Twelve miles south of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria State Beach offers a mile of beach for swimming, surf fishing, tidepool exploring and camping. The Spanish named the area Carpinteria because of the Chumash tribe, who lived in the area, had a large seagoing canoe-building enterprise, or "carpentry shop" there. The tribe had chosen the location because of naturally occurring surface tar which was used to seal the boats. Seals and sea lions can be seen in the area December through May, as well as an occasional gray whale. Tidepools contain starfish, sea anemones, crabs, snails, octopi and sea urchin.

Carpinteria Beach is a clean beach with fantastic staff. Lifeguards patrol the beach year-round and are staffed from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Camping at this beach is a peaceful getaway where you are within walking distance to town so there is no need to drive. It's close enough to shopping places in case you need anything. There are group sites, family sites, and RV sites with full hookups. The campground is in excellent proximity to the beach and the hiking trail. You'll wake up to the waves crashing right by your "backdoor"! Explore the tar pits, tidepools, and the bluffs as well as learn about the local history at the nearby visitors center. Carpinteria Beach has breathtaking sunsets and isn't typically crowded due to the number of campsites available.

NOTE: It's best to reserve a camping spot ahead of time because they go fast and you're not likely to get one at the last minute.