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This is a nice beach tucked away amidst a residential neighborhood. There is plenty of parking but you should plan to get there early as it fills promptly. When parking is full the park ranger won't allow more cars to enter until at least 10 cars have left. Parking is $10, I dont know if they take card or not. We were there yesterday for Father's Day. It was a sunny 75 degrees and light breeze. Water was cold. As we got there around 10AM the lifeguards posted Rip Current flags. Lots of surfers yesterday. When we got to the beach it was pretty empty. Then around lunch time it started filling up. We had some guests that came around 2:30 and the park ranger was turning people away. The thing that sucks about the location of this beach entrance is that you can't park in the residential side streets as they are pretty far from the entrance and not a lot of curbs if that makes sense. Bathrooms are pretty clean. They only have one set of restrooms and a total of 4 separate bathrooms. They are located in the parking lot. You do have to walk down either a set of stairs or a semi-steep driveway to get down to the beach. So plan accordingly if you or whomever you are may find that difficult. Not a whole lot of ocean debris like seaweed and wood on the beach. We like the sand at this beach because they are "ground" small so it gets packed where there is a lot of foot or lifeguard truck traffic which makes it easier to get around. The waves were pretty awesome to watch not to mention the surfers. They really caught some great waves yesterday. Lifeguards are really vigilant and I don't know if it's just because of the rip current warning or if they just are. This is one of the beaches we do frequent so we'll be back.
Manresa State Beach is one of the uncrowded and more remote beaches you will find as you leave Santa Cruz and head south on the always beautiful (and sometimes crowded) PCH. I have driven by the Manresa Beach exit hundreds of times and never stopped. Staying at a local lodging literally a 5 minute drive away, we decided today was the day to visit. October is one of the most beautiful times of the year on California's coast. As such, the weather was spectacular today. A $10 entrance fee was paid, which is the usual fee for state beaches in this area. The employee at the gate was friendly and engaging. (Whale and dolphin sightings are often seen here she told us.) She explained to actually get to the beach, you could walk down a close by, short dirt road or a staircase on the opposite side of the large, paved parking lot. We chose the road. It was all of a few minutes to reach the sand. Once on the beach, it was so beautiful with one surfer out in the water. You could look forever in both directions and see no one. So peaceful. There was a life guard lookout, but no life guard today. I am thinking probably during the summer months, someone is there. After an hour or so, a few people showed up. A family with fishing poles, dog walkers, and one more surfer dude:) I would definitely return to Manresa State Beach if even to sit in the car in the parking lot, which overlooks that beautiful, blue Pacific Ocean. What a view! A restroom is located in the parking lot. That is always a plus. Cheers!
Busy beach, plenty of sand for day use. Parking $10, restrooms. Loved the walk-in beach (no drop off) felt safe and water was COLD but refreshing! Just what I wanted! It is the Pacific. Lots of surfers and skim boards. Just a beautiful day!
Vitamin Sea We visit a lot of state beaches and this one is def up there amongst our favorites. It's not because the views are that much better or the amenities are spectacular. No, it's mostly because it's a chill spot to hang, low-key and never packed. The Good: *Restrooms *Lifeguards on duty *Dog-friendly *Popular spot for surfers *It's a beach :) *Large parking lot *If you visit in the summer be sure to stop by Crystal Bay Farms (https://yelp.to/Fiyp5Hftelb) to pick some organic strawberries. They're less than 2 miles from the parking lot! The Meh: *$10 entrance fee or free w/ state park pass *A bit of walk from the parking lot down to the beach; there's either ton of stairs or a long, steep driveway of sorts. By itself neither one is a big deal but when you're schlepping a cooler, chairs, camera bag, sand toys, and whatever other misc goodies you're carrying along it can be a bit of a chore. The Ugly: *No rinsing area by the Restrooms to hose-off sandy feet before heading home. TLDR: Not the most spectacular beach in the area but we dig the vibe and low-key atmosphere.
What a lovely beach! I recently purchased the California State Park Poppy parking pass, so we are trying to hit some state park locations and explore. Manresa did not disappoint. We were able to park easily in the lot, and we used our Poppy annual parking pass. In the parking lot there are clean bathrooms (no soap) and showers to rinse off sand at the far end of the parking lot. You can walk down a ramp or staircase. The second ramp at the end of the parking lot looked like it was collapsed at the base - the entrance looked like it was once blocked from the parking lot but the gate is now on the floor for some reason. The sand here is pretty clean, and this beach has a large "shelf" of what I now know is called "the backwash" (thanks to a sign in the parking lot). The shelf stays really wet and if you dig around you can find all types of critters - clams and what I called "sand crabs" as a kid. My husband went a little further out and easily found lots of in tact sand dollars. We released all the critters back into the sand/water and the sand dollars went back as well. My son really enjoyed playing in the waves and the sand. This is a bit far for us from east bay, but it will be worth the trip to come again.
We love to walk and take the dogs to this beach. It's clean and a long stretch of pretty sand. We see lots of surfers and fishermen out there too. It's one of my favorite beaches in the area.
I love love love love love love this beach. It's my favorite! We always get the best weather when we go here! It's a great beach to take your dogs and people are very respectful!
Great spot to listen to the ocean and recharge the soul. I was here in the middle of the week and there was barely anyone there and it was just wonderful. There is a big parking lot which costs $10. Super nice man at the front who was very friendly and helpful.
*Sorry yelp won't let me delete my review as it was meant for Manresa campground which is down the road 1.5 miles.* Very nice campground with 64 sites which includes sites that can accommodate large groups. You can buy very good quality firewood for $10.00 a bundle from either the main gate or from the camp host. There are two shower houses / restrooms bring quarters for the showers. Come camp enjoy good friends scenery and the beach.
Did not camp here, but something I may look into. We visited for the sake of biking along the beach and it was amazing! We rode our bikes 3 miles South and definitely could go further. It was sun down and it does get dark out there. We had a blast!
Great beach! I love that this beach is not as crowded as other beaches I've been to. I also appreciate that there's a bathroom despite not having any soap. It's not super clean but at least it's a running toilet and not a portable. Also parking lot was large enough where we had a few different choices on parking space. It does cost $10 for entrance but totally worth it in my book. I just hope they will maintain it better and maybe add a working soap dispenser as well. It's unsanitary not having soap after using the restroom. It was fun seeing many surfers and people fishing there. The waves were just right, not too strong or high, so the kids could actually jump in and enjoy the water a bit. Also loved looking at all the lovely homes lining the beach!
We took our 2 small dogs and this beach was amazing. Not over crowded and folks were superfriendly. My doggies had a great time playing tag, next time we will go and take picnic basket and stay a bit longer. Super clean too.
Since I've been back to California, I've only been to the shore a few times. Going to the beaches near Watsonville seemed a better idea than fighting businesses. I'd been to Sunset State Beach the previous time and wanted to see this beach also. Getting there was interesting. There are a lot of little, winding roads on the way. The parking lot was small, as was the one at Sunset State Beach. There was no attendant, perhaps because of the time of year. The walk down the stairs was a bit long. I'd been to the Atlantic Ocean multiple times and generally, there is flat and easy access, especially in Virginia, and Florida. The last platform was missing some boards. Since it is still winter, there were very few people and it was extremely pleasant. If you've been to Santa Cruz (or New Jersey or Brooklyn or Long Island), you know why it is pleasant. The temperature in San Jose had been 81 on the way over. It was 63 at the shore. It's a warm winter here and there. It wasn't too windy. You can see from my photos that it is a good place to see the sunset, if you can find a place to park.
1 year ago
1 year ago
Love this beach! It's less crowded and extremely clean. No lifeguard on duty and there's signs everywhere warning of riptide. It's beautiful place to catch the sunset or to have a nice stroll. read more
2 months ago
2 years ago
This is a nice beach tucked away amidst a residential neighborhood. There is plenty of parking but you should plan to get there early as it fills promptly. When parking is full the park ranger won't allow more cars to enter until at least 10 cars have left. Parking is $10, I dont know if they take card or not. We were there yesterday for Father's Day. It was a sunny 75 degrees and light breeze. Water was cold. As we got there around 10AM the lifeguards posted Rip Current flags. Lots of surfers yesterday. When we got to the beach it was pretty empty. Then around lunch time it started filling up. We had some guests that came around 2:30 and the park ranger was turning people away. The thing that sucks about the location of this beach entrance is that you can't park in the residential side streets as they are pretty far from the entrance and not a lot of curbs if that makes sense. Bathrooms are pretty clean. They only have one set of restrooms and a total of 4 separate bathrooms. They are located in the parking lot. You do have to walk down either a set of stairs or a semi-steep driveway to get down to the beach. So plan accordingly if you or whomever you are may find that difficult. Not a whole lot of ocean debris like seaweed and wood on the beach. We like the sand at this beach because they are "ground" small so it gets packed where there is a lot of foot or lifeguard truck traffic which makes it easier to get around. The waves were pretty awesome to watch not to mention the surfers. They really caught some great waves yesterday. Lifeguards are really vigilant and I don't know if it's just because of the rip current warning or if they just are. This is one of the beaches we do frequent so we'll be back. read more
Manresa State Beach is one of the uncrowded and more remote beaches you will find as you leave Santa Cruz and head south on the always beautiful (and sometimes crowded) PCH. I have driven by the Manresa Beach exit hundreds of times and never stopped. Staying at a local lodging literally a 5 minute drive away, we decided today was the day to visit. October is one of the most beautiful times of the year on California's coast. As such, the weather was spectacular today. A $10 entrance fee was paid, which is the usual fee for state beaches in this area. The employee at the gate was friendly and engaging. (Whale and dolphin sightings are often seen here she told us.) She explained to actually get to the beach, you could walk down a close by, short dirt road or a staircase on the opposite side of the large, paved parking lot. We chose the road. It was all of a few minutes to reach the sand. Once on the beach, it was so beautiful with one surfer out in the water. You could look forever in both directions and see no one. So peaceful. There was a life guard lookout, but no life guard today. I am thinking probably during the summer months, someone is there. After an hour or so, a few people showed up. A family with fishing poles, dog walkers, and one more surfer dude:) I would definitely return to Manresa State Beach if even to sit in the car in the parking lot, which overlooks that beautiful, blue Pacific Ocean. What a view! A restroom is located in the parking lot. That is always a plus. Cheers! read more
2 years ago
Busy beach, plenty of sand for day use. Parking $10, restrooms. Loved the walk-in beach (no drop off) felt safe and water was COLD but refreshing! Just what I wanted! It is the Pacific. Lots of surfers and skim boards. Just a beautiful day! read more
Vitamin Sea We visit a lot of state beaches and this one is def up there amongst our favorites. It's not because the views are that much better or the amenities are spectacular. No, it's mostly because it's a chill spot to hang, low-key and never packed. The Good: *Restrooms *Lifeguards on duty *Dog-friendly *Popular spot for surfers *It's a beach :) *Large parking lot *If you visit in the summer be sure to stop by Crystal Bay Farms (https://yelp.to/Fiyp5Hftelb) to pick some organic strawberries. They're less than 2 miles from the parking lot! The Meh: *$10 entrance fee or free w/ state park pass *A bit of walk from the parking lot down to the beach; there's either ton of stairs or a long, steep driveway of sorts. By itself neither one is a big deal but when you're schlepping a cooler, chairs, camera bag, sand toys, and whatever other misc goodies you're carrying along it can be a bit of a chore. The Ugly: *No rinsing area by the Restrooms to hose-off sandy feet before heading home. TLDR: Not the most spectacular beach in the area but we dig the vibe and low-key atmosphere. read more
What a lovely beach! I recently purchased the California State Park Poppy parking pass, so we are trying to hit some state park locations and explore. Manresa did not disappoint. We were able to park easily in the lot, and we used our Poppy annual parking pass. In the parking lot there are clean bathrooms (no soap) and showers to rinse off sand at the far end of the parking lot. You can walk down a ramp or staircase. The second ramp at the end of the parking lot looked like it was collapsed at the base - the entrance looked like it was once blocked from the parking lot but the gate is now on the floor for some reason. The sand here is pretty clean, and this beach has a large "shelf" of what I now know is called "the backwash" (thanks to a sign in the parking lot). The shelf stays really wet and if you dig around you can find all types of critters - clams and what I called "sand crabs" as a kid. My husband went a little further out and easily found lots of in tact sand dollars. We released all the critters back into the sand/water and the sand dollars went back as well. My son really enjoyed playing in the waves and the sand. This is a bit far for us from east bay, but it will be worth the trip to come again. read more
Great spot to listen to the ocean and recharge the soul. I was here in the middle of the week and there was barely anyone there and it was just wonderful. There is a big parking lot which costs $10. Super nice man at the front who was very friendly and helpful. read more
3 years ago
*Sorry yelp won't let me delete my review as it was meant for Manresa campground which is down the road 1.5 miles.* Very nice campground with 64 sites which includes sites that can accommodate large groups. You can buy very good quality firewood for $10.00 a bundle from either the main gate or from the camp host. There are two shower houses / restrooms bring quarters for the showers. Come camp enjoy good friends scenery and the beach. read more
Did not camp here, but something I may look into. We visited for the sake of biking along the beach and it was amazing! We rode our bikes 3 miles South and definitely could go further. It was sun down and it does get dark out there. We had a blast! read more
5 years ago
Great beach! I love that this beach is not as crowded as other beaches I've been to. I also appreciate that there's a bathroom despite not having any soap. It's not super clean but at least it's a running toilet and not a portable. Also parking lot was large enough where we had a few different choices on parking space. It does cost $10 for entrance but totally worth it in my book. I just hope they will maintain it better and maybe add a working soap dispenser as well. It's unsanitary not having soap after using the restroom. It was fun seeing many surfers and people fishing there. The waves were just right, not too strong or high, so the kids could actually jump in and enjoy the water a bit. Also loved looking at all the lovely homes lining the beach! read more
4 years ago
We took our 2 small dogs and this beach was amazing. Not over crowded and folks were superfriendly. My doggies had a great time playing tag, next time we will go and take picnic basket and stay a bit longer. Super clean too. read more
3 years ago
11 years ago
Since I've been back to California, I've only been to the shore a few times. Going to the beaches near Watsonville seemed a better idea than fighting businesses. I'd been to Sunset State Beach the previous time and wanted to see this beach also. Getting there was interesting. There are a lot of little, winding roads on the way. The parking lot was small, as was the one at Sunset State Beach. There was no attendant, perhaps because of the time of year. The walk down the stairs was a bit long. I'd been to the Atlantic Ocean multiple times and generally, there is flat and easy access, especially in Virginia, and Florida. The last platform was missing some boards. Since it is still winter, there were very few people and it was extremely pleasant. If you've been to Santa Cruz (or New Jersey or Brooklyn or Long Island), you know why it is pleasant. The temperature in San Jose had been 81 on the way over. It was 63 at the shore. It's a warm winter here and there. It wasn't too windy. You can see from my photos that it is a good place to see the sunset, if you can find a place to park. read more
6 years ago
This is such a beautiful beach! I love that the beach is spacious and clean. Dog friendly but dogs must be on a leash. There are rangers around to uphold the rules. The beach is also kid friendly and I see a lot of families having a beach day here. The beach is spacious enough to social distance and there is usually not a lot of people on the beach. Parking is $10, pay with cash in an envelope and drop off in their drop box. Definitely a great beach day! read more
8 years ago
First time going, and not the last time. The weather was amazing. Very warm and you can take your grill to grill. Dogs are allowed. Parking is 10$ . You can pay cash or card. There are stairs to get to the beach so if you have things to carry be prepared. read more
6 years ago
Loooooove this beach. Plenty of parking. Dog can play on leash. Usually not super packed during the week. Amazing sunsets. read more
6 years ago
6 years ago
Great beach. Be careful of jelly fish. Dog and family friendly. Clean but a hike down to get to it. read more
9 years ago
This is a very beautiful beach and wasn't too crowded when I was there! The beach stretches out very long and it was great weather while I was there. It's crazy that even in the middle of December it was a great day to visit a beach. The waves were pretty big and plentiful as well. One thing to be aware that day parking in the lot is $10, but there are some free parking spots right before you enter the paid parking lot. Other than that I'm not sure where else to find free parking, but you only have to pay for parking during the day and not after sunset. Also, it looked like a good spot to also do a bonfire as I saw people setting that up as I was leaving! Overall, I would recommend this beach if you are in the Santa Cruz area and looking to visit a not too crowded beach spot! read more
9 years ago
Now this beach is super stellar! It was a great place to spend the day on the beach with friends and family, playing some beach volley ball, Fußball, and catching some rays. I'll probably check out this beach again on my way back up, but there are many other beaches that I must see in this world. Come check out me! read more
3 years ago
10 years ago
If you're looking to skip the crowds in Santa Cruz or Capitola, Manresa State Beach is a nice alternative that's not too far away from these other more crowded beach areas. There is a small parking area that is free of charge right off San Andreas Road and a short walk down to the sand. It's a no frills beach but the lack of crowds make up for that. Expansive strip that you can take a nice walk down and lots of seabirds to watch along with the crashing waves. I'd visited on a chilly gray late summer day but that just added to the dramatic backdrop of the Pacific. Walking along the coast was peaceful yet bracing. There were also driftwood pieces scattered throughout that made nice respite spots. Because of the colder weather we didn't too much sitting but it was nice to take some small breaks along the way. Tips from other Yelpers warn that this is not a safe swimming beach-strong currents and undertow-but still good for general beach sitting :) Overall it seemed like a clean local beach that I'd love to visit again in sunnier weather. read more
10 years ago
Local State Beach in La Selva Beach, not Watsonville. Expansive, large, plenty of parking. You can avoid the parking fee, which is reasonable by the way, by parking just outside entrance and walking in if you are here early enough. Do bring sandals or flip-flops because idiots throw bottles and trash on the ground in the parking lot. Please clean up after yourself here, leave your music at home, and try not to trash our wonderful coastline. If you feel the need to get into the water, be aware that 1) It is real cold, year round; 2) there are dangerous currents here that can pull you out to sea; 3) there is wildlife just yards off the shore, so enter at your own risk. For surfing and boogie boarding please watch over your kids. Waves here, based on the beach facing, can be very unpredictable; one minute they are 2-3' foot waves and suddenly a 5-8' sets rolls in and can slam you on the shore very easily. Especially, if you are playing in shore breaks (bad idea). Overall, this is a nice beach because if you want to be alone you can just walk a mile or two down the beach and you are alone. Thank you Nature. http://www.surfline.com/surf-forecasts/spot/manresa_5036/ read more
I recently went back to camp this previous weekend after going once years before with some friends. There are a lot of pros and cons to this campground, but it is a beautiful beach. As many already know. the weather in Santa Cruz area is always on and off. Some days are warm with clear skies, others gloomy with intense dew and fog. We were really lucky and saw the sun halfway through Saturday and Sunday. It made for a really enjoyable weekend for my bf and me. Pros: - On a nice day, the views along the beach are amazing. Perfect place to watch sunset on a clear day. - Seems to be a popular place to surf. - Spacious campsites with clean amenities - Walking/Running path nearby the campgrounds to go on a walk or jog Cons: - You need to walk all your things to your site, so if you're lucky and your site is close to the loading parking lot, you don't have to make so many trips and walk too far. - The main parking lot is about a 10 min walk uphill from the campgrounds so for some people, that can become tedious and not as convenient as with other campgrounds where you park in the same lot as your campsite. - Weather is on and off and it can get really dewy overnight so your camp chairs and tent can get really wet. I highly recommend a tent cover as it can get really cold at night. Suggestions: - We came later in the evening and realize the ranger station was closed so we were really confused on how to register our vehicles. Just park and unload and wake up the next morning to go down and get your permit. No worry about dealing with registration until the morning if you arrive late at night. - Bring extra rags to wipe down your chairs and coolers or pack them up overnight so they don't get wet overnight on cooler nights so that you have something dry to sit on the following morning. read more
16 years ago
I love the Boardwalk ... sometimes. I love Capitola ... sometimes. But sometimes, I just want to go to the beach--a clean beach, a quieter, uncrowded beach, where I can lay in the sun on a large blanket and be at least 30 feet away from any other group. Where the waves are strong enough for surfing, but safe enough for boogie boarding. When that's the case, I don't care about dining options or entertainment, cause I plan to bring my own food, some friends, and a book. Manresa is the perfect beach for that kind of experience. I've been there dozen of times over the years and it has never let me down. The crowd is pretty evenly mixed--young and old, families and singles. Dogs are allowed. Buy some strawberries along the road and take em with you. This place is in Watsonville after all, and they are soooo good there. Also, the address listed here is inaccurate. Driving southwest on San Andreas Rd, look for the paid parking area on the right. Oceanview Dr is just up the street on the right, so if you pass it, turn around. read more
14 years ago
Our first time camping here at Manresa State Beach was nice and would recommend it for sure. They have walk-in campsites and some sites have a fantastic ocean view. The 5 mins walk to the beach is not bad. You have to haul everything from the drop-off parking lot to your site. I would suggest you bring a dolly or a cart. At the beach, I saw people fishing, surfing, body boarding and it even has fire pits built-in along the sand for the night. btw youll have 3 bars on your 3G Smartphone on the beach than at the campsite. Firewood is available at the entrance for $8 and they have a liquor store nearby if you forget the marshmallows and ice! The fire pit is about 2ft high and came with a small grill. Bringing your own grill is an option. We'll definitely reserve again and come back to this Gem in South Santa Cruz County. read more
I almost didn't want to write this review because I want to hide this beach from the masses. It is one of my favorite beaches in California. The beach is clean and good for a nice long walk or run. Although there are always people on the beach, it is rarely crowded. Most of the visitors are families, rather than the drunken party crowd. I love how relaxing and serene this beach is. As for the wildlife, there are often surfers out in the waves. If you are lucky, you might see some dolphins or a whale close to shore. There are lots of little sand crabs to catch and release. The parking is above sea level on a cliff. Beach access is at the bottom of some rather steep stairs. $10 parking fee. The toilets are at the parking level, unless you walk down the beach a ways to some large port-a-potties. read more
10 years ago
I absolutely love this beach! It's never crowded and quite frankly this is the beach where I learned how to surf lol. Just like any beach in the the Santa Cruz County, you can never predict the waves, it's either smooth or choppy. I'm glad to say though that I've had good luck with the waves each time I go. There are sharks out on this beach. There has been a few times as I'm sitting on my surfboard that a baby great white would be around. It comes with territory though, I was waaaayyyy out there lol. All in all, great beach for friends, families, surfers, and dogs! Oh fyi, to avoid parking fee, park on the West Side of the beach. There's limited parking but I've been here numerous times on different hours and I always find something! read more
3 years ago
16 years ago
This is my FAVORITE beach. I rarely go to a beach in Santa Cruz, unless the fog belt is just too thick - I take the extra 15 minutes to drive down here and get away from the crowds. I pay the $10 parking fee, I figure I need the bathrooms for the kids so I might as well - plus I don't want this park going away since I love it so much. We usually take the ramps down to the beach - little easier with little kids (3 & 4 years) plus all the stuff we need to haul. It's usually not really crowded, so it's easy to get away from others and have a piece of real estate all to yourself. Do watch out for rip currents here - it's always been an issue and they have lost some people to them. Just make sure to be careful and have a great time! read more
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More info about Manresa State Beach
1445 San Andreas Rd
Watsonville, CA 95076
Directions
(831) 724-3750
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http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=545
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