Come back to where it all began


Introducing a reimagined campus experience for UC Santa Cruz alumni. Return to the Redwoods welcomes alumni, friends, and family back to UCSC for a weekend of celebration, exploration, and an opportunity to relive the beauty of our campus. Reserve your apartment or residence hall room and join us in the Redwoods.

Schedule

A group of students walking together on an outdoor path
Day 1

Friday August 18, 2023

Settle in and celebrate your return to campus with an all-alumni sunset reception.

View Full schedule

Woman outdoors in front of stands with students playing cornhole
Day 2

Saturday August 19, 2023

Choose your own adventure! Enjoy a big day of outdoor activities, campus open houses, and an exciting event at the Quarry Amphitheater.

View Full schedule

Two people hanging out with eachother sitting on the steps of a building and overlooking a field
Day 3

Sunday August 20, 2023

Say farewell to friends and classmates at breakfast before checking out and heading home.

View Full schedule

Housing Options

Alumni and their guests are invited to stay on campus overnight or find local accommodations. While we have the most beautiful campus in America, be advised that dorm living is basic with limited amenities. But, who needs amenities when you have that view?

Large white apartment building with red and white trees

Premium On-Campus Housing: Full Apartment (Sleeps 6) - $415/night

Bring your whole family or friend group with these four-room apartments in Cowell or Stevenson. Apartments include shared common areas including living and dining rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Four linen packages are provided with the purchase of a full apartment.

Purchase Campus Housing

Looking out a window towards a white apartment building, grassy area and ocean in the background

Standard On-Campus Housing: Traditional Dorm (Sleeps 1-4)

Rent one (or more) double rooms in a traditional dorm in Stevenson!

Single Room
(One Bed)
$75/night
Double Room
(Two Beds)
$145/night
Triple Room
(Three Beds)
$200/night
Quad Room
(Four Beds)
$250/night

Purchase Campus Housing

High-altitude photo of a theme park and the surrounding city and landscape

Local Off-Campus Accommodations

Seeking a more luxurious overnight stay? Check out some of the many local off-campus accommodations including hotels and short-term rental properties.

View Options

Cost to Attend

Event Registration Fee is $25 (waived for those who purchase on-campus housing).

What’s Included:

  • One Campus Parking Permit
  • Custom Giveaways
  • Light Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
  • Many Exciting Activities at No Additional Cost

On Campus

  • Full Apartment (Sleeps 6) - $415/night
  • Traditional Residence Hall Rooms
    • Single Room (One Bed) - $75/night
    • Double Room (Two Beds) - $145/night
    • Triple Room (Three Beds) - $200/night
    • Quad Room (Four Beds) - $250/night

Off Campus

Check out one of the many local hotels in Santa Cruz.

FAQs

All UC Santa Cruz alumni and their families, children, friends, and more are encouraged to enjoy this new tradition that is anticipated to become the largest alumni gathering of the year. Whether you just graduated or are celebrating a milestone reunion, bring a whole group for a weekend on the hill!

Alumni Weekend has evolved into two separate events - Alumni Reunion Weekend (April 13-15, 2023) and Return to the Redwoods (August 18-20, 2023). Return to the Redwoods encourages alumni from all decades to stay on campus for a residential experience, Alumni Reunion Weekend focuses on celebrating the classes who graduated 50+ years ago. You can learn more and register for Alumni Reunion Weekend here.

All alumni, family, and friends are welcome to join in the fun! Domestic animals that are not service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act are prohibited on all UC Santa Cruz property unless specifically exempted by the UC Santa Cruz Non-Research Animal Policy. Please see the policy for guidelines and regulations for exempted animals. Service Animals are always permitted.

On-campus housing will be available for purchase in the Cowell/Stevenson apartments and the Stevenson traditional dorms. Housing is designed to accommodate groups of 1-6 individuals. Off-campus housing options include local hotels and short-term rental properties, like those found here.

On-campus housing will be sold on a unit-by-unit basis, so yes! If you purchase a unit for your group, you decide how many beds you will have and who stays in your unit.

Due to competitive demand, we are unable to guarantee that any special requests will be accommodated for this event.

Yes! If you have any questions about accessibility, please reach out to us at alumni@ucsc.edu.

While we have an exciting itinerary to offer, you are welcome to choose your own adventure for the weekend. Feel free to participate as little or as much as you would like in the organized activities.

No! If you are local or prefer to stay in local off-campus accommodations, you are still welcome to register and participate in Return to the Redwoods. General registration for RtR is $25 per guest - which includes parking, giveaways, and some campus activities.

General registration for Return to the Redwoods is $25 per guest - which includes parking, giveaways, and some on-campus activities. This fee is waived for those who are staying on campus.

Please visit the UCSC Covid-19 page to learn about all campus safety protocols.

We strongly encourage participants to register in advance. There is no guarantee that walk-in registrations will be accepted.