Hope Ranch Private Beach

Located near the upscale community of Hope Ranch, Hope Ranch Beach is a remote beach with light brown sand. This beach is situated below steep oceanfront bluffs.  

Hope Ranch Beach does not have lifeguards or any other public amenities, so plan your trip accordingly.  Dogs on leashes are allowed on this beach. 

Hope Ranch Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, fishing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, swimming, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, bodysurfing, and bodyboarding. Hope Ranch Beach offers occasional fun and consistent surfing waves.  However, we recommend being careful while going into the water near Hope Ranch Beach as it is known to have rip currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can also view many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including seals, sea lions, and migrating whales. If you are planning to fish in the water near Hope Ranch Beach, we recommend that you ensure compliance with the local fishing regulations.

Getting to Hope Ranch Beach can be difficult as the main entrance to this beach from the community of Hope Ranch is only reserved for Hope Ranch’s residents.  The only way for the general public to access this beach is via another nearby beach called More Mesa Beach.  In order to get to More Mesa Beach, you need to first reach the entrance of a blufftop protected area named More Mesa Open Space which is situated near 1095 Mockingbird Lane. From this entrance, you need to walk to the edge of the bluffs near the eastern part of the open space, where there is an access trail leading down along the bluff sides to More Mesa Beach.  Once you get down to More Mesa Beach, you need to walk around half a mile east to get to Hope Ranch Beach.  It is important to note that no parking spaces are available in Mockingbird Lane, and you need to park along the nearby Vieja Drive or Puente Drive and then walk to the main entrance for More Mesa Open Space on Mockingbird Lane. We recommend visiting Hope Ranch Beach during low tide as during high tide Hope Ranch Beach can become inaccessible from More Mesa Beach.  

There are many attractions near Hope Ranch Beach. El Presidio de Santa Bárbara is an important local historical landmark. This fort was built in 1782 and is a part of a group of four presidios (meaning forts in Spanish) built in the present-day California region during the Spanish Colonial era. This presidio is open for self-guided tours and offers a unique insight into the rich history of California. South Coast Railroad Museum has interesting exhibits related to railway technology and the history of railroad expansion and its contributions to the development of local communities in Southern California. The museum’s centerpiece is the Goleta Depot which was built in 1901 and is listed in the United States National Register of Historic Places. If you are looking for another attraction near Hope Ranch Beach, Santa Barbara’s State Street Promenade offers many exciting shopping stores, restaurants, and theatres. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Hope Ranch Beach. Lure Fish House is an upscale restaurant that offers amazing seafood. This restaurant is known to serve classic seafood dishes including fish tacos, chowders, ceviches, cioppino stew, and charbroiled oysters. Cody’s Cafe offers amazing breakfast dishes, soups, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, salads, steaks, and seafood. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Hope Ranch Beach, Dave’s Dogs Grills serves amazing hot dogs and has been praised by many newspapers including Santa Barbara News-Press and the Santa Barbara Independent. In addition, this restaurant has also been featured in the Cooking Channel television show Cheap Eats.

If you are looking for a hotel near Hope Ranch Beach, there are many great options nearby. The 4-Star Hideaway Santa Barbara, A Kirkwood Collection Property offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast and a lounge with a fireplace. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hampton Inn Santa Barbara/ Goleta which offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast and weekday breakfast bags, a pool, a hot tub, and a fitness center. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Hope Ranch Beach,  the modestly priced 2-Star Motel 6 Goleta, CA - Santa Barbara offers many amenities including morning coffee, a pool, and a coin-operated laundry.