Know Before You Go
We can’t wait to see you at Return to the Redwoods
this August 15-17, 2025!
On this page, you’ll find all of the information you’ll need for your weekend getaway back to campus.
If you’re having issues with registration, housing, or general questions, please contact the Reunions team:
reunions@ucsc.edu
*Please note: after August 1st, any and all housing and weekend pass purchases will need to be handled with our Reunions team directly, and will not be available for purchase online. Please email us to secure housing.
Use the buttons below to navigate your way around the page.
Important Weekend Reminders
Please review the following to make sure you and your party are prepared for the weekend.
Everyone needs a Weekend Pass
Everyone in your party is required to have a Weekend Pass. The Weekend Pass serves as your access to meals and activities throughout the program.
All Return to the Redwoods attendees are required to have a weekend pass, even if they are not staying on campus.
Know your registration details
If you registered your party for housing: please ensure you have added everyone staying in your dorm or apartment to your registration. If guests are not on your additional registrant list, they will not be given keys at check-in. If you need to add guests to your housing order, please log back into your registration account and update your Participant Roster.
If you are staying on campus but someone else made your reservation: ensure you know which person in your party did make the reservation, and remind them to make sure you are listed. You will need to tell the staff who made your housing reservation when you arrive so we can provide you with your key.
Register for additional Weekend activities
If you haven’t already registered for optional activities throughout the weekend, there’s still time! Until Monday, August 11, you can log back into your registration account, select “Make Additional Purchases/Reservations”, and sign up for available activities.
See the full weekend schedule.
Some additional activities are included in the cost of the Weekend Pass, while others have an added cost.
Check-In
Check-in
All check-ins will be located in the Porter College Circle, and Parking Lot 125—regardless of where you’re staying.
HOURS:
- Thursday Early Bird Check-In
- 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- **Please note that Early Bird Check-In is only available to those who purchased Thursday night housing on campus**
- Friday Check-In
- 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday Check-In
- 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Thursday/Friday Check-in process:
You’ll drive up to the Porter Circle, where our team will activate your parking permit. Then continue to Lot 125 and park in a 20-minute check-in spot. Head over to the check-in tent near the circle to pick up your welcome packet and housing keys.
Saturday Check-in details:
Drive on up to the Porter College Parking Lot 125 and park in a 20-minute check-in spot (be sure to take note of your license plate before leaving your car). Walk into Porter College towards the lower quad to the Slug Central information booth. Our staff will assist in activating your parking permit for the weekend, as well as provide you with your welcome packet and housing keys.
Staying at Porter or Kresge College?
Once you’re checked in, return to your car and grab your things! The apartments are a little far from the nearest parking lot, so you can borrow a yellow move-in bin from our staff—just leave your ID at the check-in tent and pick it up when you return the bin. Once you’ve unloaded, move your vehicle to long-term parking in a nearby lot, following the parking instructions below.
Staying at Rachel Carson College?
After check-in, return to your car and drive to a lot closer to your housing. We’ll have 20-minute unloading spots available. Once you’ve unloaded, move your vehicle to long-term parking in a nearby lot, following the parking instructions below.
After Hours Check-Ins
8:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m.
If you anticipate arriving after the designated check-in window, please:
- Park in a 20-minute check-in spot in Porter College Parking Lot 125
- Call our On-Call staff members at (831) 332-0705 or (831)-332-8479. Staff will activate your parking permit and bring you your welcome packet and housing keys.
If you know in advance that you’ll be checking in after 8 p.m., please fill out this Google Form so we can prepare for your arrival.
Parking
Parking
Parking permits at Return to the Redwoods are included in your Weekend Pass!
At check-in, our team will collect your license plate number and add it to our system to activate your parking permit (it is a digital permit, associated with your specific vehicle and is not transferable). Your permit is valid from the day you arrive to 5 p.m. on the day you’re scheduled to check out.
(Note: There are no physical permits; all permits are digital and associated with your license plate.)
Where can you park?
Your permit allows you to park in any “A” designated lot on campus. Please note that you may only park in unmarked spaces—this means no reserved spaces, ParkMobile spaces, Zipcar, or otherwise specially designated spots. The closest “A” lots to the event are marked in yellow on the attached map. If you need assistance determining where to park, please contact us.
- The closest parking lots to Porter College are lots 124, 125, and 126.
- The closest parking lots to Rachel Carson College are 160, 161, and 162.
- Note: Lots 143, 145, and 147 in Kresge College are currently closed due to construction.
DMV Placards and Medical Spaces:
Anyone with a DMV placard or license plate may park in the following spaces:
- ADA (a.k.a. Accessible) parking spaces
- Any “A” designated lot without a sign (Not valid in Zipcar, Provost, CRE, Vanpool spaces etc.)
- Medical spaces
- In time zones (e.g., 10-minute spaces) for longer than the time specified
- In mobile pay and paystation spaces without additional payment when no other parking is available
- Out of a marked parking space, as long as you don’t park in fire lanes, tow-away zones, or next to red curbs. You also can’t block other vehicles, access to dumpsters or loading docks, buildings, sidewalks, pathways, or traffic.
Guests without DMV placards or plates are not permitted to park in the spots labeled ‘Medical’.
If You Don’t Have a DMV placard or license plate:
You may apply for a temporary Medical parking permit. This requires submitting medical documentation to Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS). The documentation must be from a healthcare provider (e.g. physician, surgeon, chiropractor, etc.) and must include the duration of the temporary parking need and the type of accommodation: Close-in, or Medical (difficulty walking more than 50 yards).
- Contact the TAPS sales office at 831-459-4543 or at tapssales@ucsc.edu
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 7am-5pm
*Please note: the TAPS sales office WILL NOT be open during the weekend of Return to the Redwoods. Arrangements for a medical permit must be completed ahead of the weekend.
Check-Out
Check-Out
Sunday Housing Check-Out
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Bring your vehicle back up to the 20-minute spots in Porter College Parking Lot 125. Park and head into Slug Central to drop off your keys and say goodbye!
Please note: a charge will be incurred for any lost or damaged keys.
Monday Housing Check-Out
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
**Please note that Monday Check-Out is only available to those who purchased Sunday night housing on campus**
Bring your vehicle back up to the 20-minute spots in Porter College Parking Lot 125. Park and head into Slug Central to drop off your keys and say goodbye! Please note: a charge will be incurred for any lost or damaged keys.
After Hours Check-Out
If you anticipate checking out outside of the designated checkout windows:
- From 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., please drop your keys off with staff either at the Slug Central Information Booth or at the West Conference Office located in Rachel Carson College.
- From 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., please leave your key packet on the desk of your room or apartment—no need to turn them in directly to staff.
If you know in advance that you will be checking out early/outside of check-out hours, please email reunions@ucsc.edu so we can prepare for your departure.
Dining Information
Start your morning with a delicious breakfast at the recently renovated Rachel Carson/Oakes Dining Hall. Enjoy a variety of morning favorites served with sweeping views of the Monterey Bay.
**Please note that two breakfast vouchers are included with your Weekend Pass. Any additional dining you wish to do at the dining hall is not included. Information on dining hall pricing can be found here.**
Rachel Carson/Oakes Saturday and Sunday Dining Hall Hours:
- Breakfast – 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Saturday and Sunday Breakfast is included with the Weekend Pass. - Lunch – 11:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Dinner – 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
New this year, the Porter Market will be open! Located next to the Porter/Kresge Dining Hall, you can purchase grab-n-go meals, snacks, bottled beverages, smoothies, organic espresso drinks made-to-order, plus grocery and convenience items.
Porter Market hours:
- Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Looking for a meal outside of the Rachel Carson/Oakes Dining Hall hours? The Nine/Lewis dining hall and the Crown/Merrill dining hall will both be open for service over the weekend.
**Please note that dining at these dining halls is not included with your Weekend Pass. Information on dining hall pricing can be found here.**
Nine/Lewis Dining Hall Hours
- Breakfast – 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Lunch – 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Dinner – 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Crown/Merrill Dining Hall Hours
- Continuous daily meal service from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
On-Campus Transportation
Return to the Redwoods Loop Bus
Special Event Loop Bus
We’re running a special loop bus on Saturday to help you explore campus! Bus picks up at Porter/RCC Bus
Stop (on the Porter side) approximately every 15 minutes, and runs counter-clockwise, making stops around campus from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Santa Cruz Metro Bus
Metro Busses
Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District’s “Metro” buses travel bi-directionally through campus to help people get downtown and throughout Santa Cruz County. All METRO buses are wheelchair accessible.
The UCSC campus is served by the 11, 18, 19, and 20 lines. A Metro schedule by stop can be found here.
Campus Loop Bus
Loop Busses
Available Monday through Friday, the campus Loop bus is a circulator shuttle and runs consistently without fixed departure times.
Shuttles depart from either the Main Entrance, traveling counterclockwise (see map), or the Barn Theater, traveling clockwise (see map).
Monday through Friday:
Westbound (counterclockwise) Loop buses depart the main entrance stop every 30 minutes from 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. (out of service at 10:00 p.m.).
Eastbound (clockwise) Loop buses depart the Barn Theater stop every 30 minutes from 7:45 a.m. – 9:45 p.m. (out of service at 10:15 p.m.).
**Please note that there is no regular campus loop bus service on the weekends.**
Campus Amenities & Activities
The best part about Return to the Redwoods – you get to choose your own adventure! There’s plenty to do on campus in addition to everything included in the Return to the Redwoods weekend schedule.
Get a workout in.
Gym and pool access on Friday and Saturday are included in your Weekend Pass! If you’d like to visit the gym or use the pool (located near the East Field House), stop by Slug Central to complete the waiver and get your access sticker. You are then free to head over and use the facilities.
Have some downtime over the weekend? Stop by the East Field House for some “East Field Study” where you can rent sport/outdoor equipment and have some fun on the East Field!
Pick up some gear.
The Bay Tree Bookstore will be open during the following times:
- Thursday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Friday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m – 5 p.m
- Sunday: CLOSED
- Monday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Alumni can receive 20% off of one item. Present the coupon below at the register to receive your discount.
Visit the Porter Sesnon Gallery.
Located in Porter College at UC Santa Cruz, the Mary Porter Sesnon Gallery, the premier art gallery on campus, focuses on impacting student education and creating community through the arts. The Sesnon Galleries include the Main Gallery, the Faculty Gallery, and the student-curated Sesnon Underground, and they showcase the talent and creativity of students, faculty, and alumni.
General Information
Useful Links
Linktree
New this year, we’ve created a mobile-friendly linktree with live updates, timely reminders, and essential weekend info. Save it to your phone’s home screen or browser favorites so you can access it quickly throughout the event.
Prefer unplugging or don’t have a smartphone? Printed copies of everything included in the linktree will be available onsite at Slug Central in Porter College.
Maps
We’ve compiled here a collection of map locations around the UCSC campus to help you find your housing, event and activity locations, and more.
Other Events
Quarry Plaza Concert: Blue Note Presents:
Damian “Jr. Gong” & Stephen Marley with J BOOG
Arriving on Thursday, August 14th? Enjoy an evening of live music, great atmosphere, and community connection as the Quarry Amphitheatre at UC Santa Cruz hosts Damian “Jr. Gong” & Stephen Marley with Special Guest J Boog for a concert. Tickets can be purchased here.
Construction
Hagar Drive Closure
UC Santa Cruz will close a portion of Hagar Drive this summer to stabilize the ground and protect infrastructure. The closure—between Steinhart Way and just above the Athletics and Recreation parking lot (Lot 103)—will be in effect all day and night from Thursday, June 19, through Thursday, August 28.
Vehicles will be detoured on Coolidge Drive and transit services will be on a modified route. METRO buses will bypass Hagar and travel on Coolidge instead. UCSC Shuttles will partially serve Hagar with clockwise loops going as far as the East Remote Lot interior, and counterclockwise loops going as far as Athletics & Recreation (OPERS). Visit taps.ucsc.edu for schedules and updated information throughout the summer.
Pedestrians and cyclists will be detoured on paved paths around the closure (see below map).
Service roads at Cowell College, and Athletics and Recreation will remain open for authorized service vehicles and planned use. Vehicle turnaround points will be available at Quarry Plaza Lot, Lot 103, and East Remote Lot.
Keys
Porter Dorms
If you are staying in the Porter dorms (building B), this is how to use your key card:
To Enter the Building:
- Tap your card against the gray box outside the exterior door. The door will then unlock.
To Enter Your Room:
- Take the key card out of the plastic holder
- With the magstripe facing the door and on the left-hand side, insert your key card into the slot at the top of the lock, and immediately remove
- Input the PIN number given to you during check-in
- Door should unlock
Porter Large Apartments
If you are staying in the Porter Large Apartments (buildings E, F, G, and H), you will receive one physical brass key to open the door to your apartment.
Porter/Kresge Small Apartments
If you are staying in the Porter/Kresge Small Apartments (buildings J and K), you will receive two physical brass keys. One will open the door to the building, and one will open the door to your apartment.
Rachel Carson Quiet Dorms
If you are staying in the Rachel Carson Quiet dorms (building D/L), this is how to use your key card:
To Enter the Building:
- Take the key card out of the plastic holder
- With the magstripe facing the door and on the left hand side, insert your key card into the slot at the top of the lock, and immediately remove
- Input the PIN number given to you during check-in
- Door should unlock
Steps are repeated to enter individual dorm rooms.
Rachel Carson Family Zone Apartments
If you are staying in the Rachel Carson Family Zone apartments (buildings 1, 2, and 3), this is how to use your key card:
To Enter the Apartment:
- Take the key card out of the plastic holder
- With the magstripe facing the door and on the left hand side, insert your key card into the slot at the top of the lock, and immediately remove
- Input the PIN number given to you during check-in
- Door should unlock
Questions? Email reunions@ucsc.edu.
What to Expect & Pack
What to Pack
Staying on campus? While we have the most beautiful scenery in America, be advised that dorm living is basic with limited amenities. We advise all guests to take a look at our packing list to make sure you’re prepared for the weekend.
If you’re staying in an apartment, please note that no dishes, kitchen utensils, or cooking supplies are included. You will have access to an oven, stove, and fridge.
You can also take a virtual tour of the Porter and Rachel Carson dorms and apartments.
Weather
The Weekend’s weather is expected to be partly cloudy in the mid to high 60s. The UV index will be high, so don’t forget to bring your sun protection!
Remember, even in the summertime Santa Cruz can be chilly! Be sure to bring plenty of layers and comfortable walking shoes.
Leave room in your suitcase
All guests are invited to join us Saturday Night in the Porter Quad for the “Spotlight Santa Cruz Street Fair,” featuring local Santa Cruz vendors.
Make sure you leave some room in your suitcase to take a few (or more!) locally-crafted souvenirs home with you.
We’ve also got fresh new merch at our UCSC Alumni Merch booth. Don’t forget to stop by!