El Capitan Beach
Because this jewel of Santa Barbara beaches is part of a State Park, beach-goers have access to excellent
facilities, including overnight camping, showers, restrooms, picnic tables and grills, and even a small general
store on weekends. There is plenty of parking, although it costs $5 whether your stay is a few minutes or a few hours.
In addition to the facilities and usual activities such as swimming, surfing, volleyball and so on, this beach offers
a wonderful feeling of remoteness, privacy and tranquility.
Location: 17 miles north of Santa Barbara on Hwy. 101. Look for the signs for El Capitan State Park.
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Goleta Beach
Nearly 30 acres of beach and park comprise Goleta Beach County Park, sandwiched between Santa Barbara and the
University of California's Santa Barbara (UCSB) campus. There is something for everyone at this popular spot,
including plenty of sand, expanses of grass, picnic facilities and paved trails for walking and bicycles. Of all
the Santa Barbara beaches, this is the only one with a non-commercial fishing pier, and is one of three with its
own restaurant and snack bar. The large, free parking lot attests to this beach's popularity, especially with
families and university students.
Location: Hollister Ave. to Sandspit Rd. OR Hwy 101 to Hwy 217 (to airport), then exit at Sandspit Rd.
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Arroyo Burro ("Hendry's") Beach
Centrally located at the intersection of Cliff Drive and Las Positas Road, this is one of the most popular of all
Santa Barbara beaches. This stretch of oceanfront attracts couples out for a romantic stroll, families seeking a
spacious sandy playground, surfers, and dog lovers and their pets who enjoy the canine camaraderie plentiful at the
beach's off-leash area. In fact, this is such a dog-friendly favorite that canines have their own washing and grooming
station. The beach lies adjacent to tony Hope Ranch,
an exclusive residential enclave, and is in the cliff-side shadow of the Douglas Family Preserve. A beachside restaurant,
The Boathouse, offers breakfast, lunch and dinner just a few yards from the sand and surf.
Location: One block past intersection of Las Positas Rd. and Cliff Dr. OR HWY 101 to Las Positas Rd. (away from mountains), to Cliff Dr. Turn right on Cliff Dr.
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Leadbetter Beach
When the Santa Barbara Harbor breakwater was constructed in the 1920's, it slowed the natural north-south migration
of sand along the Santa Barbara coast. Above the harbor, that sand created Leadbetter Beach, now one of the most popular
beachfront recreation spots in the area. Beginner and intermediate surfers enjoy the usually gentle swell of the beach's
point break. Especially during the summer, when winds are the most consistent, windsurfers and kite surfers join the fun.
A large parking lot is convenient not only to this central Santa Barbara beach, but also to the adjacent park-like grassy
area hosting picnic facilities, restrooms and outdoor showers as well as the Shoreline Beach Cafe.
Location: Take Cabrillo Blvd. (along the Santa Barbara waterfront) just past the Santa Barbara Harbor.
West Beach
This broad expanse of sand rests between the Santa Barbara Harbor and Stearn's Wharf, just across Cabrillo Boulevard
from several beachfront hotels. Since it meets the ocean near the mouth of the harbor, it is not really a swimming beach,
but it offers a good vantage point for watching boats come and go, and provides a front-row seat for the spectacular
fireworks display on the Fourth of July.
Location: Take State Street to Cabrillo Blvd. Turn right on Cabrillo Blvd. The beach is on the left.
East Beach
Acres of sand, over a mile of ocean access, social and recreational facilities, plenty of parking and convenience to
Santa Barbara's beachfront hotels make this the city's "front yard" beach. It is always easily accessible and is as safe
and clean as any public beach can be. One of the most popular Santa Barbara beaches, East Beach is bordered by a grassy,
palm tree-lined park that hosts a festive Sunday open-air arts and crafts show. The wonderful 1920's vintage Cabrillo
Pavilion and Bathhouse sits proudly near the south end of East Beach, offering a restaurant and snack bar, showers, lockers,
a weight room, children's play area and a lovely banquet facility overlooking the ocean and Channel Islands.
Location: Take State Street to Cabrillo Blvd. Left on Cabrillo Blvd. The beach is on the right.
Butterfly, Hammonds & Miramar Beaches
One of the most prestigious stretches of sand on the entire West Coast, this continuous swath of
Montecito beach has been a playground for
the well-heeled and the well-known since the 1920's. Extending from the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel on the north, to
Fernald Point on the south, it offers a sun-soaked setting convenient to Montecito's Coast Village Road and multi-million-dollar
beachfront estates. Butterfly Beach is perhaps best-known for its spectacular sunsets. As the most west-facing Santa Barbara
beach, it is ideally situated to capture the visual rewards and romantic ambiance of what is, for many locals and visitors
alike, the ultimate twilight ritual.
Location: Butterfly Beach: Coast Village Rd. or Hwy 101 to Olive Mill Rd. Turn away from the mountains on Olive Mill Rd.; Hammonds & Miramar Beaches: Hwy. 101 to San Ysidro Rd. Turn toward the beach and continue to end (Eucalyptus Ln.).
Summerland Beach
One of the easiest stretches of sand among Santa Barbara beaches, Summerland Beach is just a block off Highway 101.
Not only is it convenient, it is also user-friendly and fun. The beach rests below Lookout Park, a lovely oasis of green
lawn dotted with picnic tables, barbecues, and playground equipment for the kids. A paved walkway leads to the mile-long
expanse of beach, which, at low tide, connects with Fernald Point and the beautiful Montecito beaches to the north.
Location: Hwy. 101 to Summerland (Evans St.) exit. Turn toward the beach and enter Lookout Park.
Carpinteria City Beach & Carpinteria State Beach
When one of the most popular beaches in the entire California State Parks system neighbors a stretch of sand as
well-cared-for and user-friendly as Carpinteria's City Beach, the result is over a contiguous mile of broad, well-groomed
and gently-sloping pleasure. Both beaches offer plenty of sand and grass for volleyball, Frisbee and other beach-friendly
activities, as well as restrooms, picnic tables, barbecue grills, and much more. Seals and sea lions are plentiful and fun
to watch, as are the gray whales that occasionally glide by. Tide pools provide seaside stages for education and entertainment.
Location: City Beach: Hwy. 101 to Linden Ave. exit. Follow Linden Ave. through town to the beach; State Beach: Hwy. 101 to Casitas Pass Rd. exit. Casitas Pass Rd. to right on Carpinteria Ave., then left on Palm Ave. Follow Palm Ave. to the beach.
Rincon Beach
There is Rincon Beach, and then there is "The Rincon." Rincon Beach and the small day-use park above it can be a relaxing
venue for a picnic, a casual stroll on the sand or a swim. It offers restrooms, picnic tables and relatively easy access down
the cliff to the shore. "The Rincon," as the significant point break next door is called, is a different story. Recognized
worldwide as one of the West Coast's premier (and sometimes dangerous) expert surfing spots, this has been, and is, a training
ground for some of the surfing scene's finest.
Location: Hwy 101 to Bates Rd. exit. Take Bates Rd. to the beach parking lot.
