Palomar Inn

Pros

• Whitney is an exceptionally skilled instructor with a knack for pinpointing what students need and explaining it clearly.
• Whitney's lessons are fueled by genuine passion, making each session enjoyable and helping students build confidence and a love for dance.
• She creates a fun, engaging, and patient learning environment where students feel comfortable pushing their boundaries and making real progress.
• The Palomar Ballroom is a fantastic, historic venue with a welcoming community and a vibrant atmosphere.
• Palomar offers knowledgeable instructors across multiple dance styles, making it the best place in Santa Cruz to learn ballroom, swing, and salsa.
• The theater events and performances hosted there are well produced, entertaining, and offer great value, with delicious cocktails and thoughtful staging.
• The Palomar Ballroom provides group and private lessons, as well as online options, helping dancers stay connected with the community.

Cons

• The Palomar is described as being located in an old slum hotel.
• There are no main classes on Thursdays.
• Coordinating classes between the two locations (Scott's Valley and Santa Cruz) is difficult for those taking multiple series.
• There is a desire for more advanced Tango and Cha Cha series classes.
• One reviewer described the experience as horrible.

Review

In Santa Cruz, the Palomar Ballroom has emerged as a vibrant hub for anyone looking to dive into ballroom and social dancing, a place where private lessons, group classes, and community events weave together into a rich learning and social experience. One dancer's two-year journey with Whitney stands out as a cornerstone of that experience. The private lessons she offers in Bachata are described as transformative, with a clear emphasis on the details that make social dancing work - timing, body movement, and the fluency that comes from practiced fundamentals. The instructor's knack for identifying precisely what a student needs to work on, explained with patience and clarity, creates a learning environment that feels both structured and genuinely enjoyable. The energy Whitney brings to every session is palpable; her enthusiasm is described as contagious, turning challenging material into something fun and approachable. Over time, this approach has built not only technique but a growing confidence on the dance floor.

What makes Whitney's private work particularly compelling is the blend of technical rigor and warmth. The reviews paint a portrait of a teacher who respects each student's pace while pushing them toward noticeable progress. A dancer who once felt self-conscious and hesitant about dancing explains how Whitney's warm, approachable demeanor helped them relax, break down complex steps, and steadily refine their technique. The result is more than just improved steps; it's a shift in mindset - learning that dancing can be joyful, something to look forward to rather than a source of anxiety. The learning atmosphere is consistently described as supportive, patient, and inviting, a space where pushing personal boundaries is encouraged and progress feels tangible after each session.

Beyond Whitney's private lessons, Palomar Ballroom itself earns high praise for the welcoming community and the venue's unique charm. From the moment someone steps inside, there's a sense of belonging: a place where instructors know you by name, where the historical setting adds character to every class, and where the community vibe makes practice feel like a social gathering as much as a tutorial. The studio is repeatedly described as a fantastic place to learn a new skill, to stay active, and to connect with like-minded dancers. The combination of a superb instructor like Whitney and a lively, supportive environment helps students look forward to each lesson and to the next opportunity to practice what they've learned.

The Palomar experience isn't limited to Whitney, either. The reviews highlight a team of passionate instructors and a diverse class roster that keeps people engaged and growing. Jeremy, the owner, is praised for his patient and effective teaching style, and many note that other instructors - Mario, Jess, Zak, Katie, Zeynap, and others - bring their own strengths to the floor. The ballroom's offerings span a broad spectrum: East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Salsa, Argentine Tango, Rhumba, Foxtrot, Charleston, Lindy Hop, Cha Cha, and more. There are group lessons and private sessions, series classes designed to build real skill over time, and practical options like drop-ins for beginners or private single and couple lessons. The value is further enhanced by package deals and the ability to participate in lively dance parties that blend practice with socializing. Even during the pandemic, Palomar adapted with online classes, ensuring that students could continue learning and staying connected to the community.

Interwoven with the instructional side are the performances and theater-adjacent experiences that add another layer to Palomar's appeal. Reviews describe a theater group that captures the mood and essence of its chosen era with performances that feel polished and precise - "dead on," in the words of one observer. The cast is lauded for their chemistry and the seamless execution of the material, while audience members revel in the atmosphere that accompanies a well-curated show. The experience is complemented by small but memorable details, such as a Cats Meow cocktail that earns the affectionate compliment of being "the cats meow." The venue itself - beautiful, historic, and well-prepared for performances - helps create evenings that are not only entertaining but also inspiring, leaving attendees eager to return whenever the group visits town.

The overall sentiment toward Palomar and its offerings is strongly affirmative, with many reviewers calling it the best place in Santa Cruz to learn ballroom, swing, and salsa. Longstanding students recount dancing virtually every day at one point, praising the dedication of the faculty and the breadth of experiences - from casual drop-ins to intensive private work - that make the studio feel like a living, breathing community. The social and educational environments are described as safe, welcoming, and fun, with instructors who are genuinely invested in each student's success. The combination of a celebrated venue, a team of skilled teachers, and a thriving social scene makes Palomar feel less like a school and more like a home where dance becomes a joyful, ongoing pursuit.

Of course, the most detailed memories come from personal journeys and occasional caveats. Some reviews acknowledge older, more background concerns - such as the logistical complexities of coordinating across two locations, or a desire for more advanced Tango and Cha Cha series classes. There are also mentions of occasional scheduling gaps, like the absence of main classes on certain Thursdays. Amid these, the overwhelmingly positive tone remains, reinforced by testimonials of people who have found their confidence, skills, and community at Palomar. Even some discordant notes - such as a troublesome phone incident unrelated to the ballroom itself or old references to mixed experiences with other hospitality spaces - are acknowledged in the broader narrative as separate from the core ballroom experience.

In the end, the tapestry of reviews paints Palomar Ballroom as a premier destination for dancers at all levels. Whitney's private Bachata coaching stands out as a transformative core experience for individuals seeking technical mastery and personal growth, while the broader Palomar ecosystem - led by Jeremy and supported by a diverse staff - offers a comprehensive path to learning, practicing, and enjoying dance. The venue's historic beauty, its welcoming community, and its lively schedule of classes, private sessions, online options, and social events combine to create a memorable and uplifting dancing journey. For anyone curious about ballroom, swing, or salsa in Santa Cruz, Palomar presents a compelling invitation to learn, perform, connect, and grow - inside a space that feels both historic and alive with the energy of dancers who believe in the joy and discipline of this art.

Cafes

• The Walnut Avenue Cafe (0 miles)
• Verve Coffee Roasters (0.2 miles)
• Starbucks (0.4 miles)
• Firefly Coffee House (0.4 miles)
• Lulus Midtown (0.7 miles)
• Linda's Seabreeze Cafe (1.1 miles)
• Verve Coffee Roasters (1.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.1 miles)
• Santa Cruz Medical Marijuana Doctors (0.1 miles)
• Rite Aid (0.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.4 miles)
• Tom's Medical Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• KindPeoples Collective (2.5 miles)

Restaurants

• The Penny Ice Creamery (0.1 miles)
• Hula's Island Grill (0.2 miles)
• Lúpulo Craft Beer House (0.2 miles)
• Taqueria Los Pericos (0.3 miles)
• Asti Cafe (0.4 miles)
• Mariannes Ice Cream (0.6 miles)
• The Buttery (0.6 miles)

Physicians

• Jeffrey Smith, DDS (0.5 miles)
• Family Medicine: Westside Center: Palo Alto Medical Foundation (0.7 miles)
• Vickie L. Winkler, MD (0.8 miles)
• Marin S. Muller, MD (0.8 miles)
• Santa Cruz Pulmonary Medical Group (1.3 miles)
• Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics (1.3 miles)
• Timothy Allari, MD (1.7 miles)

Parks

• Depot Park (0.7 miles)
• Pogonip (1.3 miles)
• Lighthouse Field State Beach (1.6 miles)
• De Laveaga Park (2 miles)
• Natural Bridges State Beach (2.3 miles)
• Mystery Spot (3.2 miles)
• Wilder Ranch State Park (3.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Dominican Hospital (1.3 miles)
• Dominican Hospital Comm Rm (2.6 miles)
• Birthing Center: Sutter Maternity Surgery Center (2.8 miles)