Best Surf Beaches In Santa Barbara

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Best Surf Beaches in Santa Barbara

Top Surf Beaches in Santa Barbara, California

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4.05

Coal Oil Point

United States, California, Isla Vista

Surfers at Coal Oil Point

Glenn Beltz

CC BY 2.0 (Unmodified)

Located in the town of Isla Vista, Coal Oil Point is a very small, narrow, and rocky beach on the south side of Nature Center Coal Oil Point Reserve and Devereux Lagoon. Coal Oil Point welcomes dogs on leash and offers restrooms.

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4.35

Refugio State Beach

United States, California, Goleta

Randall Kaplan.

Refugio State Beach is a beautiful, family-friendly beach that’s located about 20 miles west of Santa Barbara. The beach is beautiful – it’s lined with 30-feet tall date palm trees that separate the brown sand on one side and a large parking lot and campsites on the other. You’ll find a lot of good amenities here – nice bathrooms, showers, a general store, picnic tables, barbeques, fire pits, and seasonal lifeguards. And there’s also plenty to do – swimming, snorkeling, surfing, fishing, kayaking, whale / wildlife viewing, and tide pool exploration. If you like biking, there’s a three-mile-long bike trail between Refugio State Beach and nearby El Capitan State Beach to the east. The beach is awesome – but there’s a $10 parking fee to enter.

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4.1

Leadbetter Beach

United States, California, Santa Barbara

Randall Kaplan.

Located in the heart of Santa Barbara, Leadbetter Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the area because of its clear waters, consistent winds, and wide sands. Santa Barbara City College is right next to this beach so expect to see lots of students getting some sunshine between classes.

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4.1

Sands Beach

United States, California, Isla Vista

My dog introduces a Husky to the ocean

Glenn Beltz

creativecommons (Unmodified)

Located in the town of Isla Vista, Sands Beach is a small, narrow, and rocky beach south of Devereux Lagoon and in front of Nature Center Coal Oil Point Reserve – a protected plant and animal habitat. Sands Beach is a perfect destination for surfing as it offers a great point break.

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4.35

El Capitan State Beach

United States, California, Goleta

Randall Kaplan.

El Capitan State Beach is a beautiful stretch of coastline located in Goleta, United States. This beach is approximately 20 miles west of Santa Barbara and is known for its long sandy beach, which is approximately 2 miles long, and its deep blue waters.