The Santa Cruz Monterey KOA is a special place. It’s one of the top-rated KOA’s in the nation, receiving an average of 4.5 stars on the KOA rating system from over 1,000 ratings. It was even featured on Episode 7 of Season 4 of the CBS reality series “Undercover Boss.”

There are a number of things that make this KOA a special place. To begin with, it’s located close enough to the beach that it’s easy to get to but doesn’t get too chilly from sea breezes. And it has a spacious swimming pool that is heated year-round, as there are many sunny and warm days throughout the year in Santa Cruz. There’s also a big hot tub next to the pool to keep you feeling warm and bubbly!

The campground offers a number of “Camping Cabins”, a few tent sites, and dozens of RV sites to choose from. There’s a large convenience store on site, selling all kinds of camping gear, food, beer and wine, and a lot of camping necessities you may have forgot to pack like marshmallow roasting sticks, firewood and the like. They offer free WiFi throughout the campground, and there’s a little train too that makes a circuit around the campground at no charge to vacationers.

The fun doesn’t stop there – they also have a mini golf course, gigantic jumping pillow for the kids to hop up and down on for hours, coconut palm climbing trees, outdoor cinema, vending machines, and a clubhouse with amusements for the children.

Whether you are coming in from out of town or a local looking for a great family “staycation”, the Santa Cruz / Monterey KOA is the place to go for fun and relaxation at an affordable price.

Santa Cruz Monterey KOA Photo Gallery

New Brighton State Beach is technically located in Capitola, however it is considered by many to be in Aptos, as the beach is directly connected to Pot Belly Beach and Seacliff State Beach, and not connected directly to the beach in Capitola.

New Brighton Beach was formally known as China Beach, as during the 1870s and 1880s a community of Chinese fishermen made a home there from scrap lumber. By 1890, however, increasing anti-Chinese sentiment had forced the Chinese off teh beach. A plaque commemorating the location is located at the visitor parking lot.

This is a very popular state beach, as it offers fantastic seaside camping. They have family campsites, group campsites, hiking trails, and RV sites with hookups. They also offer restrooms and showers, and of course a large beach area. They have campfire programs on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM during the high season.

See also: New Brighton Beach Web Page