The Pajaro Dunes in Watsonville attract tourists from all over the state, as well as from New York and California. There is free parking on the beach and the campsite is located in the same area as the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds and other local attractions. The beach is just a few blocks from the city's main parking lot, but storage units can be rented online or by phone (without credit card).
We are committed to providing a positive experience for our customers in Watsonville through our community outreach, education and outreach efforts, and through our local businesses.
The Slough system is one of the last wetlands in Santa Cruz County. Watch the Watsonville Wetlands, a book published and written by this organization, tells the story and explains the importance of these wetlands in the area, and shares information on the current state of water management and protection of this important wetland.
Watsonville, like neighboring Salinas in Monterey County, produces most of the food for the Pajaro Valley in Santa Cruz County and the rest of California. Mexican cuisine, empanadas, tamales, churros and andbebe, as well as a wide variety of other food and beverages, all located in and around Bayside Shopping Center, Watsonville's main shopping and entertainment center.
At Pajaro Food Center, the torta is a grilled steak sandwich to order, and it's more fun to eat the famous giant beef burrito outside or sit inside and eat it.
The best time to visit the State Park is in the summer, when many events and activities are organized, including the annual Santa Cruz County Fair and the California State Fair. The festival square also hosts various events, including concerts, carnival games, food trucks and a variety of other activities. With many attractions including a petting zoo, live music and performances, a children's playground and many other attractions, the SantaCruz County Fair attracts visitors from all over the country.
Drive past strawberry fields and discover the open sand and surf trails that make up Watsonville's Sunset State Beach. The farm, the beach and the different landscapes are well suited to the weather, which makes a stay in WatsonVILLE pleasant and enjoyable.
Watsonville and Santa Cruz are beach towns, but they also attract many visitors from the San Jose and Central Valley areas. Most people stop at the beach, but a more dramatic approach is to wind up on the steep, steep hill at the southern end of the city. Following the slope that descends into the valley, you can go on horseback riding and watch the landscape change from redwoods and oak forests to redwoods, oaks and woods.
The racial makeup of the city is similar to that of Santa Cruz, with a majority of Hispanics and Latinos of all races. Hispanic and Latino races make up 75% and 12% of the population, respectively, while the majority are of Mexican origin. Watsonville used to have a large Asian-American presence, consisting of Chinese, Japanese, and Filipinos, although the proportion of Asian-born city dwellers has declined since the 1960s.
There are 14,089 residential units in Watsonville, of which 5,957 (44.0%) are owned - occupied and 7,571 (56.1%) occupied by tenants. The census shows that of the total number of households living in the city, 322 (0.6%) live in non-institutionalised group quarters, 206 (0.4% are institutionalised and 206.4% are hospitalised). Of these, 11,695 units are inhabited by owners, 6,079 (46.2%).
Median income per household in the city is $37,617, and median income per family is $40,293. Although median household incomes rose significantly between 2000 and 2010, adjusted for inflation, the share of urban residents affected by poverty rose faster. The city has seen significant population growth in recent years, which has required the preparation of a series of environmental impact reports, as the resulting development has deprived certain areas within cities of productive natural habitats.
As a result of this incident, the City of Watsonville prohibits the consumption of fish caught in Pinto Lake and the use of the lake for fishing and other recreational purposes.
In Watsonville, light snowfall fell on Saturday, but it was so low that it could not be measured. Fog and deep cloud were frequent, but no significant snowfalls were reported, the National Weather Service in Santa Cruz County said. Measurable amounts of snow are rare in California, although significant snowfall has occurred in the past in some parts of the Bay Area, such as San Francisco, San Jose and San Diego.
The Pajaro Valley, where Watsonville is located, has a normally pleasant climate, with a high percentage of sunny days and low temperatures in the mid to high 90s. The average annual rainfall is between 22 and 42 inches, with measurable rainfall occurring on an average of 61 days per year.