An idyllic, mile-long strand where kids can splash around in calm waters and go tide-pooling along the shoreline. In winter, you may spot harbor seals and sea lions hauled out on the sand, especially if you hike over a mile south along the coast to a bluff-top overlook.
Carpinteria State Beach
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.77 MILES
This next-gen science museum is an interactive treasure trove of exhibits and experiences related to sound, technology, speed, light and color that are…
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
10.52 MILES
Built in Spanish-Moorish Revival style in 1929, the courthouse features hand-painted ceilings, wrought-iron chandeliers and tiles from Tunisia and Spain…
11.37 MILES
California's ‘Queen of the Missions’ reigns above the city on a hilltop perch more than a mile north of downtown. Its imposing Ionic facade, an…
25.36 MILES
Santa Cruz, the Channel Islands' largest at 96 sq miles, claims two mountain ranges and the park's tallest peak, Mt Diablo (2450ft). The western three…
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25.42 MILES
The Channel Islands is an eight-island chain lying off the coast from Newport Beach to Santa Barbara. The four northern islands – San Miguel, Santa Rosa,…
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27.48 MILES
Actually three separate islets totaling just over 1 sq mile, Anacapa gives a memorable introduction to the Channel Islands’ ecology. It's also the best…
8.41 MILES
Small (so it's perfect for young kids) Santa Barbara Zoo has 146 species covering all creatures great and small, including several not found in many other…
9.6 MILES
The southern end of State St gives way to Stearns Wharf, a rough wooden pier lined with souvenir shops, snack stands and seafood shacks. Built in 1872, it…
Nearby attractions
4.92 MILES
Small but pretty park with a kids' playground, picnic tables, barbecue grills, clifftop ocean views and access to the beach.
7.15 MILES
No facilities but quite a high chance of celebrity spotting (the nearby Four Seasons Biltmore hotel is a popular destination for the rich and famous) at…
7.19 MILES
The 'blacksmith's house' is actually a gorgeously well-preserved 1920s estate built in Spanish Colonial style and bordered by strollable gardens. Tours…
8.41 MILES
Small (so it's perfect for young kids) Santa Barbara Zoo has 146 species covering all creatures great and small, including several not found in many other…
8.45 MILES
In 1941 the eccentric opera singer and socialite Madame Ganna Walska bought the 37 acres that make up Lotusland with her lover and yoga-guru Theos Bernard…
9.1 MILES
Santa Barbara’s largest and most popular beach is a long, sandy stretch sprawling east of Stearns Wharf, with volleyball nets for pick-up games, a…
9.28 MILES
Kid-friendly waterfront park with a shipwreck-themed playground, lake with ducks and turtles, and a carousel dating from 1916. The shuttle bus stops here.
9.42 MILES
From touch tanks full of tide-pool critters and crawl-through aquariums to whale sing-alongs, this place is interactive, educational and bound to keep the…