This beach was great. Had a great time. Something didn't feel right about the parking. Basically was told the parking was full but I'm free to park outside. I was told to still pay the $10. Also when we were waiting in the queue to pay for parking, some people drove right by us and parked. They looked like tourists and not an annual pass holder. read more

Sunset State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Watsonville, California

Great beach with incredible views, the campground was kinda forgettable though. Campsites were not very cozy or campy , no shade and not very flat. Bathrooms and showers were decent , just felt like our camp loop was kinda blah. Was windy and we were up on the hill and exposed so we didn't do a campfire. I've stayed at a lot of beach campsites and Sunset just didn't really hit the mark. 15 minute walk or 5 minute drive to beach so you aren't very close to the beach. Most of the sites were exposed so no real privacy to be had, not a bad place to stay or unpleasant but we stayed one night and it was easy to leave, when you stay at an awesome campground it's hard to leave and you want more and we definitely didn't have that feeling . A decent place to crash for a night passing through......but we probably would skip it next time! read more

Sunset State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Watsonville, California

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Spent an amazing day in May at sunset beach. The weather was breezy and warm and surprisingly very little traffic at this beautiful beach. There is plenty of space to spread out for bbqing, fire pit, sunning, frolicking in the sand with no disturbance. Super clean beach, and clean restrooms. Parking day pass for a $10. If you enjoy Northern California state parks, an annual pass is $125. read more

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This review is not for the beach itself, which is very nice. It's more for the campgrounds, which are not nice at all. The ground is totally uneven with tons of gopher holes and not very much grass not much shade either unless you want to camp in the middle of a group of trees? Also, at other campsites in Santa Cruz, they were willing to swap sites for us if they had vacancies, but at this place, they would not I don't think I'll be camping here again. read more

Bathroom facilities at the camping sites are available although in different states of repair/quality. The campsite is shielded from the seaside winds as exists a high sand dune to protect it. The sunset at this beach is truly breathtaking. Love this destination for camping! read more

It's very uncrowded and very pretty. It is in the middle of nowhere so it's amazing. Also it's very hot and good UV rays. I got so tan here.

Perfect weather and beautiful beach to chill and walk around with family/friends or even your pets

Beautiful and we had a great time Great weather and sunsets. Enjoyed the rocks and sand

Sunset State Beach is a great off-the-beaten path local beach. The sand in this area is clean (no seaweed or other ocean debris) with long, walkable stretches in both directions. As this is an official state beach, parking is free with a state park pass and there are bathroom and camping facilities. Pros: * Super clean beach. * Low tourist traffic. Avoid the out-of-town beach tourists such as in Santa Cruz and Capitola. Cons: * Small parking lot * No retail stores Cell signal from parking lot: * Verizon: 2-bars 5G, 24.8-mbps down / 8.6-mbps up * T-Mobile: 4-bars 5G, 799.9-mbps down / 19.5-mbps up Cell signal from beach: * Verizon: 2-bars LTE, 4.6-mbps down / 4.3-mbps up * T-Mobile: 3-bars 5G, 672.0-mbps down / 19.5-mbps up read more

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This is my go to beach for a reason. The beach is always never crowded and if it is, there is enough space for everyone. Sunset is beautiful as well. read more

Beautiful setting with convenient and maintained facilities. Picnic areas with BBQs by the parking lot and fire pits directly on the beach. It was 73 degrees and partly sunny in early August and couples and families, large and small, were scattered throughout the beach enjoying the day. There were riptide warning signs at the entrance but the beach had lifeguard stations. Views all the way up and down the coast. Perfect! read more

Sunset State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Watsonville, California

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Sunset State Beach is our favorite beach in the Santa Cruz/Watsonville area. The views are beautiful! You can find many sea shells and sand dollars. They offer a picnic/bbq area and restrooms. They also have a camp site nearby. read more

Sunset State Beach - Sunset State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Watsonville, California

This review is for the beach and camping. I stayed here recently with my family and friends and it was an all around pleasant experience. I stayed in the South Camp (there's 3 camping areas all next to each other). The South Camp I was in was full of families and kids riding bikes, having a great time. The camp sites were clean, each with a picnic table and fire ring. I stayed in a camper van but several sites had tents with no issues. As it was close to the beach, we had zero issues with bugs (what a major plus!) I would say the one con was some of the showers were clogged due to people washing off sand. Use the shower down at the beach to rinse off first! From the South Camp, there's no quick direct access to the beach below. We drove down and luckily found parking. It was a packed Saturday. When we arrived at 2pm to check in, the regular beach parking lot was completely full. When we came down to the beach at 4pm, it was still cracking. It was a great weathered day. Sand was nice, water was cool. Theresa a lot of picnic tables with bbq grills nearby. The vibes were pleasant. Not much to complain about for me with the beach at all. read more

We camp here every year. It's not one you're going to see the beach from your site, it's tucked back and has a tree line and dune that protect from the wind at night. It's clean, safe and convenient to moss landing & monterey area. read more

Really fun day trip. Beach was awesome and not crowded. Visited for the afternoon and early evening. Very peaceful and great weather. Got a little windy but not bad. Highly recommend! read more

At the time that we'd visited - the skies were clear, the wind was moderate and the weather was just warm enough for us to sit on the beach in a light jacket without being too cold. The amount of sunshine was just right! It was truly one of those perfect afternoons at the beach. We were even graced with the presence of so many ladybugs!! The only kind of beetle I don't mind having around & I was surprised to find so many on the shore. A beach is normally the last place I would even expect them. Sunset Beach Park, for us, was a great experience. Not sure if it was just a combination of the perfect company, great weather, and the ladybugs but I would recommend it. It was clean and there is an ample amount of parking. Just know however that there is a $10 entrance fee to the park. Check their website for hours of operation as I'm sure they do close at a certain time. Bring a blanket, sprawl it across the sand, sit and listen to the waves. Take it all in. A day at the beach should feel meditative. The perfect escape from daily turbulence. read more

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We spent the weekend at Site #27 in the South Campground at Sunset State Beach. From our site, we can see a bit of an ocean view. If you're aiming for a better view, Site #26 might be an even better pick. Just be aware that it can be a bit windy. Site #27 is clean, spacious, and can easily fit 2-3 tents. It comes equipped with the standard picnic table and firepit, but no food locker. There are two water spouts in close proximity, as well. One downside to Sunset is the restrooms. I found the one at Hollow Pines Campground to be tolerable, but the one at South Campground was awful. Also, be aware of squirrels! They're no strangers to humans and have no problem sneaking right up to your table to grab unattended food. So, you're looking for a secluded campsite at Sunset, you're better off looking at a different campground. read more

Great getaway with amazing weather off the coast. Reserving a site can be challenging, but once you get one it's like hitting the jackpot. Check in is at 2PM. Unfortunately we got there a bit too early, so we had to wait about an hour before going to our site. I advise arriving no earlier than 1PM. Depending who is at the front booth, you may get to your site much sooner than you think. Beach entrance does not allow dogs. However, other entrances off the coast does. We rode our bikes on the beach and the further we were out there we seen more dogs running around. read more

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We were staying at a camp site nearby so we just walked over here. It was a weekend so by the afternoon the parking lot was full. It's a beautiful wide and long stretch of beach. I have never ever went into the water along any California coast until my friends dunked me in it at this beach. It was a perfect hot day and the water felt so refreshing. There is one life guard post and there was someone in it when we were there. There is a sign that says no alcohol on the beach and there was a coast guard that drove by several times and didn't enforce it. I guess just be discreet and respectful about it. Saw some clam shells so I guess one can go clamming during low tide. We returned in the morning around 6:30am and there was nobody but us there. It was so peaceful. read more

Sunset State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Watsonville, California

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A nice clean beach. Well maintained. Swim with caution given the rip tides. Plenty of sand to dance around. Gets plenty of wind for flying kites. Parking fill up quickly. Day use fees are about $10. The adjoining campgrounds are spartan and away from the water. read more

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Great place great weather and I had fun!!! Easy to find good parking spots just a 5min walk over

It was A bit windy lots of open shells all over fun for the kids, pretty cool sunset.

What a lovely beach. We're here on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and it's very quiet in the sense that there are just a handful of people here. You drive by a few farms to get here, but the roads are well paved and if you have the California Poppy Pass you can park here without an additional fee. There are restroom facilities at the top near the parking lot. There's an easy path sloping down to the beach - no stairs unless you choose to take the shortcut with just a few steps. The sand at the beach, at least where we sat, was very fine and soft. It really is the perfect place to watch the sunset if your willing to drive a little ways south of Santa Cruz. read more

Sunset State Beach - About an hour from sunset time, Memorial Day weekend and there's just a handful of people here. - Beaches Near Me - Watsonville, California

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Pretty amazing beach. They have a campground, and since it's a State Beach Park, you do have to pay a daily fee. It is $10 to park all day. But considering how nice the beach is, it was worth it to us. You can actually park next to the sand and walk out to the beach. You are allowed to have fire pits on the beach, so in better weather, we would love to bring some firewood. We spent 2 days here. Kids riding waves on boogie boards all day and searching for crabs and clams. We set up a little area for our canopy and BBQ (propane) right in the beach. There are a lot of tables available on the road side of the dunes with built in BBQ stands. But there is no beach view. It is nice in windy times as the dune and hills block the wind. We are now planning to camp here later this summer if possible. If not, then maybe next summer. You can get here through Santa Cruz or Watsonville. We chose Watsonville as gas is cheaper and we stopped at FoodMaxx to get supplies. read more

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Super clean with well spaced out camp sites. We stayed for 3 nights in our trailer. No hookups at this beach. Beautiful sunsets. Fairly far from the beach because we were camping on a hill. Took the trail to see the beach and ocean but did not take the stairs down to the beach. We would definitely stay again if in the area. This was the first of 3 stop overs going to the redwoods. read more

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I agree that it takes a while to get to the beach if you hit Highway 1 traffic but the beach is stunning. Sea shell collecting is a fun family activity you can do, and the BBQs and shaded benches adjacent the BBQs look to be in good condition (just no beach view unless you go up the 30-40' tall hill separating the BBQ area from the beach. read more

Beautiful beach and campground. This campground is very popular and you must book months in advance in order to secure a weekend campsite. My husband and I recently camped at site #34 in South Camp. This campground is the closest to the beach as the beach is just over a hill and down some stairs. We camped there in early June and the weather was slightly overcast in the 60's. It wasn't the perfect summer weather we were hoping for, but we still had a great time. The campsites are nice and spacious. However, they are a tad close together as we were able to hear other people's conversations at night if they talked loud enough. Campsite is right next the bathrooms, which is also next to the camp host. They sell firewood at $30/bundle. The bathrooms have coin operated showers and the water is actually nice and warm. The beach itself is beautiful. It wasn't too crowded when we were there and the sand is so clean and flat, which makes it perfect for walking. I can't recommend this beach enough for camping. It makes a great weekend getaway from the Bay Area. read more

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Happiness , Peace and Joy is what we find at Sunset State Beach. Its the perfect spot to unwind and recenter.

Secluded, romantic, and beautiful. Everything I could ask for on a sunny day near Santa Cruz. read more

It's a bit of a hike but extremely worth it. Get here early or during off peak hours if you want a shot at parking ... if not then plan to walk a bit from the main road and then go up a hill and once arrive be willing to climb this bad boy. We come here all the time ... its definitely a local spot ... trails are fairly safe but you need to watch fir sneaker waves and undertow... popular destination for the Maverick sized waves but definitely do not turn your back ever in this area. Quiet beach , clean and well kept read more

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I really liked this beach because it was not crowded and the people passing by waved or said hi. I came out here camping and we took camp site #22 in the South Camp. It was a good spot to camp out for the night. We started building tents around 3pm when we arrived and that was a good time to do so because the marine layer moved in with a swift 1-2 punch. The temps dropped from 80's to the low 60's in a matter of minutes. I found that pitching 3 tents can be accomplished easily when you are directing everyone with tasks. After setting up the fortress of tents we decided to head down to the beach for some fishing. Well the perch were definitely in the bay but due to strong current and waves we got no bites. I don't think anyone did to be honest because, but it was still very fun to observe and cast the line over and over. I was able to pull up wads of sea grass and detangle them from line. After climbing back up the hill we got back to the camp site and walked around a little to get familiar with the area and restroom locations before nightfall. The restrooms have two showers which are coin operated that gives you a short soak. The restrooms must be maintained since they are shared by each of the sites and located centrally within a short minute walk. We got the fire started and had brought some firewood 2 cubic feet which was about 10 logs from Safeway and that gave us enough heat to cook meals and make s'mores. We forgot to bring lawn chairs but their is a wooden bench with a table that seats about 6 easily to sit and eat on. We saw lots of animals while there and left a plastic container filled with mixed nuts when we went to the beach on the table however by the time we got back the gofers got to it and chewed right through it. Their is a bear saver at each camp site to store your perishables and other items so you don't have to worry about rodents and other hungry animals. We saw several hawks nearby swooping down and searching for pray. Some bars during sunset and lots of pretty birds on and offshore. We were all awake and having Kenz coffee which was brewed and strategically placed in a thermos for the next morning. We had beef bacon and eggs to make it a delicious overall meal. Some decided to roast some more marshmallows! It took no time to pack the tents and equipment back into the ride with me directing orders again. I decided to take a morning sunrise stroll on the beach before breakfast to clear my mind and search for large sea shells. Mission accomplished and definitely would come back to this beach again. We got to see the shark week discovery channel blimp flyby which was very exciting. read more

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Great parking, restrooms, covered picnic area, nice big beach, not crowded but depending on the wind your experience could be less than ideal. But we can't control the weather. read more

Another spectacular beach! $10 to park and you can use that to use the other beaches in the area as well. How lucky are we to live in this area where we have access to spots like this. Next time, I am going to bring some food and spend the whole day here. read more

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Beautiful beach! Loving the mist, which is lasting to at least midday. Nice, cool weather for late July. The beach is clean, and the views of the hill side behind it are gorgeous. It would be nice if there were restrooms and picnic tables at beach level, but you'll have to hike back up to the parking lot for that. There are fire pits along the beach, though, with logs to sit on. Great place to visit. read more

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Have camped at this beach and it is beautiful! Pretty scenery, there is a lot of wildlife here so beware we saw a couple woodland rats. A lot of people that are staying long-term. Very family oriented, clean bathrooms, have faucets near campsites to clean dishes. Loved it! They don't have soap in restrooms so come prepared! A bit of a trek to the beach but if you are down to walk it's a good place and we were pretty close to the trail! read more

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Great Beach. You don't have to pay if you park outside the designated parking area. Great place to have a picnic.

This is a beautiful beach! Though the walk down is quite steep! Lol~ The descent and ascent is a good workout. Loved walking along this beach as the sand was more compact. Pretty flowers and plants as well. We camped here and really loved the access to the beach and also the clean restroom facility. Water was also warm as well. Great beach and great camping ground! read more

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Sadly came on a day with overcast so we did not get to see the sunset much. It was hot, windy, and humid oddly. We stayed at campsite 11 and it was perfect. Close enough to the host if we needed fire wood or questions. The bathrooms were right next to us but not close enough where so many people were coming through our campsite. There are racoons and lots of wild life so I would utilize the bear locker they provide you. The wild life is not scared of humans it seems. Bathrooms on the campground are pristine. I appreciated the campground very much. It was quiet and relaxing. They were kind and helpful. The enterance from the south part of the beach has a parking lot and it is uphill. Say goodbye to all the things you want to bring with you because the soft sad ewill drag you in. No wagon can get thru that without balloon wheels. I was not fond of the views since it was overcast and pretty dirty when I came. I wish I saw the dunes to comment on that. Otherwise, grat one day stay. read more

It's a drive to get to the easily accessed beach. They close the beach at sunset and lock the gate to the beach. There is an entrance fee. Camping area but I did not check it out. read more

The #1 beach in CA. If you are actually going to the bench to use the beach, you cannot go wrong here. If you are going and expecting activities, food, and things like that, then do not come here. This beach is peaceful. There is never more then 10 people on the entire beach. It's amazing. This beach is so relaxing, I highly recommend it. read more