Closed to the public at this time, except by special event or appointment.
Rancho San Andrés Castro Adobe Park Property
This park is currently an active construction site, and is open only during scheduled special events or appointment.
Recreate Responsibly
Protect yourself, family, friends and your community by following these prevention measures:
- Know Before You Go – Prior to leaving home, check the status of the park unit you want to visit to find out what restrictions and guidelines are in place. Have a back-up plan in case your destination is crowded. Stay home if you are sick
- Plan Ahead – Some restrooms will be temporarily closed to keep up with cleaning schedules. Bring soap/hand sanitizer.
- Play It Safe – Find out what precautions you should take when exploring the outdoors, especially if this is your first time visiting the State Park System. Learn more at parks.ca.gov/SafetyTips.
- Be COVID-19 Safe – State Parks continues to meet guidance from local and state public officials as COVID-19 is still present and still deadly. Effective March 1, 2022, state guidance recommends that all individuals, regardless of vaccine status, continue masking in indoor settings, such as museums and visitor centers. Universal masking remains required in specified high-risk settings. Please plan ahead as local county guidelines may differ from state guidance and visitors are urged to follow county guidelines when required. Read the latest COVID-19 guidance at COVID19.ca.gov.
- Leave No Trace – Leave areas better than how you found them by staying on designated trails and packing out all trash. Do not disturb wildlife or plants.
Phone Number
(831) 226-9669
Park Hours
Dogs Allowed?
No
Driving Directions to Rancho San Andrés Castro Adobe
Directions for this park are currently unavailable. Please call the park.Online reservations are not available for this park.
No online brochures available for this park.
Upcoming Park Events
Historical/Cultural Site
Exhibits and Programs
Guided Tours
JOIN US AT OUR JUNE OPEN HOUSE
Come join us for a guided walk at Rancho San Andres Castro Adobe State Historic Park in Watsonville on Saturday, June 18th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Accompanied by State Parks interpreters and docents, you will stroll back in time to the Mexican Rancho period of the mid-1800s. That’s when the two-story Castro Adobe hacienda was built on the 9,000-acre rancho granted to Jose Joaquin Castro and became one of the social centers of the Central California Coast.
See displays and hear of the Vaquero culture and skills. Learn about the cattle, horses, and sheep that ranged wild on the mostly unfenced grasslands of Rancho San Andres.
Experience the Fandango room where music and dance were enjoyed frequently. Visit one of the last remaining indoor cocinas in California and hear about the bear and bull fights.
These guided tours require pre-registration at: www.SantaCruzStateParks.as.me/CastroAdobeOpenHouse
Limited parking; carpooling encouraged.
Old Adobe Road is a one lane road, so please be considerate of our neighbors, drive slowly and pull over to let oncoming traffic pass. Thank you.

Saturday, June 11 from 10 am to 4 pm
The Castro Adobe is one of more than 75 unique and fascinating historic places in all corners of the state being highlighted during the first-ever Doors Open California weekend! Our special tours will include all of the interior rooms of the two-story adobe, including the famous fandango room where celebrations were held, one of the very few remaining indoor cocinas in California, and a tour of the gardens. We will discuss the ongoing restoration and the creation of 2,400 adobe bricks that made it possible. Additionally, the tours will cover the history of the Castro family and the vaqueros who worked the rancho and background on the rancho period when the Castro Adobe was built. Pre-registration for each participant is required at www.californiapreservation.org/doca. $20 flat rate per person for access to all Doors Open California events. Masks requested indoors. Active construction site, open only during scheduled events. Limited parking; carpooling encouraged. For more information, call (831) 226-9669. Event made possible by California Preservation Foundation, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, and California State Parks.
Visiting the Castro Adobe
Located in the Pájaro Valley, the two-story Rancho San Andrés Castro Adobe is a historic rancho hacienda that was built between 1848-49.
Funding for the restoration of the Castro Adobe is provided by Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks. Visit their website to support this project.
Teachers
The Castro Adobe will be offering free one hour virtual education programs to supplement teaching of 3rd grade (local history) and 4th grade (California history) content standards.
Review our Teacher's page for more information and education resources connected to the Castro Adobe.
Kids2Parks is an innovative park-equity program to bring students from Title I schools to State Park field trips. The program, a partnership between California State Parks and Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, increases the number of students who have visited a state park or beach by reducing barriers to access. The program offers transportation funding for field trips to select Title I schools in Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. For more information, and to apply please visit www.thatsmypark.org/visit/k2p/.
Land Acknowledgement
Rancho San Andres Castro Adobe State Historic Property sits on the homelands of the Awaswas speaking Aptos tribe. Their descendants continue their stewardship and presence here, in partnership with State Parks. We would like to recognize the indigenous people past and present, and give our appreciation for the opportunity to teach, work, live, learn, and steward on their traditional homelands.