Exploring Sunset State Beach

Natures Walks on the Dunes

During peak season at Sunset Beach there are nature walks through the dunes, along with family and children's programs. Check the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks website for information about upcoming programs.
Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

Swimming and Surfing

Most surfers prefer Manresa State Beach just to the north of Sunset. At Sunset the waves are best at low tide with western swells. Swimmers are cautious of the dangerous rip currents at Sunset Beach. Still, body surfing, skim boarding, and boogie boarding are popular there.

Standup Paddleboarding and Kayaking

Waves at Sunset Beach tend to be rugged, making launching any type of paddle craft a challenge. Experienced kayakers and paddleboarders who know how to time the waves make it beyond the surf break and find gentler water. Beginners would do much better at Capitola Beach or New Brighton Beach.

Remote Control Gliders

Sunset Beach is popular for slope gliders. When the wind comes in off the ocean and hits the 200-foot-high bluff at Sunset, the air is forced to rise. This rising air lifts slope gliders (and seagulls). Gliders can then fly parallel to the shore indefinitely on the rising currents.

Junior Ranger Program, Ages 7-12

Play games, hike trails, create your own animal, discover tracks, observe wildlife, all while making friends your own age in some of the best places in California!

Junior Ranger Program for children ages 7 - 12 covers topics such as geology, ecology, history, safety, plants, and wildlife. The Program can take place over several days, or you can start at one park, and then at another time go to a different park. Children should plan to spend about an hour at each activity.

The Junior Ranger Program is offered free of charge to visitors who have already paid park entrance or camping fees.
California State Parks Junior Ranger Program

Picnicking

A low row of dunes separates the picnic area from the beach, serving as a buffer from coastal winds. A large ramada and a row of smaller picnic areas are spread along the leeward side of the dunes. Several of the picnic sites have shade structures. The ramada can be reserved for group activities.