Sunset Beach - Day 2

We had a lazy morning of pancakes and walking on the beach. The trail to the beach was a bit precarious. The storms have definitely contributed to the erosion of the sand dunes and the instability of the walkway. Once we got down to the beach, we didn't want to go back up the same way. That meant walking along the beach to the parking lot at least a mile down and then walking back to our site through the campground. We took advantage of the time to watch shore birds and admire sand dollars and sea shells on the beach. Once we were at the parking lot, we watched a pair, maybe four, hawks soar. Two flew over us so close that we got to admire the markings on the underside of their wings.

The campground borders strawberry fields and walking back we could see pickers in the field and hear the Mexican music that was playing. 

Sunset Beach Campground has three areas. We are in the Dunes, which is the furthest from the beach. However, the sites are large and it has been fairly quiet.

In the afternoon, we headed to Sierra Azul Nursery and Garden. It is a garden nursery with large and interesting plants. They are hosting an outdoor sculpture show and sale on behalf of the Pajaro Valley Artists. There are about 70 sculptures scattered throughout the gardens, all the artists are local, primarily from Santa Cruz County.

On the way there, we drove through Watsonville. We admired many murals and the architecture of many old homes.

One of our favorite restaurants in the area was Phil's Fish Market at Moss Landing. About a year ago, they lost their lease and have since moved into Castroville. I thought it would be nice to see their new location and have dinner. The new restaurant does not have the same vibe as the Moss Landing location did, although the menu is pretty much the same. We enjoyed the food, especially the house-made cannoli.

Location: Sunset State Beach Campground, Sunset State Beach, Watsonville, CA 95076, USA

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