The Copper Nest is an ideal getaway located steps from the beach in the gated community of Pajaro Dunes where the Pajaro River meets the Pacific Ocean. This newly designed three bedroom home is styled to create a serene beach retreat for you and your guests. With Monterey Bay, the Pajaro River and Pajaro Valley agricultural views from every room, you are surrounded by the beauty only this area can offer.
A well equipped kitchen, built in dining table, outdoor seating and lower deck bbq area for a relaxing home dining experience.
A large master suite features a king bed and spectacular ocean views. There is also a bedroom with two twin beds, and a bedroom with a king bed. All bedrooms and loft area have smart TVs with the family room featuring the Samsung Frame TV which doubles as customizable art to help you feel right at home.
The loft area features an American Leather down sofa with a pull out queen memory foam mattress and a game and TV area.
The resort offers tennis and basketball courts, a sand volleyball area and large playing field to create fun for all ages. The resort also has a bird sanctuary and the area is famous for a wildlife reserve and marine sanctuary where you can see whales, sea otters, sea lions, dolphins, and many species of birds.
The lower deck at the Copper Nest is well equipped with corn hole, a stargazing platform, beach chairs, a beach tent, beach toys, tennis rackets and sports court equipment.
California’s most popular travel and food destinations are close-by with Carmel, Monterey, and Santa Cruz all within a 30 minute drive.
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Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Outdoor space
Parking available
Ocean view
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There are designated smoking areas at Pajaro Dunes
Please note there are 26 steps to access the Copper Nest
No groups larger than 10 onsite.
Quiet hours begin at 10pm. A security call will impact your deposit.
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Max number of people including children = 10
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Watsonville
Located in Watsonville, this holiday home is near theme parks and on the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Monterey Bay and Capitola Beach. Travelling with kids? Consider Watsonville Center for the Arts and Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Pajaro River Mouth Nature Preserve - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
Sunset Wetland Nature Preserve - 3 min drive - 2.2 km
Monterey Bay Aquarium - 50 min drive - 57.3 km
Getting around
Salinas Station - 35 min drive
Watsonville, CA (WVI-Watsonville Municipal) - 16 min drive
Restaurants
McDonald's - 9 min drive
The Beach Street Cafe - 8 min drive
Starbucks - 10 min drive
Starbucks - 7 min drive
Subway - 10 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is The Copper Nest beach retreat with stunning views pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at The Copper Nest beach retreat with stunning views?
As of 9 Apr 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Copper Nest beach retreat with stunning views on 7 May 2026 start from AU$827, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at The Copper Nest beach retreat with stunning views?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at The Copper Nest beach retreat with stunning views?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Copper Nest beach retreat with stunning views?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is The Copper Nest beach retreat with stunning views located?
Nestled on the beach, this Watsonville holiday home is within a 15-minute walk of Zmudowski State Beach and Pajaro River Mouth Nature Preserve. Sunset State Beach and Sunset Wetland Nature Preserve are also within 3 miles (5 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Wonderful place with thoughtful amenities. We had a great time staying at the Copper Nest with family. Erin and Bryan are great communicators making the check in process easy.
Our stay at The Copper Nest was wonderful! Very clean and welcoming!! Weather for our January 2026 stay was sunny and perfect for our stay! Access to beach was close and kids were able to fly kites! Kitchen well stocked with amenities… my husband was the chef for several meals and was amazed at how much was available in the kitchen! We all thought beds were so comfortable! Erin’s communication was great and responded quickly to any questions!We hope to be back and thank you again!!!Lisa W.
The Copper Nest is a super unique house. It was a bit of a climb with the amount of stairs but well worth the trek for the views once inside. The atmosphere of the house is homey and inviting. The hosts have stocked the house with everything you will need. We loved our stay and would like to return in the future. Thank you for a great family trip.
We had such a great time staying here. The house was clean, nicely furnished and decorated, and was stocked with everything we needed! Awesome views from the house. Great communication from the owners. Would definitely stay here again if we return to Pajaro Dunes!
This home lacked no imenities. I felt like we were staying at a 5 star hotel!!! A few of my favorite things include wrap around deck for ocean gazing, only a few steps from the beach, fully stocked kitchen and super comfy beds. I highly recommend this home for your next getaway!!
We stayed for a week at the amazing Copper Nest. Our group was made up of three generations: grandparents, parents, and three children. The layout of the home was perfect for our needs. The children could chill out in the loft at night while the adults played cards at the kitchen table. It was the perfect blend of being together but having a bit of space. The kitchen had all of the utensils and basic spices that we needed. The bedrooms and bathrooms had ample space; the beds were comfy. The beach is a three minute walk— vast, uncrowded, and beautiful. The summer coastal weather was perfect: cool at night and in the morning, sunny in the afternoon. The provided boogie boards were used daily. This was one of the best vacations we’ve taken, with a perfect location and great space.
This place is as close to perfect as one can get. Sitting up on a platform, there are ocean views from every room. The home is comfortable and well-appointed. Beds were super comfortable. Kitchen has all amenities. The expansive sandy beach is uncrowded as Pajaro Dunes is a gated community with unique architecture. It was a wonderful week with our six year-old twins who loved the ocean and beach. Kids enjoyed the boogie boards and beach toys. We hope to return someday to this beach paradise! Homeowner was very responsive although we had no problems or questions during our stay.
This beautiful beach house seemed almost too good to be true! There must be a catch! But everything was as perfect as it seemed online. Erin is the most thoughtful, gracious host.
The house is inviting and well furnished, the kitchen is well stocked with quality items and it contains everything one needs. The beds are comfortable, bathrooms and balconies excellent. The best was eating breakfast in the sunshine each morning and laughing around the fire at night! The location is safe and perfect for walking to the beach every day!
Erin went way beyond to make our long-weekend comfortable and memorable! I would whole-heartedly recommend this home and location to those I love and I can't wait to stay again!
Katrina E.
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Apr 2020
Thank you so much for your positive review, Katrina! We are thrilled that you enjoyed your stay at the Copper Nest. We agree, beach walks, the sunrise in the breakfast nook and gathering around the copper fireplace are our favorite! We can't wait to host you again!
Absoulutely amazing home and hosts. Our hosts were easy to connect with and always available for questions. The home has beautiful beach decor and every amenity we could have needed!! Every age group was happy! The kitchen was well stocked. There were fun toys, books and games for the littles. Beach toys, boogie boards, beach towels and anything else we might have wished for was available. The kitchen even had a lot of cutting boards that were perfect for our charcuterie board lunch on Thanksgiving day! Can't think of anything it was missing!! Our family loved it and we all had a wonderful time. The hosts welcomed us with a gift and left a few delicious treats! Such a wonderful home to stay in over Thanksgiving! Loved it in every way!!!
I cannot say enough wonderful things about this property. My family (husband + 2yo) and our best friends (2 adults, 5 yo + 2 yo) rented The Copper Nest for a birthday trip. We have been vacationing in Pajaro forEVER, but wanted a house big enough to accommodate our two families vs. a condo. This house, which we nicknamed "The Treehouse," was incredible.
Our favorite highlights:
- Overall cleanliness. It felt very clean and well cared for throughout the home.
- Comfort of the beds. I am so picky about rentals & hotel beds...they were so comfortable!!
- Amenities!! To say this house came stocked is an UNDERSTATEMENT. From kitchen supplies & even standard spices/oils/Ziplocs, etc. to the beach equipment (toys, chairs, towels & more), to firewood, house towels and ample KID STUFF which was so so appreciated (toys, puzzles, cups/bib/plates, pack n' play + crib).
The stairs are definitely something you want to factor in, as they did wear us out after a couple days. But, ultimately the wrap around deck and views were beyond worth the tired muscles to get there. The upstairs could get a bit toasty in the middle of the day - but opening the windows helped and a fan to circulate.
Would happily stay here again if we are ever so lucky. Thank you to the hosts who had wonderful communication with me and made us feel welcome and set up to enjoy ourselves.
Spacious kitchen with great views of the ocean and bountiful agriculture lands. The kitchen is well equipped with cookware, utensils, dishes (etc.) and spices. The dishwasher is nice and quiet while you're watching a movie :-)
It's a nice open space with the kitchen and living area for the family to gather. Everything was comfy and homey.
Bedrooms were roomy and comfortable. Upstairs bedroom is something to see. And the loft area is very inviting for all ages, with games and toys - even when trying to show a 4 year old how to play chess (evidently, there are rules I didn't know about).
We used the provided beach chairs to sit in the sand and enjoy the beach, which was is close walk. There was a little free library next door which was kind of fun as we have one at home as well.
We got there a day before the rest of the family arrived, and when they walked in the comments were "wow!". And so was ours!
Linens and towels were provided as well. We don't live too far away and with everything that was available, we brought too much stuff.
We were welcomed with a nice card, a little candy and custom mugs (which our son tried to steal).
Communication with Erin and Bryan was great and they helped answer any questions we had.
We can go on and on, but you need to see it for yourself!
It was wonderful to create family memories there and we are looking forward to additional visits at The Copper Nest. We've be telling neighbors to look up "The Copper Nest" on YouTube.
We absolutely had the best stay at the Copper Nest. The hosts were very helpful through the whole process and promptly answered all our questions. When we checked in, we were welcomed with a customized welcome card and souvenir coffee mugs. We stayed here for our wedding weekend! We wanted a luxurious place to stay with our cousins and siblings for a wonderful weekend. My now husband and I loved the master suite upstairs and he large closet was a great for all our wedding attire. The two bedrooms on the main floor have their own access to the wrap around deck. We had the most wonderful stay there and look forward to coming back in years to come.
We adored spending Christmas with our family at this perfect getaway! The house was perfection, each detail was well thought out and comfortable. The location is incomparable with a world class beach. We loved having coffee on the wrap around deck and taking in the gorgeous views. Each room was well appointed and well designed. We were particularly impressed with the selection of beach essentials like towels, beach chairs, boogie boards and sand toys. We will absolutely rent this oasis again.
My family stayed for an extended weekend and there was plenty of space for us all to feel comfortable. Very considerate of small children with the toys and cribs being provided. The kitchen had every small appliance we could want. We really enjoyed our stay
When your only issues were finding the broom and getting stubborn doors to lock,
the comfort and location of the Copper Nest were perfection! Great views; comfortable beds; beautifully appointed decor - the owners have thought of everything!
The Copper Nest was a beautiful home with everything you need and more for an amazing family vacation. This is the 8th home we’ve stayed in at Pajaro Dunes and this home was by far the most comfortable, had the most accommodations, the prettiest views, everything we could ever need to allow us to just enjoy our family, and the owners were easy to communicate with and accommodating. It was clear the owners weren’t just renting out an investment property, they are ensuring people have a memorable experience in a place that feels like home.
1) Pajaro Dunes is kind of in the middle of nowhere. If you want to be able to walk to restaurants/shops/etc., you'll be happier in Santa Cruz or Monterey. We are not talking isolated though - there are plenty of good places you can drive to (<30 minutes), and restaurant/grocery delivery works fine.
The home is amazing with everything you could possibility need + more.
Having a fire place to use all day was heavily, they provided kindling, starters.
Looking forward to going again
Serafina
The Copper Nest is everything we imagined and more! This place was immaculate and the location was prime. It’s obvious that the owners have taken great care and attention to detail because this place is not only beautiful, but also stocked with thoughtful touches like games, blankets, coffee & firewood, washer/dryer. The beds and pillows are hella comfy, too. The water pressure wasn't the strongest, but the hot water lasted long enough for several of us to take showers. Each space of the house had it’s own temp control. The TV took some time to figure out, but we aren’t the most tech savvy, so it could’ve been us not seeing the obvious. The only struggle we had were the locks for the doors to the patio; we were given instructions for them, but there was a bit of a learning curve trying to lock them from the inside. We’ve already started looking at the calendar to see when we can go again!
Although the pictures are beautiful this house is so much more beautiful in person.😍 When we saw it, it took our breath away, it is so beautiful! The architecture is amazing. We had such an amazing time! Erin and Bryan are awesome hosts, they were very attentive to our needs and made sure we were comfortable, which we were very, very, very comfortable.😊 They welcomed us with beautiful mugs and a card, which were very thoughtful and kind.☺️
The design and decor inside and outside the home is beautiful, we could tell everything was well thought of. It was stocked with all the basics and much more, you don't have to take much because they have it there.😁 They had great choices of coffee (I am a huge coffee ☕ drinker), plenty of games and things to play with for the kids and plenty of chopped up firewood to keep the beautiful fireplace going. Plenty of room for all of us to sleep. The loft area was my kids favorite room, it was very spacious and had so many cool toys and games. The views are absolutely beautiful, from the wrap around deck to the views from the inside of the house, ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Oh and the views from the master bedroom are ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING, there aren't enough words to describe the beauty in what you see out those windows, not just in the morning but all day!
The area is so quiet and peaceful. The beach is so close and is stunning. It was so clean and hardly anyone was there, at times we had the beach to ourselves. 🏖️ We hope to go back in the future. This is a vacation that we will never forget. We fell in love with this home and although we miss it we have such beautiful memories there! We highly recommend renting this home, you will not be disappointed.
So what can I say about the Copper Nest? What looks really interesting from the outside is even more incredible on the inside. This three bedroom,two bath beach paradise was everything we could've hoped for and was well appointed with every little thoughtful touch, Nespresso coffee and a fully stocked chef's kitchen. Loved the design and layout and the location was just steps from the beach. The Pajaro Dunes neighborhood is architecturally stimulating, carless (about 50 yd walk to the parking but carts are provided for your stuff), quiet with only the surf sounds in the background and serene. Fully stocked beach gear was awesome too, reducing how much we had to bring from home. Erin and Bryan were excellent hosts, were proactive and communicated clearly and often. We will definitely be back!
Note: This home is not for people who can't handle stairs very well.
We LOVED everything about that gorgeous eclectic beachside home away from home! From the moment we laid eyes on it way up high in the sky on its sturdy stilts, we knew we were in for a real treat! Everything was exactly as described in the listing if not better, all the beds were very comfortable, the kitchen extremely well stocked, everything very clean, and no amenities were skimped on! We were blessed with incredible warm November weather too! The Pajaro Dunes neighborhood even bustling with Thanksgiving activity was still peaceful and quite. We would absolutely stay here again! No complaints!
We had a wonderful time staying at the Copper Nest. The home is beautiful and so cozy. We had views of sunset every night right from the house and deck. It was quiet and peaceful. The beach was clean and was not crowded with people. The home is equipped with everything you might need for your stay and wonderful hosts. We would love to come back again.
Jeff P.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Nov 2021
Thank you for staying with us, Jeff! We loved hosting your family.
About the host
Hosted by Erin Nelson
We have always dreamed about owning a beach house. We love the Monterey Bay Area and have been renting our favorite beach house that felt like home to us for many years. We hoped and prayed we would have one of our own someday! In 2014 we made a ten year goal to purchase something by the coast. We dreamed of white water views and were looking in the Aptos area. During the summer of 2019 one of our family members was staying at Pajaro Dunes and we fell in love with this area. The Copper Nest was featured as an open house one day during our visit and we decided to take a look. We thought it was so funky walking up to it because it was so high and on STILTS! But we instantly fell in love and felt right at home the moment we walked in. We knew we wanted to create a retreat and share the home with others.
Bryan is a financial planner and radio broadcaster in the Turlock area and Erin is the executive director of a children’s grief center called Jessica’s House in Turlock. They have a family business farming almonds in the Central Valley. They have four children and six grandchildren who all love the beach.
Why they chose this property
This area stood out to us because of the views! We love seeing the ocean views to the West especially during sunset and the agriculture views to the East at sunrise. We also love being able to have the recreation area and beach steps just steps away.
What makes this property unique
The 360 degree views and expert design from Conrad Asturi Studios make this home a rare find. The accessibility to Monterey, Carmel and Santa Cruz is something we enjoy. We often drive to neighboring areas when we are visiting. Dining out is one of our favorite activities and we enjoy trying the excellent restaurants throughout the area. We recently discovered the wine region and restaurants in Carmel Valley and make it a point to visit when we are here.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests