Santa Cruz County - 2008 Official Traveler's Guide - (Page 43) Pajaro Valley & Watsonville Pastoral charm, scenic nature The natural beauty of Pajaro Valley and Watsonville lies in the deep green The area’s fertile soil and Mediterranean climate yield some of the nation’s finest produce. Berry fans flock to Watsonville every summer for the Monterey Bay Strawberry Festival to celebrate this ruby gem. Strawberry fields, flower nurseries and apple orchards all carpet the landscape of this scenic destination. Agriculture has long been the main industry of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley. Celebrating this heritage is the Agricultural History Museum at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Restored horse-drawn equipment, interpretive exhibits and vintage items from this farming community’s past are all on display. The fairgrounds also host the annual Santa Cruz County Fair and summertime stock car racing at the Watsonville Speedway. The Wetlands of Watsonville Nature Center displays a diversity of wildlife habitats, including the Pajaro River, the Watsonville Sloughs and Pinto Lake. Over 200 species of waterfowl, raptors and songbirds live in and migrate through the wetlands, making it an ideal place to watch for feathered creatures, or enjoy one of the many trails winding through the area. Nearby, the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Reserve is one of California’s last undisturbed coastal wetlands. The annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival is a captivating way to take in the sights. Another kind of bird watching takes place during the Watsonville Fly-In. The largest air show in Northern California, the Fly-In features vintage planes and restored World War II war birds in an airborne extravaganza during Memorial Day Weekend. The streets of downtown Watsonville are lined with Victorian buildings, 1880s storefronts, and the town’s centerpiece, the Watsonville Plaza, which serves as a gathering place for celebrations and festivals. A few blocks away, the Henry J. Mello Center boasts the finest acoustics in the county. The Pajaro Valley Arts Gallery features rotating exhibits, while the Pajaro Valley Historical Museum retraces the region’s past. Southern Santa Cruz County’s coastal state parks are often uninhabited, and are perfect for sunset walks along the water’s edge or family picnics. Watsonville’s unique landscape is rich with options for fun and exploration. row crops that thread through the ebony soil from hills to sea. 43 watsonville’s unique landscape is rich with options for fun and exploration “ Watsonville holds gems for travelers who will discover there is more to Santa cruz county than just beaches.” the danViLLe tiMeS, JuLy 20, 2007 Photo: Gret Stechishin www. s a n t a cr u z co u n ty. t r a v e l http://www.santacruzcounty.travel
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