Carpinteria CaliforniaBeaches, Hotels And Fun In Carpinteria CaliforniaCarpinteria California is one of my favorite places for a family beach vacation. It's a small, low-key beach town 15 minutes south of Santa Barbara. Linden Street is the town's short main street, with everything from a candy shop to burritos to sushi. At the end of Linden, you're at the beach.
To the left is Carpinteria State Beach and it's campgrounds, while to the right is the City Beach. The city beach is known as one of the safest swimming beaches because the waves are usually very calm, and it stays relatively shallow quite a ways out. (But always check with the lifeguard for any current or recently changed conditions.)
Wandering down the State beach is a fun activity. There are plenty of tide pools to explore. Towards the south end of the campgrounds is Tar Pits Park, a natural wonder. Tar literally oozes out of the bluffs in molasses like waterfalls, solidifying at the base. The Chumash Indians used to build boats on this beach, using the tar to glue the wood planks together. Warning: Your kid's clothes and shoes will be ruined by this natural tar, so make sure they look but don't touch. But it's extremely tempting. For fun, see this
Carpinteria tar video
On Linden Street you can jump on an open-air trolley called the Seaside Shuttle that does a big loop around the town and down to the beach. It's fun for an unofficial excursion and to get acquainted with the area when you first get there.
If you are in Carpinteria California for more than a day, a fun day trip is taking the Amtrak train into
Santa Barbara.
It's only a short jaunt, but lovely scenery. You can get out and walk around State Street or out on the pier for a bit, then come back.
The state beach is where you can camp right at the beach, under trees.
Besides the campgrounds, there are a few choices for Carpinteria lodging in town. Return from the Carpinteria California page to the Southern California Beaches Vacation Guide home page.
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