Carpinteria State Beach
Mile-long Carpinteria State Beach, 12 miles south of Santa Barbara, was an important canoe-building site for native Chumash people, who used the tar that occurs naturally on this beach to seal their wooden canoes, called tomols. Protected by an offshore reef, this is an excellent swimming and wading beach for children. You will also find a beachfront campground,...
Mile-long Carpinteria State Beach, 12 miles south of Santa Barbara, was an important canoe-building site for native Chumash people, who used the tar that occurs naturally on this beach to seal their wooden canoes, called tomols. Protected by an offshore reef, this is an excellent swimming and wading beach for children. You will also find a beachfront campground, covered picnic tables, and a small visitor center. Carpinteria Creek flows through the park and into a lagoon, which was the launching site for Chumash tomols bound for the Channel Islands. Today this lagoon is a lovely spot to watch mallards, egrets, herons, coots, and other shorebirds. Carpinteria City Beach, which adjoins Carpinteria State Beach, has better wheelchair access to the beach, as well as picnic tables on concrete pads that offer prime views of the Channel Islands and of sand volleyball games.
Visitor center: The visitor center, located between the entrance kiosk and Anacapa campground, has a Chumash Indian exhibit, a touch tank, and animal pelts you can touch. The asphalt path leading to the center has a small steep section, and tree roots have caused it to buckle considerably.
Accessibility Details
The facilities listed below meet all of our access criteria unless otherwise noted.
Beach Wheelchair:
Yes
Pick up at entrance kiosk or reserve by calling (805) 684-2811, ext. 03
Fee parking is beyond the entrance kiosk. Free accessible parking is next to the visitor center and at Carpinteria City Beach, at the foot of Linden Avenue.
Across from the entrance kiosk by the Santa Cruz campground
Restroom at main day-use parking lot only has room for a front-approach transfer but otherwise meets our access criteria.
Several large shaded picnic areas with barbecue grills are by the main day-use parking lot. Some with great ocean views are at the foot of Linden Avenue.
Other Things of Interest
For 25 cents you can ride the electric Seaside Shuttle, which stops at Carpinteria City Beach and at the major shopping areas in town. It operates year-round, Mon.-Fri., 6 am-7 pm, Sat.-Sun., 10 am-5 pm.