Sunset State Beach

Weather was as close to perfect as ive ever exp... sand was fine and clean of debris... did my 1st ever barefoot oceanside sand run(2.4 mi).. saw plenty of birds and even a loan sea lion hanging out on the beach... the awe and wonder i exp. was undeniable... i am thankfully blessed to have been there for the short time i was...

Sunset Beach – Watsonville, CA True to its name, Sunset Beach offers absolutely stunning sunset views that are picture-perfect and serene. The soft, clean sand made it a relaxing spot to unwind and take in the natural beauty. In the afternoon, the beach gets quite windy—ideal for flying a kite or simply letting the breeze refresh your senses. One of the most memorable parts of the visit was the abundance of sea life. We were lucky to witness whales putting on a show just off the shore—a magical and unexpected experience. While the waves rolling in made the water look a bit brown, it was fascinating to watch the power of the ocean. However, the rip currents were very strong, making it unsafe for swimming during our visit. With its wide stretch of sand, Sunset Beach is a perfect place for a long, peaceful walk. Whether you’re there for the ocean wildlife, the wind in your hair, or the golden horizon at dusk, it’s a coastal gem worth visiting.

One of our favorite beaches! They have mole crabs that my children like seeing. It's usually not too busy when we go. Stairs to go down or a ramp which is good for more people. We found what we think was a moon jellyfish there and used our bucket to splash water by it to get it safely back to the water. Definitely check it out. $10 or so fee to get in for the day.

Friendly nice and frequently quiet beach for fishing or just walking.

I think it's a great place! I've read some bad reviews of this place but I think some have high expectations of what camping is all about. I've been to high end campsites and they have the same issues as this place. My experience here was great! The bathrooms were clean and the showers were nicely warm (not HOT for obvious safety reasons). Our campsite was clean upon arrival and all trails were maintained. The day use area (close by) at the beach is better than expected. Sunset Beach State Part is very family and pet friendly (dogs ARE allowed on the beach).

Sunset State Beach provided the perfect setting for a relaxed crew outing, where the group could enjoy the ocean breeze, soft sand, and a bit of friendly volleyball under the sun. The wide shoreline made it easy to set up a casual game, and the open space allowed everyone to spread out and unwind. After working up an appetite, the team took a break to grab lunch nearby—something quick and satisfying before heading back to the beach for more downtime. The park’s natural beauty and laid-back vibe made it feel like a true escape, even if just for a few hours. Whether lounging on blankets, walking along the water, or sharing laughs over food, the outing struck a great balance between activity and connection. Sunset State Beach continues to be a go-to for group gatherings that don’t need much more than good company and a view.

For Labor Day Weekend, we found the Campground well maintained, the restrooms stocked & kept decent, especially given the crowds. The Beach parking lot filled up but the sand never did! Lifeguard in duty all day too. Water is cold but tolerable, the waves are kind & the water depth inclined gently. There were huge moon jellyfish in the water! But they didn’t sting, thank God. Great sunset views, the name is apt!

It was our first time there and it was really cold so we didn’t stay that long, but we did play a little bit but the kids run along the beach and get some energy out

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.

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!

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

What an awesome place to visit. Well worth the trip. Highly recommend you add it to your list of coastal destinations

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.

Superb! Beautiful beach with soft sand and clear water. Perfect for a relaxing day in the sun. Great spot for a peaceful getaway!

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!

Great campground next to the beach, we are staying here tonight in our camper van, and it's kind of overgrown, but what do you expect from a California State park??? we are happy, we have a fire pit, I'm surprised this place is not packed because it's Easter weekend. lt is a beautiful day on the West Coast. Gorgeous . campground is fine, it's kind of quiet, and close to the beach. yay.

Wonderful, scenic, peaceful, rejuvenating beach. The sand is amazingly fine and soft. There is plenty of sandy space between the cliffs and the shoreline. It is not very crowded (probably because of the 3 mile two lane drive from highway 101. Parking at the state beach is $10 (as of 02/16/2020).

My husband and I spent 4 nights in the south campgrounds, staying in site #14. We were in our 26' RV so there was plenty of room in the driveway, it was also relatively level. Some site have quite a slope to them and would be really hard to level any kind of RV. The grounds were well kept and the bathrooms were clean. It was a 1/4 mile walk to the beach, which was not bad at all. The beach was beautiful and was perfect for a long walk to bird watch and just enjoy the ocean waves. There are a couple vista points that you can walk to to watch the sunsets without having to go all the way down to the beach.

The family and I wanted to hang out at the beach, play and do some fishing. We found this spot as a recommended spot for surf perch. We made the drive which wasn't too bad. The beach was about two hundred yards from the parking. There is a paved path that takes you from the parking lot to the beach but then you have to trek it another 100 or so yards to the water. The beach was super nice. You can find the small sand crabs or sand fleas or whatever you call them just by digging them up. Fun for the kids. As for the fishing, it was not a catching day. There were quite a few people fishing from the beach but no one was catching anything. One huge downfall is the bathrooms are up top. So if you have to use the restroom, it was a far tiresome walk. Come early because the parking got full. Lucky for us, we came early and found a perfect spot. There were plenty of parking when we arrived.

We visited the campground and beach over July 4th weekend. As expected, it was quite busy but the park rangers worked quickly to get us in with parking permits. We joined other family and setup at our large campsite. A few items to note for the campground are: no electric sites, wood bundles available in the park but a bit expensive at $15, and bathroom showers take quarters. I definitely recommend bringing a little toilet paper and soap as they may be out. The parking is very limited, but the beach access was easy and the beach was very nice. Overall and great stop and I cannot wait to go camping here again!

This is a very peaceful and beautiful beach if you need some relax time. There is camping in site available as well. Everything is always very well kept. Easy to get to and easy access to the beach itself.

It took a really long time getting to this beach from San Jose. However, once you get there, the beach is fantastic. Went with 2 other families with young kids and it was a great place for them to play in the sand. What more do kids want? Water and sand. Win for everyone! We brought some food to eat on the beach and pitched our tents. When you first get to the gate, it's $10 to park. You see immediate parking spots but if you go left towards the beach camp area all the way down, you'll get to the other side of the beach. There's a little bit of a uphill climb to get to the beach but it's quieter on this side. Water was cold yesterday but it was nice to dip your feet in the water. We got there around 10:30 and left around 2. As we were leaving we saw tons of cars lining up to get in. Could be for the beach or campsite.

This campground can use some updating. The food boxes to keep critters out of your food at night are full of holes and serve no purpose. We thought about using ours for firewood! The critters got right in at night and ate like kings. For $40/ night, I expected more updated facilities. The bathrooms are old as heck, too. Camp hosts were on it and very helpful, but can only do so much. State of CA needs to spend some of that surplus $ and fix this place up. New Brighton Campground down the road is a gem.

3.5 stars, rounding up RV/Travel Trailer review * dry camping, no hookups * spots are short - I booked site #1 (south camp) for my 20 ft trailer and it was barely suitable, depth wise. It's essentially a asphalt parking spot. Width wise is almost the same as lengthwise so imagine a square spot. But here's the kicker - they expect you to park your car next to your trailer in the same asphalt spot. I parked slightly on the grass and the camp host knocked on my trailer door and told me to move my car. I had to move my car so close to my trailer that there was only 2 ft distance between the two. When I opened my trailer door it would almost hit my car. Heads up * spots do have decent size grass spot with picnic table, deep steel firepit with grill grate, food locker * no dump station. Must go to new brighton state beach in capitola. If you are heading home going north this is on the way. It's about a 15-minute drive. Inconvenient. But I guess at least it's free if you show them your ticket from sunset State Beach. If you don't, they'll charge you $10. * water spigots here and there * walk to beach down staircase (10 mins down), or drive to beach parking lot (2 mins) * generators ok from 10a-8p * cell coverage - verizon, spotty LTE. couldn't hot spot, not sufficient speed. I was trying to do some work but oh well

Very low-key. I love how this beach is not crowded... i'm sure it's because of the location. Nice for a quiet walk along the beach. The sand is so soft and not sticky at all.

Read the bottom picture. Save yourself disappointment and don't go to the campground.

We camped here at site 70 in the dunes loop. The campsite was large and flat (compared to some of the other sloped sites) but was terribly un scenic and far from the bathroom. We were also disappointed when we found out the closest beach trail was closed and has been closed for years even though it still shows on all the campground maps. We drove to the beach which was only a couple minutes away. The beach was beautiful! Clean, wide and relatively uncrowded. We had a bonfire at night! If we come back it would be for a day trip or we'd stay in loop 1-37 which was walking distance to the main beach entrance.

Perfect . Had to stay In Watsonville for a couple days and got up early every morning just to come here and do meditation and yoga and it's so perfect every morning there were not more than a hand full of people , a bunch of birds and some seals in the water ? I could be wrong lol Tons of parking and easy to get here .

Me an my wife camped here it was a great time we loved camping here very peaceful definitely coming back to camp they sell wood 10$ a bundle and it's a really big bundle comes in a bag plus $35 a night to camp also bring your own quarters for the shower it's $1.25 for five minutes decent showers don't forget your shower shoes lol they were pretty clean bathrooms there great views the walk around the whole place was nice

Msoft sand, not too crowded, smaller parking area for the beach compared to manresa, easy to get to the beach from parking, bbq area next to the beach Saw dolphins and seals

Spent the most perfect day with some friends at this beach. We bbq'd, put our feet into the freezing nor-cal water, played in the sand and yes... you guessed it, watched a beautiful sunset! A mere 20 minutes from Santa Cruz but it takes you farther away. The water, the sand and the views are different here. Just lovely. It's really clean too! My new favorite beach in the Bay Area. I got dibs on the bonfire pit near Lifeguard Tower #11!