Carpinteria State Beach, California

Sparkling white sands give way to the Pacific Ocean where the mountains meet the sea here at Carpinteria State Beach, which offers pretty much everything you could ask for in a beach camping adventure. Twelve miles south of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria camping is one of the best ways to take in all the beauty the California coast has to offer. Carve out a spot along the sun-soaked shoreline to warm your bones after a relaxing swim in what is known as California’s safest beach. Grab the paddle of your choice and commune with the dolphins, whales and seals that call these waters home, or take a leisurely stroll along the beach or along one of the dune trails. Stroll through tide pools while keeping your eyes peeled for starfish, crabs, snails, sea anemones, and sea urchins. And look out for seals, sea lions, and the occasional gray whale from December through May. Adventurers looking to catch their own dinner have ample opportunities for fishing and clamming. Those less interested in living off the land can venture on a short walk to town for a restaurant meal. Besides service animals, dogs aren’t allowed on Carpinteria State Beach, and they cannot be left unattended at your campsite, so most furry friends should be left at home. Truly a Southern California experience, get ready to beach it up on Carpinteria’s golden shores.

Take your pick from more than 200 campsites at four different campgrounds: Santa Cruz, San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Anacapa. Reservations are available between 2 days and seven months in advance. Cook dinner at your campsite’s fire ring and eat dinner at the nearby picnic table. Rinse the salt from your body at the end of a long beach day in the coin-operated showers located at each of the campgrounds. Water, sewer and electric hookups are available at Santa Rosa campground and half the sites in the San Miguel Loop, but the Anacapa and Santa Cruz loops do not have hookups. Carpinteria State Beach also has a hike or bike-in campground available for short stays of one or two nights.