Arroyo Burro Beach (Hendrys Beach)
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About Arroyo Burro Beach (Hendrys Beach) in Santa Barbara, California
Arroyo Burro Beach County Park is the official name of what Santa Barbara locals call Hendry’s Beach. It’s a good place for a hike, beach walk or walking your dog. It also has a restaurant where you can eat inside or grab something at the takeout window.
This beach is surrounded by tall bluffs with parks and trails on top including the Douglas Family Preserve, a wooded space saved from development by locals and Michael Douglas the actor who named it in honor of his father Kirk, another famous actor. A footpath into the preserve begins at the entrance to the parking lot. The park is a good place for whale watching. A unique elevated viewpoint on the west side of the beach is another place to rest and watch for whales.
The Boathouse Restaurant, a highly-rated seafood restaurant, is at the beach so you can make this an all day affair or an evening visit for dinner. It’s first come first served so get your name on the list early. There’s a snack bar on the back side of the restaurant for grabbing a quick bite.
This is one of the cleanest beaches in the area because adults and kids venture out from the South Coast Watershed Resource Center to clean it monthly. The water however can be unsanitary if the creek is flowing across the beach so ask lifeguards if you plan to swim. The center is located at the same parking lot as Hendry’s and offers education programs for local kids. It’s possible to walk quite a ways in both directions from here especially at lower tides. Dogs are allowed off leash (if under voice control) south of the creek.
Soaring overhead at Hendry’s there might be hang gliders and paragliders that take off from Elings Park nearby.
The parking lot entrance for Hendry’s Beach is just west of the intersection of Cliff Drive and Las Positas Road. This is a popular beach so the parking lots fill up quick on sunny days.
- Address
- 2981 Cliff Dr
Santa Barbara, CA 93109 - Phone
- 805-564-5418
- Park Name
- Arroyo Burro Beach County Park
- Other Names
- Hendry's Beach, Arroyo Burro Creek Canyon
- Owner
- County Beach
- Pet Details
- Dogs allowed off leash on the beach south of the creek mouth, and on-leash in the rest of the park
- Fees
- Free parking
- Activities
- Sunbathing, Bodyboarding, Swimming, Surfing, Fishing, Hiking, Beachcombing, Beach Walking, Whale Watching
- Amenities
- Lifeguards (summer), Restrooms, Showers Picnic Tables, BBQs, Benches, Viewpoint, Grass Park, Restaurant, Snack Bar, Lagoon, Accessible Features
Nearby Beaches
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0.7 miles away
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Thousand Steps Beach
1.6 miles away
Thousand Steps Beach is a rock and sand beach below homes high on the bluff in the East Mesa...
Shoreline Park Beach
1.9 miles away
Shoreline Park is a linear grassy park located in the East Mesa neighborhood of Santa Barbara, CA. Below the...
Nearby Attractions
Douglas Family Preserve
0.2 miles away
The Douglas Family Preserve is a public park of 70 acres with trails for hiking and biking above the...
Nearby Lodging
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