Situated in the heart of the Monterey Bay area in the lush Pajaro Valley, Watsonville lies 95 miles south of San Francisco at the southern end of Santa Cruz County. The rural beauty of Watsonville rolls out like a comforting scene from another time. Hills dance above a patchwork of strawberry fields, flower nurseries and apple orchards. Expanses of row crops extend out to the sea. Miles of pristine beaches and sand dunes offer beauty and solitude. Between the foothills and the sea, lies the charming city of Watsonville. Historic Victorian homes and late 1880s storefronts line the main street. The town's centerpiece, the Watsonville Plaza, has long served as a central gathering place for countless celebrations and festivals. Watsonville’s Sunset State Beach is a campground-picnic area located above the beach 16 miles south of Santa Cruz. You can walk to the beach over the dunes.

• Nearby Santa Cruz is the quintessential beach town – where locals and visitors have been surfing the waves for centuries. Not far from the surf break, calliope music and laughter fills the air at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the West Coast's last remaining seaside amusement park. Santa Cruz's newly renovated downtown offers tree-lined streets filled with vibrant shops, galleries, outdoor bistros and sidewalk musicians.
  Here’s a few interesting places in and surrounding Watsonville.

• Watsonville Speedway – Experience exciting NASCAR and Stock Car Racing at the Watsonville Speedway. For race information, call (831) 462-6101.

• Antique Aircraft Fly-In – Private aircraft are welcome in Watsonville, the site of the County's only airport. This general aviation terminal comes alive each Memorial Day weekend when dozens of vintage planes converge for the Antique Aircraft Fly-In. The barrel rolls and loop-the-loops executed in open-cockpit planes recall a day when flying required true nerve!

• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – California's oldest amusement park is about as original and memorable as boardwalks come. The only major seaside amusement park on the Pacific Coast, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk blends old-time nostalgia with modern thrills. You can buy a bag of salt-water taffy, get your fortune told in the old-style arcade, take a road rage-releasing ride on the bumper cars, or test your mettle on the giant wood-framed roller coaster, The Giant Dipper, whose unforgettable dips rival any extreme adventure in new theme parks. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk features a carousel and little cars and airplanes for the kiddies as well. Bring a swimsuit and a towel, as you'll be steps from the sandy, swimmable Santa Cruz beach. The Boardwalk is open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day, weekends fall through Spring. 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060; Tel: 831.423.5590.

• Roaring Camp Railroad – See California's towering redwood forests from two historic railroads on your next visit to the San Francisco or Monterey Bay areas. Travel by steam train up a narrow-gauge track through the Big Trees to Bear Mountain or by beach train down the scenic San Lorenzo River to the sunny beaches of Santa Cruz. It all happens on the Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton.

• Santa Cruz Wharf – Stretching out a half mile into the waters of Monterey Bay and adjacent to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf is lined with family-owned fish markets, seafood restaurants and gift shops. You can hop aboard a boat for a sightseeing excursion around the bay, or stroll to the end of the wharf to watch the comical sea lions. The wharf plays host to a number of events throughout the year, including Jazz on the Wharf and Woodies on the Wharf.

• Monterey Bay – Offering 29 miles of coastline, Santa Cruz is a lively homeport for fun and exploration - a playground for both sea life and land-kind. Adventure into the vibrant Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the world's largest protected ocean habitat. Dive lush kelp forests and watch sea otters scoop up lunch. Kayak waterways shared with dolphins and sea lions. Sail indigo waters and glide with gray whales migrating through the sanctuary both winter and spring. Touch a starfish and marvel the greatness of an 87-foot whale skeleton while exploring underworld mysteries at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. As evening nears, watch the last orange streak of sunset fade into the resting waters.

• Monterey Bay Aquarium – Discover life in Monterey's bay without leaving dry land at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Dedicated to marine research and conservation, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is known throughout the world for its interactive exhibits and ability to present marine life on a truly grand scale. Check out the Aquarium's matchless near-shore and coastal exhibits that explore the habitat and ecosystem of creatures of the tide-pools, and the Outer Bay exhibit, showcasing hammerhead sharks, schools of sardines, enormous sun fish and green sea turtles. Kids love the "Splash Zone", featuring kid-sized exhibits, South African penguins, and much more. The most spectacular new exhibit is Jellies: Living Art, a splendid combination of rare and delicate jellies and fine art. Don't miss feeding time in the giant kelp forest exhibit or the sea otter tank!

• Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary – Spanning 276 miles of shoreline between Marin and Cambria, this 5,322-square-mile marine sanctuary is one of the world's most diverse ecosystems, with the heart of it all lying in the Monterey Bay. Numerous mammals, seabirds, fishes, invertebrates and plants make their home here. Endless opportunities to take advantage of the Sanctuary's resources abound in Santa Cruz, including kayaking, hiking, whale watching, fishing, sailing, surfing, scuba diving and much more. Main Office: 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA; Tel: 831.647.4201

• Santa Cruz City Museum of Natural History – Tour the many habitats of Santa Cruz simply with a stroll through the exhibit area. Visit woodlands, chaparrals, grasslands, and a variety of marine environments. Pound acorns the Ohlone way, excavate sand dollars, tickle a sea star, or get close and personal with a living bee hive. Great for all ages, although children particularly enjoy climbing on the cement whale which is located on the front lawn. 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz CA; Tel: 831.420.6115

• Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History – This quaint little museum in downtown Santa Cruz focuses on contemporary and historical visual culture with a series of rotating exhibitions. The permanent collection displays historical artifacts that illustrate the unique history of Santa Cruz. The museum also offers docent-led tours of the historic Octagon building, the Evergreen Historic Cemetery and the Davenport Jail Museum. 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz, CA; Tel: 831.429.1964

• Cannery Row – This historic waterfront district was once the heart of a thriving sardine-packing industry, a time immortalized in John Steinbeck's novel, Cannery Row. Now a tourist's shopping paradise, you can still see signs of the former bustling industry in the various warehouses that now shelter shops selling Monterey souvenirs, restaurants and galleries. Cannery Row is also home to the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, itself housed in the former Hovden Cannery. Several quaint shops and inns allow visitors to experience the Cannery Row of yesteryear.

• Santa Cruz Surfing Museum – The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum is housed in the small, brick Mark Abbon Memorial Lighthouse overlooking Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz's internationally renowned surf spot, as well as Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay. Focusing on Santa Cruz's surfing history, the Surfing Museum displays unsinkable redwood plank surfboards, photographs of sets and breaks from the 1930s on, and sells books, T-shirts and other paraphernalia. West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz CA; Tel: 831.420.6289

• Santa Cruz Mystery Spot – The Mystery Spot might be the manifest source of Santa Cruz's weirdness. Practically unchanged since its opening in 1939, the promotional literature still says things like, "It's Unusual, It's Amazing, It's Wholesome, Interesting Entertainment." This campy spot is open every single day of the year and draws visitors from all over the world. 465 Mystery Spot Rd., off Branciforte Dr., Santa Cruz, CA; Tel: 831.423.8897

• Natural Bridges State Park – An ideal place for tidal pool exploration, low tide reveals pools filled with sea stars, tiny crabs and sea anemones. Bring your binoculars for fall and winter trips to Natural Bridges Sate Park. Each fall marks the return of thousands of monarch butterflies that spend their winters in a protected eucalyptus grove inside the park.

• Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park – Santa Cruz's Misión la Exaltación de la Santa Cruz was the twelfth mission built in California back in 1791. Perched atop a steep hill overlooking downtown Santa Cruz, the mission is the last standing structure of the original Neary-Rodriguez adobe cluster. Although it's been damaged by several earthquakes over the years, the single-story adobe mission has since been restored respective of its original design. Mission Plaza, Santa Cruz, CA; Tel: 831.425.5849

• Santa Cruz Symphony – Experience a year-round concert series featuring symphonic classics and world premieres of contemporary compositions. Santa Cruz Symphony performances are held at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and the Mello Center in Watsonville.

• University of California, Santa Cruz – Since 1965, UCSC has been expanding into what is now a sprawling campus amongst the majestic redwoods above Santa Cruz. Enrollment exceeds 14,000 students (90% undergraduates), giving Santa Cruz a decidedly college-town flavor. Undergraduates pursue 56 majors in arts, engineering, humanities, physical and biological sciences, and social sciences. Graduate students work toward master's degrees, Ph.D. degrees, and graduate certificates in 27 academic fields. The UCSC faculty includes 11 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 19 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and two members of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine. Overall faculty strength enables UCSC to offer high-quality programs in letters, arts, and science. In its assessment of colleges and universities for 2002, U.S. News and World Report named UC Santa Cruz the 28th best public campus in the country. In another survey conducted by U.S. News, UCSC was ranked 13th among U.S. universities for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and 11th in the quality of its research productivity. UCSC hosts many events throughout the year, adding a diverse range of music, dance and theater from countries around the world to Santa Cruz's cultural mix.

• Pasatiempo Golf Club – Designed by world-renowned golf architect Alister MacKenzie, this 6,439-yard, par 70 course was rated as one of the top 100 courses by Golf Digest. The course is nestled in the rolling hills above Santa Cruz, offering scenic vistas of the beautiful Monterey Bay. Enjoy breakfast and lunch at the MacKenzie Bar & Grill, and relax into the evening with fine Santa Cruz dining at the elegant and historic Hollins House. 20 Clubhouse Road, Santa Cruz, CA; Tel: 831.459.9169

• Aptos – With the redwoods and the beach in one idyllic setting, Aptos offers living at its best. Aptos visitors can savor Saturday morning shopping at the farmers' market, afternoon bike rides through the redwoods, and romantic sunsets on the beach. Just beyond the pier, visitors can inspect the ruins of the Palo Alto, an Aptos landmark the locals lovingly call the "Cement Ship." The heart of Aptos is its historic village, lined with great boutiques, restaurants, and an 1878 hotel. The village also serves as the gateway to the lush wilderness of the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.



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