Location: Castroville
Top Things to do in Castroville
- 1. Blue Ocean Whale Watch
- 2. Marina State Beach
- 3. Pezzini Farms
- 4. National Steinbeck Center
- 5. Sanctuary Cruises
- 6. Skydive Monterey Bay
- 7. The Castroville Japanese School
- 8. Elkhorn Slough Safari
- 9. Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
- 10. The Steinbeck House / Best Cellar Gift Shop
Countries
The 10 Best Things to Do in Castroville, United States
Castroville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Monterey County, California, United States. At the time of the 2010 census the population was 6,481.
Restaurants in Castroville
1. Blue Ocean Whale Watch
Overall Ratings
5 based on 601 reviews
Blue Ocean Whale Watch is owner operated and has the most unique boat on the bay. Our boat, High Spirits, is a 60ft yacht with plenty of space for you inside and out. We have an observation deck up top which provides a 360 degree view of the bay - a perfect vantage point for taking photos. Our tours depart from Moss Landing Harbor, the heart of the Monterey Bay. Moss Landing is the closest port to the beginning of the Monterey Submarine Canyon - a nutrient rich area that attracts a variety of wildlife. Blue Ocean Whale Watch was created in 2011 and is owned and operated by Captain Jim Davis and Captain/Naturalist Kate Cummings. Both Jim and Kate have a deep respect for the ocean and its inhabitants. They also completely love their job which makes a big difference for the customer's experience. We are excellent wildlife spotters, locating anything and everything that might be hanging out in the Monterey Bay that day - from endangered leatherback sea turtles to blue whales. We also guarantee whale sightings; if you don't see a whale, come back for free until you do. Different whales are in the bay year-round, so there is always something amazing to see. We look forward to welcoming you on board!
Reviewed By chelsea_behymer
Amazing day on the water with a fantastic captain and crew! Great boat with great viewing from anywhere onboard.
2. Marina State Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 161 reviews
Reviewed By Noreenanmarina - Marina, California
What a wonderful beach. I loved seeing the Peninsula from a totally different angle. The views at this beach are spectacular. I love walking through the "canyon" and coming out to the beautiful beach. If you want solitude, this is the place for you.
3. Pezzini Farms
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By mini - Fremont, California
We went to Pezzini Farms, Watsonville, Since its artichoke season, we purchased a bag of artichokes. We also got other things such as peanuts, brussel sprouts, superb teriyaki jerky, a small pecan pie, and McEvoy Olive Oil. Service is friendly and good.
4. National Steinbeck Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 331 reviews
A celebration and exploration of the well-known author's work through multi-sensory exhibits, priceless artifacts and live theater performances.
Reviewed By Cllark W - Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Great place to visit if you are a reader of the famous author. The Salinas-Watsonville-Castroville-Monterey farming and fishing areas are well represented with cameos and vignettes in the displays and memorabilia, and the agricultural communities well-honored, including Latino, in the short film. I was not disappointed to see the completely restored original Dodge truck, complete with camper, of "Travels With Charley". Hard to get a good picture with the beams in the way, and kinda dusty, but the real McCoy. There are interesting critiques of some of Steinbeck's works, even life. This gives balance. Cheap parking, tall admission. Worth it. Beware, you might get the urge to collect old Steinbeck print books. All students should watch "The Grapes of Wrath". Easily good for a whole day.
5. Sanctuary Cruises
Overall Ratings
5 based on 683 reviews
Explore Monterey Bay year-round with a marine biologist aboard Santuary, a beautiful boat that is only booked to 80% of her capacity for a more personalized passenger experience. We run longer trips with fewer passengers. We really care about the environment and run 100% local biodiesel. Knowledgeable, warm owner/operators engage and enchant. Responsible captains who don't crowd the animals but ease into the area, which often results in fantastic sightings. We have a great device for avoiding seasickness. Located in Moss Landing at the heart of the Monterey Bay & beginning of the submarine canyon for awesome sightings. We are the boat the locals prefer and the National Marine Sanctuary recommends.
Reviewed By Grampy_Bob - Concord, CA
We took the Sanctuary whale-watching tour on Monterey Bay out of Moss Landing while visiting the area. It was a great cruise, we saw maybe 10 whales, including a big humpback that breached spectacularly near our boat. Exciting! Among others aboard the boat were a woman from France and a woman who grew up in Concord, our hometown. The captain and crew were great.
6. Skydive Monterey Bay
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 24 reviews
The world’s highest tandem skydives | the largest and fastest jump plane in the world | super king air 200 | breathtaking ocean views | best safety record
Reviewed By Anne C - Palo Alto, California
This was my second time at Skydive Monterey Bay. The first was 13 years ago and I jumped at 18,000 feet. This time I opted for 15,000 and wasn't disapppointed. Seems there are more jump masters now and I was comfortable with them all. Ryan was my tandem partner and was a terrific coach all the way down. Discussed the safety status of our chute as we descended, and let me 'drive' until time to land. Highly recommend this group!
7. The Castroville Japanese School
Overall Ratings
4 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By mini - Fremont, California
We visited the Castroville Japanese Schoolhouse. It is a historic building and in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
There are a variety of informational signs to read about the school house.
The school house was built in 1936. It was a Japanese school for the farmer families in the area. It also served as a Buddhist temple and community meeting hall. When World War II broke out, it was closed as Japanese-American families in the area were interned.
8. Elkhorn Slough Safari
Overall Ratings
5 based on 240 reviews
Reviewed By mcjaniga - Orinda, California
Highly recommend this trip around Elkhorn Slough -- the skipper and the naturalist (Austin) were both very knowledgeable of the local wildlife. We saw lots of sea lions, harbor seals, otters with their babies, many birds... And, the coffee and oatmeal cookies were a delightful and unexpected treat!
9. Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 233 reviews
A wildlife reserve that offers visitors walking trails and kayak tours through salt marshes and tidal flats.
Reviewed By mini - Fremont, California
I took the train from San Jose to Santa Barbara. As part of the train trip, one gets to see the Elkhorn Slough area. I saw lots of birds. One can also watch for sea animals in the area such as sea lions.
10. The Steinbeck House / Best Cellar Gift Shop
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 77 reviews
This Queen Anne style Victorian was the birthplace and boyhood home of author John Steinbeck. Built in Salinas in 1897, the Steinbeck family moved into the house in 1900. The Valley Guild was formed by eight enthusiastic women who shared a common interest in gourmet cooking and wanted to showcase Salinas Valley produce. The volunteers of Valley Guild purchased and renovated the house. It was opened to the public as a restaurant on February 27, 1974 -the 72nd anniversary of John Steinbeck's birth. The house is operated by volunteers with a minimum of paid staff, and recently celebrated the 40th Anniversary. The Best Cellar is in the original basement of the Steinbeck House. The Best Cellar is a delightful gift shop featuring unique gift items as well as vintage and new Steinbeck books. Original furniture from the Steinbeck family is on display including the headboard of the bed in which John Steinbeck was born.
Reviewed By mikegrattan - Salinas
The servers here are volunteers, so I always get to see friendly faces and get good service. Unfortunately, the quality of the food coming out of the kitchen is a bit inconsistent. For example, the salads were good but the chicken cordon bleu had a soggy coating instead of being crisp on the outside. Hit or miss.
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