. Any event that starts at the beach with the Beach boys Kokomo blaring and 16,000 people lined up ready to go is worthy of support and participation.You could feel nothing but wonderful enthusiasm and energy revering a wonderful day with especially exquisite views.5stars to the Cruz Wharf to Wharf
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August 2022 by MJ Lee
Get the E pass to run next to world famous runners.
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October 2019 by Dayne Gradone
This is GREAT race (aka "The Best Little Road Race in California") and does so much to help the schools in our community. Every year hundreds of thousands of dollars generated by this event go towards supporting local highschool sports programs and so much more. Great cause, great race, and an even better Santa Cruz TRADITION.
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April 2019 by Ben Fox
My wife has done this race a few times. It is probably one of the most scenic runs you could want to do. Also a ton of fun. Beach and ocean views, live bands and ecstatic fans line the route. Plenty of places in Capitola to eat and drink when you finish up as well.
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April 2019 by Joaquin Bridges
The best race ever!! Always lots of fun.
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March 2019 by Richard Caraveo
Best race in Santa Cruz. Fun get together and annual show
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August 2018 by Steven W.
This is a world famous marathon put on yearly in santa cruz what is quite the party. Well part of a marathon anyway. Six miles isn't all that much as far as marathons go, but it's as competitive as you want it to be. Parking can be an issue. This race will bring 20-30,000 people to the santa cruz wharf and capitola wharves respectively. Worse side roads and parking lots that otherwise would be available-such as the boardwalk parking in santa cruz-will be closed for the race. There are designated park and ride areas however the bus shuttles stop running within an hour of the official end of the race. That may or may not be enough time for you to recover and walk another half mile or so. Plan ahead if you plan to drive here for the race. The race course itself meanders around a bit more or less evenly matched between private neighborhoods and along the beaches. It's a nice run/walk/crawl/whatever your pace may be, and since it's earlier in the morning it can be cool and comfortable. As mentioned earlier if you want a super competitive half marathon qualifier you can totally get that out of this race. The top times are just short of 30 minutes for six miles, and those who are very very serious run it both ways. For everyone else it can be quite the fun run experience as not (actually most) everyone takes it quite so serious. People tend to dress up a bit sporting fairy wings, tutus or not quite born children. Adding the most to the party atmosphere is the official and not so official music staged along the route. The official music is well, everything. Blues, rock, jazz, classical, folk, bagpipes, taiko, bata, djembe and some weir...er, extremely colorful guy in a costume playing the accordion. The unofficial music can be more creative and enthusiastic as some-but not all-are part of the semi organized block parties along the route. Not everyone makes it all the way of course. Many people find a way to have a race ending cramp at the microbrewery located right at the 3.1 mile mark which conveniently puts out a beer tent along with a food truck to recover. You know just in case you need it. Some of the pubs along the route (mile 2.5,and 1.9) also have race specials which theoretically will allow you to continue the race. All this means you can absolutely make this run as fun or as hard as you want it to be. Bonus points for ending and beginning at just lovely beach spots, fail points deducted for opening the marathon route up to local traffic an hour and a half into the race in 2018.
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August 2018 by Micah Arnold
The funnest running event in Santa Cruz. You have individuals from all different levels of running and walking and at the same time you enjoy the 60+ bands playing.
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August 2018 by TJ O
Great event
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July 2017 by Christine Y.
It was a super fun race. The residents sang and cheered for us. Since we were in Santa Cruz, the weather was nice and cool. The beginning was very slow because of the crowd of people, so I'll see if I can improve to get into corral 1 next year. Lol it's definitely not a place to attempt a PR. They were extremely organized, which I appreciated. You could get on the bus within 10 minutes. I was also surprised that you could get your photos and net time the same day online. I'll definitely do this again.
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March 2017 by Kristen R.
Back to 5 stars. The strollers are gone & people are having more fun. Love this race!
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July 2016 by Mymy N.
This race truly lives up to it's reputation as the world's greatest little race. After two years of not being able to register before they sold out, I finally got into this year's 44th annual Wharf to Wharf race! From registration, to bibs being mailed out, to the shuttles, and even the volunteers handing out safety pins everywhere, the planning committee made it real easy for race participants. Race cost $40 and registration opened up sometime in April I believe. Sign up ASAP or else it truly will sell out. I drove down that morning from Sacramento and was able to find street parking nearby where the shuttle pick up to the race start line was. I think it'd be nice to have some port-a-potties nearby the shuttle stop because all of the restaurants/gas stations were being stingy about letting runners use their restrooms. When we finally got on the shuttles, the ride to the start was short and there were plenty of port-a-potties there. As for the run, there were supposedly over 15,000 runners that day so I got off to a slow start since the first 2 miles or so was spent dodging people. After that it was smooth sailing. Although there were quite a few little hills, the race was relatively flat and mainly weaved through residential neighborhoods.The 6 miles flew by and I was able to pick up my goodie bag with no problems. T-shirts ran a little small but I truly appreciated the Martinelli's apple juice inside the drawstring bag we got to keep! I was a bit surprised at the lack of food items that are usually given out at these runs (bananas, protein bars, etc.) but the mixed nuts inside the bag were an OK alternative. There were also a bunch of vendors lining the street as you made your way to the shuttles. We stopped by the Brooks one and my friend won a free pair of shoes! I unfortunately got ear buds. #wompwomp Regardless, the logistics were smooth and the Wharf to Wharf was an awesome race. Will definitely try to get in again next year!
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July 2016 by Theresa N.
Always a great race, but this year a few things were less than amazing. Upon finish and exhausted, a huge group of us lined for our shirts/bags only to be told they ran out and that because most of the women were asking for men's sizes, they had no more. Seriously? Also, no bagels, bananas or any food type at end. I think they had water, but it wasn't bottled, but just cups somewhere. Super cluster and a mess. If you have signups online, maybe it should be a little more organized? Small bright side - the bus system back to Santa Cruz was great. Downside. If you picked up the bus in downtown, they didn't drop you off there. There's always next year.
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July 2016 by L E.
I love this race. This was my third year, and I finally decided to review. Pros: Lots of porta potties at the start. And they moved them this year out of the corrals, yay! As a result, getting around/to the corrals was much easier. Bands throughout the six miles. From bagpipes to drums to hip hop to classic rock - and everyone was having a ball. Scenery is beautiful, course is relatively flat (except for a couple of minor hills). Brian Stowe was honorary starter! Unfortunately, I couldn't see him as I passed the start line. Weather was perfect - coolish with a bit of fog. Bus transportation back to Santa Cruz - terrific! Lines moved really quickly and people were super friendly. Cons: Please, Please, Please - there needs to be an announcement at the start reminding walkers to walk on the RIGHT, and NOT six across!!! Seriously, walking is awesome. But it's common etiquette to walk to the right. There were many hundreds of people walking on the left, center and right. Weaving through walkers for the entire six miles is not ok. Finishers shirts. Kudos for adding women's shirts this year. But the sizing is just crazy. Workers told us to get at least two sizes up because they were so tiny. I will definitely run this again. Good times!
