Editing Watsonville, California (section)

==Parks and recreation==
Watsonville maintains 28 parks, including a skate park, indoor soccer field, lake with boat rentals and RV camping, BBQ areas, handball courts, an art gallery, tennis courts, and volleyball courts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Parks|url=http://www.watsonvillerec.com/parks.html|work=Parks and Rec Website|publisher=City of Watsonville|access-date=April 8, 2011|archive-date=March 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322111156/http://www.watsonvillerec.com/parks.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> It also provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking, boating, sports, bird-watching, and beach access.
{{wide image|Watsonville City Plaza.jpg|500px|{{center|Watsonville Plaza, in the heart of downtown.}}}}

===Watsonville Wetlands===
There are hiking trails throughout the city, and a nature center provides an intimate view of The Watsonville Wetlands.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wetland Trails|url=http://wetlandsofwatsonville.org/trails.html|website=Wetlands of Watsonville|access-date=April 8, 2011|archive-date=July 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728174419/http://www.wetlandsofwatsonville.org/trails.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Wetlands|url=http://wetlandsofwatsonville.org/naturecenter.html|website=Wetlands of Watsonville|access-date=April 8, 2011|archive-date=July 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728173940/http://www.wetlandsofwatsonville.org/naturecenter.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Pajaro River===
[[File:Watsonville Slough. - panoramio (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|The Watsonville [[wetlands]]]]
There are several trailheads in the city that provide access to the [[Pajaro River]] and its tributaries via The Pajaro River Levee Trail Park. The levee trails are a popular spot for walking, running, and biking. In 2010, the City of Watsonville received a $424,000 grant to create a public access point to the Pajaro River for canoes and kayaks, including a parking lot, trail and public restroom.<ref>{{cite web|last=Public Works|first=Watsonville|title=River Access|url=http://www.watsonvilleutilities.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=164&Itemid=367|work=City Website|access-date=April 8, 2011|archive-date=August 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813231541/http://www.watsonvilleutilities.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=164&Itemid=367|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=City awarded grant to improve river access|url=http://www.register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=9499|access-date=April 8, 2011|newspaper=Register Pajaronian|author=J. Chown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719023114/http://www.register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=9499|archive-date=July 19, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Pinto Lake===
The city operates one of two parks at Pinto Lake, which includes a small [[watercraft]] launch ramp, group picnic areas, an [[RV park]], a baseball field, [[volleyball]], children's playground, boat rentals, fishing, and bird watching. Because Pinto Lake often turns a thick green due to different types of algae, the city prohibits the eating of fish caught in Pinto Lake.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pinto Lake|url=http://www.pintolake.com/|work=Pinto Lake Website|publisher=City of Watsonville|access-date=April 8, 2011}}</ref> The second park at Pinto Lake is operated by the County of Santa Cruz and includes nature trails, disc golf, sports fields, and the UC Master Gardeners of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties's Demonstration Garden.<ref>{{cite web |title=Demonstration Garden |url=https://mbmg.ucanr.edu/Demonstration_Garden/ |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=UC Master Gardeners of Monterey & Santa Cruz Counties}}</ref>

===Pajaro Dunes===
The [[Pajaro Dunes, California|Pajaro Dunes]] area of Watsonville attracts tourists to its high-end beachfront condos and [[timeshare]]s.