Beaches of Santa Barbara

• East Beach
  Santa Barbara’s most famous beach, featured on The Travel Channel, is directly across Cabrillo Boulevard from the resort. Located on the city waterfront between the Andree Clark Bird Refuge and Stearns Wharf, East Beach is the most popular beach for our visitors as well as locals, with its tournament beach volleyball venue, swimming, fishing and biking. Grassy areas with picnic tables and a children’s playground make it ideal for family picnics, and the sheltering Channel Islands eliminate large waves or surf, making it fun and safe waterplay for even the smallest of children. A central area houses day-use facilities with showers, changing room and rental equipment, a restaurant, and the East Beach Café. Lifeguards are on duty in the summer months.
• West Beach
  Located on the city waterfront, West Beach is west of Stearns Wharf and State Street, approximately two miles from the resort and accessible by bike path, walking path, or car. Situated at the entrance to the Santa Barbara Harbor, it is a great spot for boat-watching, swimming and wading with its gentle waves and seasonal lifeguard. Several public volleyball courts are available for your enjoyment, as well as biking, fishing, kayaking or simply sunbathing. A children’s wading pool, city lap pool, and playground are nearby.
• Leadbetter Beach
  West of West Beach at Shoreline and Loma Alta Drives, this beach offers swimming, surfing, boat-watching, biking, fishing, picnic and barbeque area, lifeguard, day-use facilities and the ShoreLine Café. Leadbetter Beach at low tide has wonderful tidepools to explore, and perhaps find a starfish, sand crab, or one of a kind shell. At the west end of the beach, stairs lead to the cliff-top Shoreline Park affording views of Channel Islands, migrating whales, sunsets, picnic tables, barbeque pits, restrooms, playgrounds, and a hiking footpath. Lifeguards are on duty in the summer months, and ample parking is available for a nominal fee.
• Butterfly Beach
  Across from Butterfly Lane in Montecito, beautiful Butterfly Beach was recently named one of the "20 great American Beaches" by Travel and Leisure Magazine. This scenic stretch is great for swimming, sunbathing, tide pool exploring, and kayaking. Dog walking is permitted on leash. During low tide, it is possible to walk through to East Beach and the resort. This beach has no facilities. There is ample free street parking above the beach and a wheelchair beach access ramp as well.