The Best Swimming in Santa Barbara

There are 2 campgrounds close to Rincón, but Carpinteria State Beach is a little bigger and easier to find a spot. There are 4 campgrounds: Santa Cruz, Anacapa, San Miguel and Santa Rosa. Most of them are RV sites, but if you stay at Santa Cruz Campground you can set your tent right at the beach,...

Santa Cruz Campground is nestled in Carpinteria State Beach, an easy drive from Santa Barbara, Ventura, or the greater LA area. Over a mile of beach front access allows for swimming, surfing, fishing, tide pool exploration, and picnicking.  There is an abundance of wildlife to see: seals, sea lio...

This popular campground of 142 sites is equipped with fire rings and a picnic area, in addition to restrooms and showers. There are group campsites available, as well. Click here for more info/ reservations.

Refugio State Beach is a great location for fishing, hiking, and picnicking. Lucky beach-goers will spot sea otters, dolphins, seals, and whales. Both sides of the lagoon are perfect for exploring. Heading north will take you to a nice viewpoint with a picnic table above a surfing location. The R...

Surfer's Point aka Ventura Point is a well-known kite boarding/surfing (and surfing) spot due to its (when conditions are right) great wave quality, favorable wind direction (sideshore with occasional side-off), friendly locals, rider capacity, and a nearby point break with. When conditions are e...

The Rincon Trail between Ventura and Santa Barbara is part of the wonderful Pacific Coast Bike Route, and features two-wave paved cycling lanes with beautiful views up and down the central coast. There are numerous places to stop along the way for food and relaxing, including the great seaside to...

As the largest of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Island National Park is an ecological treasure, and to kayak it is to get to experience it in a manner unlike any other. Getting to the island is easiest through Island Packers where you can also reserve a kayak (so pack effi...

Save one stretch of elevation close to the cove itself, this 8-mile, round-trip hike is a leisuring trek across one of the countries most beautiful, though less famous National Parks - the Channel Islands. Smuggler's Cove is located on the Santa Cruz Island, which also happens to be the largest i...

You can get a wonderfully detailed description of what to expect from the Channel Islands/Santa Rosa Island and how to get there from fellow Explorer Michael Wigle's "Beach camp on Santa Rosa Island" adventure (which I highly recommend you check out for the information and the photography https:/...

The hike to Chinese Harbor is a 14.2 mile out-and-back hike from Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island or a much more manageable 8 mile out-and-back hike from Del Norte backcountry campground. If you are spending the day on the island curtesy of Island Packers, a trek to Chinese Harbor might be d...

This is an 8.5 mile trail, out and back. Parking is available along Ojai St, and the trail starts at the entrance of Thomas Aquinas College. Follow the paved road which goes around the school, until you reach a fork on the road, then stay right. The trail will take you through Ferndale Ranch, jus...

The National Park Service describes this hike in the following:  "Strenuous.  A spectacular canyon with wind- and water-sculpted sandstone cliffs, a year-round stream, riparian vegetation, and a spectacular coast at its mouth.  Well worth the effort."I couldn't agree more with the last sentence. ...

Take PCH through Malibu towards Oxnard and the campground will be on your left. There is no day use here and you can drive right to your campsite.During the summer, make reservations or arrive really early to nab a site. Spaces can fill up quickly.There is access to a hiking trail across PCH.

Beach camping in California seems elusive these days, but we were able to pitch our tent just feet from the surf! We stayed for two nights and felt like we had our own private stretch of beach. First, you'll want to make reservations at www.reserveamerica.com. It was fairly easy to reserve a spot...