Birdsong's Local Guide

What to Eat

peach blossoms

Ranch Milk: the best Mexican food in a gas station you could ever hope to visit. Locals favorite with a huge selection of microbrews and the best salsa.
1 S Green Valley Rd, Freedom, CA 95019 • https://www.ranchmilkmexicangrill.com/order • 3.5 miles away

Zameens at the Hanger
: excellent Mediterranean with good salads and wraps. I like their lamb bowl the best.
45 Aviation Way Ste 3 Watsonville, CA 95076 • https://zameen-at-the-hangar-watsonville.square.site/ • 45 Aviation Way Suite 3 Watsonville, CA 95076 • 4.2 miles away

Ellas at the Airport: a sustainable menu, wood fired pizzas, a full bar, Sunday brunch, plus you can watch the airplanes.
100 Aviation Way • https://www.ellasinwatsonville.com/ • 4.3 miles away


Staff of Life: fantastic local and organic supermarket featuring many local farms with sandwiches and other deli food for takeout.
906 E Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076 • http://staffoflifemarket.com/ • 2.4 miles away

Fruition Brewing: right next to the Staff of Life is our favorite local microbrewery featuring fresh local beer, locally sourced sustainable food and snacks.
918 E Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076 • https://www.fruitionbrewing.com/  • 2.4 miles away

Jaliscos: My favorite for high quality Mexican food, with an emphasis on seafood. A gorgeous interior for sit in dining, sometimes with a live mariachi band.
618 Main St Watsonville, CA 95076. • jaliscorestaurant.com • 3.6 miles away

Where to Go

citrus basket and bush
Sierra Azul Nursery: sculpture garden and nursery specializing in drought tolerant plants. They have a great protea collection along with other fun exotics from South Africa and Australia.

2660 E Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076 • http://www.sierraazul.com/ • 1.9 miles away

Gizdich Ranch: one of the oldest farms in the area, and right around the corner from Birdsong Orchards. They have the pest pie, go get some pie, really you need to. You pick berries sometimes too.
55 Peckham Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076  • https://www.gizdich-ranch.com/ •  55 Peckham Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076 •. 1 mile away

Aladdin Nursery & Gift Shop:  another old cornerstone of our local gardening history, Aladdin’s recently celebrated their 100 year old anniversary and focusses on gardening plants with a nice selection of gifts and supplies as well.
2905 Freedom Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076  •  www.alladinnursery.com • 6.1 miles away

Succulent Gardens: Massive greenhouses filled with a wide variety of affordable succulents, not to be missed and especially when combined with a visit to Elkhorn Slough.
2133 Elkhorn Rd, Castroville, CA 95012  •  https://sgplants.com/   •  2133 Elkhorn Rd, Castroville, CA 95012 • 12.6 miles away

Elkhorn Slough National Estauarine Research Reserve: Tidal marshlands that are home to thousands of birds, otters, seals and other creatures with easy boardwalk trails. 
1700 Elkhorn Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076  •  http://www.elkhornslough.org/esnerr/ •  11 miles away

Mt Madonna County Park: If you are heading back to Silicon Valley, take a cooling walk through the redwoods in this well maintained park. Gorgeous views of the valley or the ocean, depending on which way you go.
7850 Pole Line Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076. • http://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Pages/MtMadonna.aspx  •  7.2 miles away