New Brighton State Beach

New Brighton State Beach is located south of Santa Cruz California in the town of Capitola. The beach is very popular during the summer months for both day use and beach camping. The 111 campsites are on a bluff overlooking northern Monterey Bay. Nearby is Seacliff’s famous fishing pier which has a concrete tanker at its end, the SS Palo Alto. It was built during World War I, when wartime steel shortages created a demand for alternate shipbuilding materials. However, when the war ended, so did the desperate need for ships, and the Palo Alto was never completed. In 1930 the Seacliff Amusement Corporation bought the ship and turned it into an elaborate amusement center. Once positioned at the beach, the Palo Alto was brought to rest on the ocean bottom and the pier was built leading to the ship. Camping at New Brighton and Seacliff beaches is very popular during the summer. Most of the time campsites are sold out months in advance. Picnicking, fishing, camping, hiking and
swimming are favorite family activities at these State Beaches.Location is four
miles south of Santa Cruz, off Highway 1 at the intersection of Park and McGregor Drives. New Brighton State Beach