Watsonville, California
Watsonville is a city of 51,712 people in Santa Cruz County, California, founded in 1868.
Why visit Watsonville
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 39 parks and trails, 78 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Green Valley Cinema 8, Godfrey M. Bockius House, Judge Lee House and River Park.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 74°F; December lows average 39°F.
Weather in Watsonville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Watsonville
Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States, in the Monterey Bay Area of the Central Coast of California. The population was 52,590 at the 2020 census. Predominantly Latino and Democratic, Watsonville is a self-designated sanctuary city.
From the Wikipedia article Watsonville, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Green Valley Cinema 8
Cinema and theater · 0.9 mi
1125 South Green Valley Road, Watsoenville
Museums and landmarks11
Godfrey M. Bockius House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic house in California, United States
322 East Beach Street, Watsonville
Judge Lee House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in California, United States
128 East Beach Street, Watsonville
Castro Adobe
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic house near Watsonville, California, USA
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Porter-Vallejo Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic house in California, United States
Redman Hirahara Farmstead
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Single-family detached home, California
Lettunich Building
Monument and historic site · 1.2 mi
406 Main Street, Watsonville
Parks, trails and playgrounds39
27 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes78
Tacos El Frijolito
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi
1058 South Green Valley Road, Watsonville
Mo-Sa 11:00-20:00
66 more on the map.
History
Watsonville's land was first inhabited by an Ohlone nation of Indigenous Californians. This tribe settled along the Pajaro Dunes since the land was fertile and useful for the cultivation of their plants and animals.
From the History section of Watsonville, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Churches and places of worship37
Our Lady Help of Christians Valley Roman Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 2.1 mi
2401 East Lake Avenue, Watsonville
Shopping18
Harbor Freight Tools
Hardware store · 0.7 mi
1060 South Green Valley Road, Watsonville
Gas and EV charging20
Schools, colleges and libraries60
Saint Francis High Salesian College Prep School
School · Roman Catholic · 2.1 mi
Healthcare8
Sutter Health Palo Alto Medical Foundation
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.4 mi
550 South Green Valley Road, Watsonville
Watsonville Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.4 mi
1433 Freedom Boulevard, Watsonville
Map of Watsonville
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 40°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 63°F | 42°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 65°F | 43°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 45°F | 1.6 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 69°F | 49°F | 0.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 71°F | 52°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 71°F | 54°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 72°F | 54°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 53°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 49°F | 1.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 68°F | 43°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 62°F | 39°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Watsonville Wtr Wks (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Santa Cruz County has had 22 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-04-13: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-08-22: Wildfires (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Prunedale 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Soquel 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Gilroy 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Live Oak 12 mi west, about 20 min by car
- Santa Cruz 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
- Morgan Hill 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Scotts Valley 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
- Marina 17 mi south, about 27 min by car
- Salinas 18 mi southeast, about 29 min by car
- Hollister 21 mi east, about 34 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Watsonville, John Pilge, Public domain
- Murals in Watsonville (21527026976), Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0
- Agricultural art along a highway bridge in Watsonville (21365375768), Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0
- Odd, a church with no windows in Watsonville (21365355578), Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0
- Old house near Watsonville, CA. (21366329679), Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0
- Nothing too special, but mellow time in downtwon Watsonville (21527022086), Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0
- Agricultural art in Watsonville (21366297309), Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0
- SCMTD 0220 in Watsonville (May 2023), Evan0512, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Watsonville Slough. - panoramio, mr_write, CC BY 3.0
- Watsonville Slough. - panoramio (cropped), mr_write, CC BY 3.0
- St. Patrick's Church, Watsonville, California (25522965494), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- St. Patrick's Church, Watsonville, California (25522965494) (cropped), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Watsonville bus terminal, October 2017, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Watsonville, California (26127730715), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Watsonville, California (26035231572), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Santa Cruz Metro bus 0222 in Watsonville, Evan0512, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Watsonville station facing southwest, October 2017, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Street running tracks in Watsonville, October 2017, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Watsonville station facing northwest, October 2017, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Watsonville, California (26127729265), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Watsonville, California (26127728235), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Watsonville City Plaza, Mrwrite, Public domain
- Bockius House, Mrwrite, Public domain
- Porter-Vallejo Mansion, User:Ronbo76, CC BY 2.5
- Juan-Castro-Adobe, Mrwrite, Public domain
- Entryway to a nice Mexcan restaurant (21541987482), Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0
- Mallard with ducklings (33942370171), Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California, CC BY 2.0
- Lettenich Building (cropped), Mrwrite, Public domain
- Lettenich Building, Mrwrite, Public domain
- Madison House, NoeHill, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mansion House Hotel (cropped), Mrwrite, Public domain
- Mansion House Hotel, Mrwrite, Public domain
- Sharp-shinned Hawk Eating a Black Phoebe - Flickr - GregTheBusker (1), Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0
- American Kestrel - Flickr - GregTheBusker (3), Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Sharp-shinned Hawk Eating a Black Phoebe - Flickr - GregTheBusker (2), Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Sharp-shinned Hawk Eating a Black Phoebe - Flickr - GregTheBusker (4), Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Sharp-shinned Hawk Eating a Black Phoebe - Flickr - GregTheBusker (3), Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0
- American Bittern - Flickr - GregTheBusker (2), Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Judge Lee house, Mrwrite, Public domain
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