Stand at Moss Landing State Beach and watch as the sun dips below the horizon and know that a day spent in this historic fishing village is a day filled with activity. Located on the shore of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary, at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough National Marine Estuary, this port town is an entry to an abundance of outdoor adventures.

As one of the top 10 birding spots in the country, a pair of binoculars is all you need to see any one of 300 plus species that make their way here. Surfing, kayaking, sailing and boating gets you out of this harbor town and on the water where you’ll see whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals and sea lions. The fishing is great, the catching even better – bait your hook for halibut, king salmon, albacore tuna, rockfish, anchovies and sardines.

Stroll along Main Street the last Sunday in July and fish for antiques at the town’s annual Antique Street Fair. Pick-and-choose your way past hundreds of booths selling vintage items of all kinds. Local restaurants and galleries open their doors for this all-day celebration. Moss Landing can been seen from Monterey to Santa Cruz – just look for landmark twin stacks of Moss Landing Power Plant, and head that way on Highway 1.