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Arroyo Burro Beach
Arroyo Burro Beach County Park is the official name of what Santa Barbara locals call Hendry's...
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East Beach of Santa Barbara
East Beach in Santa Barbara is located along the waterfront east of State Street and the Stearns...
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Hope Ranch Beach
Hope Ranch Beach has a private beach access in the residential community of Hope Ranch. This...
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Leadbetter Beach
Leadbetter Beach is a locals beach located just west of the harbor in Santa Barbara. It's right...
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Mesa Lane Beach
Mesa Lane Beach is a narrow beach below the West Mesa neighborhood of Santa Barbara. At low tides,...
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More Mesa Beach
More Mesa Beach is a narrow beach hidden away below the bluffs of More Mesa Park in Santa Barbara....
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San Miguel Island Beaches
San Miguel Island is the westernmost island (farthest out) in Channel Islands National Park....
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Santa Barbara Harbor Beach (Sandspit)
This small beach is located at the end of the breakwater for Santa Barbara Harbor and is walking...
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Santa Barbara Island
Santa Barbara Island is a small island surrounded by cliffs and unfortunately it has no beaches....
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Santa Cruz Island – Prisoners Harbor
Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands can be visited as a day trip or an...
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Santa Cruz Island – Scorpion Anchrage
Santa Cruz Island is the largest and tallest of the islands in Channel Islands National Park. Only...
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Santa Rosa Island Beaches
Santa Rosa Island is a large island in the chain of islands that makeup Channel Islands National...
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Shoreline Park Beach
Shoreline Park is a linear grassy park located in the East Mesa neighborhood of Santa Barbara, CA....
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Thousand Steps Beach
Thousand Steps Beach is a rock and sand beach below homes high on the bluff in the East Mesa area...
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West Beach of Santa Barbara
West Beach in Santa Barbara is a wide beach located west of and adjacent to Stearns Wharf Pier at...
Articles
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Glamping on the California Coast
Camping is a lot of fun, but it’s a lot of work. Glamping has many of the benefits of regular camping without the bothersome gear. You’ll pay a little more […]
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The Lost Surf Breaks of California
Sign near the gate at Hollister Ranch Over time California has lost access to some of its surf breaks. In most cases it’s because of private land ownership, state park […]
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Relax At These Secluded Hotels On The California Coast
Part of the fun of a California beach vacation is definitely the relaxation. But even though the oceanside location is ideal for some sweet serenity, some of the larger hotels […]
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Lounge In Luxury At These California Coast Vacation House Rentals
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in a big, beautiful beach house? Thanks to high-end vacation rental sites and companies like AirBnB, you can get the experience […]
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Enjoy These Unique Dining Experiences On The California Coast
Part of the fun of a California beach vacation is definitely the dining. And while you’ll find everything from fancy fare to casual seaside fish and chips, sometimes it’s fun […]
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The Best Central Coast Road Trip Itinerary
California’s Central Coast is occasionally overshadowed by it’s NorCal and SoCal neighbors, especially by tourists from out of state. But the truth is this stretch of coastline has some of the […]
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These “Lesser Known” California Coast Hotels Are True Hidden Gems
There are some very well known hotels and resorts on the California Coast (See related: Best Beach Resorts in California), such as the Hotel del Coronado and the Hotel Laguna, that […]
Maps
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The Historic Fishing Piers in California
Fishing has always been a big coastal activity in California, long before surfing became popular in the 1960’s. During the second half of the 1800’s and in the early 1900’s […]
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Private Beaches in California Anyone Can Go To
California has quite a few private beaches. All of them are immediately in front of private property, many of which are gated communities. Monarch Bay Beach in Dana Point is […]
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The Missions of California
California has 21 historic Spanish missions from San Diego to Sonoma in the northern San Francisco Bay Area. Most were built during the late 1700’s, with the two northernmost being […]
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Zoos in California
There are zoos and aquariums all along the California coast. From the world-famous San Diego Zoo in Southern California to a little-known zoo in Eureka, there are many family-friendly zoos […]
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Must-See Aquariums in California
Catch a glimpse of Pacific Ocean habitats at these must-see California aquariums located on or near the coast. Some of the best aquariums in the United States are in California, […]
Attractions
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Douglas Family Preserve Hiking and More
The Douglas Family Preserve is a public park of 70 acres with trails for hiking and biking above the beach in Santa Barbara. Views of the city and nearby Elings […]
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Stearns Wharf
Stearns Wharf is an icon for Santa Barbara, California, a beautiful beach city on the borderline of Southern California and Central Coast California. The most visited landmark in the city […]
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El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
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Old Mission Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara’s “Queen of the Missions” was dedicated on December 16, 1786 as the tenth of 21 California missions. This beautiful mission is the only one with two bell towers and […]
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Santa Barbara Zoo
Today the Santa Barbara Zoo is a worthy attraction that the city can brag about. The beginning was modest with only a few animals – a llama, two sheep, a […]
Hotels
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Harbor View Inn
Harbor View Inn has been one of our favorite 4 Diamond properties for many years. Not only does it enjoy a location across the street from Stearns Wharf and the […]
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Hotel Milo Santa Barbara
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The Inn at East Beach