Santa Barbara County Beach Destinations
Video compliments of Travel Channel
Just northwest of Los Angeles is Santa Barbara County, which hugs the Pacific coastline, making a great destination for sparkling beaches and a laid-back lifestyle. In fact, it’s the area’s gorgeous beaches—which include Butterfly Beach, El Capitan State Beach and Isla Vista Beach—that attract the rich and famous from L.A. and beyond. Recent years have seen the expansion of luxury hotels and upscale boutiques into the county’s main hub, Santa Barbara, a still-small city of 90,00 which is often called the "American Riviera" for its Mediterranean climate.
Visitors to Santa Barbara get the best of both worlds: a quaint town with downtown beaches (such as the pretty Butterfly Beach) and Spanish-colonial architecture, and posh accommodations, which include Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star hotels like the San Ysidro Ranch and the Bacara Resort and Spa.
Regardless of where you choose to stay, you’ll want to hit the sand as soon as possible. While Butterfly Beach is a favorite for dog walkign and sunset-spotting, El Capitan State Beach is popular among nature lovers and anyone looking for privacy. Isla Vista Beach, a 15-minute drive west of Santa Barbara in Goleta, is a surfer’s paradise. Read on to learn more about the best beaches in Santa Barbara County.
