Camp at Sunset State Beach

A peaceful campground under the pines, picnicking on the beach, and unmatched views of Monterey Bay make Sunset State Beach a favorite year-round destination.

You can walk for miles and the beach is uncrowded, even on the busiest holiday weekends, since it's so big. The parking can get full, though, on busy weekends, so get there early. You can park on top where you pay and walk down a nice path to the beach or drive to the lower parking area and walk over the dunes to the beach. They have picnic areas & BBQs near the parking lots. In the springtime, there are usually lots of shells and sand dollars. We always see pods of dolphins surfing the waves. It's a great beach to fly kites, play sports, walk, body surf or just relax and people watch. Beautiful beach with great views of the bay from Santa Cruz to Monterey.