I didn't even know this place excised til last weekend. While on a daytrip to Carpinteria my family and I came across this place while on a walk. It's a protected habitat for harbor seals. December through May is when you will see the most seals. It's on the trail of the carpenters bluffs nature preserve. It's really nice to walk here. Next time you are in Carpinteria check it out. read more

I set out to view the Carpinteria Seal Rookery. Basically this is a restricted beach area for humans but where seals gather to hang out and live their best life. Before I go further I want to tell ya all that "messing" (includes physically approaching and intruding in restricted areas) with the seals is a federal violation resulting in $10,000 fine. Plus remember the state& local crime punishable by more fines and probable time. We all know how much the government is hurting for some extra moolah. So don't be a doofus. The viewing area is free, no charge. All right with that said, you can view the website for ways to get to the overlook. All paths lead to using the Carpinteria Bluffs Trail. Plus for the love of all that you love, beware of the train tracks. Those are active tracks with real live trains. There are no bells n whistles to alert you that they are a coming. The tracks are not set there for a photo selfie opp. Don't linger on them and don't use them as a walking path. The summer weekday afternoon I visited, the extended bluff trail viewing area was closed. It was roped off. However the hedge, along the viewing trail, was overgrown so the beach below was not visible from that vantage point. So I went back to the area before the trail viewing area. And there was a small area where the hedge was not overgrown to view a portion of the beach below. That portion was closest to the private Casitas pier. But on this particular summer weekday afternoon, I was unable to view any seals on the beach from my vantage point. I'm pretty sure some were down there though. I saw a few swimming in the distance. Then unfortunately I saw a great white shark do what they do. It made a meal of a seal or two. Not a bad place for the sharks to hang out. Highly unfortunate for the seals when they do. read more

Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary - View from the bluff where the Carpinteria Seal Rookery viewing area is located. The Casitas Pier is private. - Parks Near Me - Carpinteria, California

I haven't been back to the seal sanctuary since 1992 when I became a volunteer. It was a much simpler operation then but still very effective. We didn't have official signs up then, of course. But we were always there to warn people not to bring their bicycles up to the viewing area (because the reflections from the metal would scare the moms and babies down on the beach.) Sometimes we would even keep watch all night when coyotes we come down from the hills to snatch themselves a meal. It was wonderful to be able to protect these little families. read more

It was very windy when I visited, and so there were no seals or any other animals. I walked down on the beach and realized why. It was so windy that anything on the beach ended up getting a sand blasted exfoliation! The birds were having issues keeping up in the wind too. Nonetheless, this is a cute place to visit and walk around. The views are amazing and I love the cliffs. There are also small sea shells that have washed up on shore that you can look at. I guess I'll have to pick another day when the weather is better and then I can go seal-spotting. read more

Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary - Seal sanctuary sign - Parks Near Me - Carpinteria, California

See all

I loved it there. Not too many people on the day I went. Very serene and I love seals :) read more

Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Carpinteria, California

See all

I was not impressed by this seal sanctuary. Coming up from Oxnard where we are around seals all the time, I expected something different . My bad ! We have more seals at home and they're more up close. Our beaches are also cleaner and prettier . read more

WE couldn't see any seals, but we sure could hear every last one of them barking away somewhere off in the distance. Darn. It's hit or miss, but they are there. Yet and still, the view is gorgeous, so make the short trek from the parking lot anyway to get a bit of exercise and sun if nothing else. Be careful bringing small kids. Make sure you watch them. Parts of the view has steep drops if you're not careful. read more

See all

Fantastic little walk down to the seal viewing area. Pretty flowers, view of the ocean and lots of wildlife. We saw about 6 seals all swimming in the ocean. read more

Don't mistake the seals for rocks! Visiting just before Thanksgiving, we observed dozens of seals sunbathing on the shoreline, accompanied by companion gulls and pelicans. You can approach the sanctuary from the beach too, but don't get too close, or you'll disturb them and prompt their escape back into the ocean! read more

See all

We camp at the Carpinteria State Beach often and this is a favorite place to visit! It's a nice walk or even a nice bike ride (off road). December to May is usually when you will see the most seals, but keep in mind this is their home, their space. It's a beautiful place to visit and we love visiting year after year. read more

See all

Don't follow Yelp or google maps address. Use carpenteria bluffs trailhead (6145 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013). Small lot right outside of 101 freeway entrance/exit. If you follow Yelp or google maps, it'll take you to private property/lots where security guard will re-direct you. We went around 1:30pm on a Saturday. Only a few people on trail and plenty of parking (dirt path). Sunny weather and lots of seals on the beach basking. read more

See all

Nice little spot to take a few hours to see a quiet beach and some sea life. Since this is a sanctuary you won't be able to get terribly close to the seals, but that is a good thing for them and for you. You can see them on an overlook not too far down, it would be good to have binoculars but we couldn't find ours that day. Getting down to the beach can be a bit challenging. We ran into a local who told us that there used to be a wooden pier located here and the trail down to the beach was to get people down there to the pier. The trail is a bit worse for wear but if you are careful you can make it down and up. Its a nice little beach area for watching the waves. read more

See all

My family and I had a day trip to the Seal Sanctuary this past summer. We have two boys and at the time I was pregnant. The seal sanctuary was a stop on our list while there. With two little kids we had to gage if the hike was worth it. The hike wasn't too bad we made to the cliffs but didn't walk down, that was a pretty intense hike down. We didn't see any seals either but it was still a nice visit. I was surprised to see the Amtrak train run through the hike. I don't remember seeing any posts that had a warning so watch out for the train, don't cross the tracks. Other than that, enjoy !! read more

Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary - Gorgeous cliff - Parks Near Me - Carpinteria, California

See all

What a lovely stop with my 3 young kids along HWY 101! Parking was tricky as WAZE took us to a private lot and we were directed by a worker. Public lot is 1/2 mile further east on Carpinteria near the next stop sign. The walk is flat, initially very sunny but then shady and lovely with beautiful views of the water. Watch for trains as the tracks are active; a short train passed as we approached. The bluff overlooking the seals is small, but easy to socially distance. There is also a trail down to the beach along the path. It is uneven, but has some form of asphalt, so isn't slippery. It narrows and gets rocky towards the bottom, but leads to a nicely secluded rocky beach. Overall a really easy and lovely short outing with the kids. read more

Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Carpinteria, California

See all

Gorgeous walk to the Seal Sanctuary! An extremely picturesque view (from a top the hill) of the ocean. I love the rock formations of the hills with the wild flowers in bloom! The seals are so adorable sunbathing and making their way to the beach. There were only a handful but so worth it! read more

See all

So cute! The seals are left of the pier if you are looking out at the ocean. If you are driving here, maps tells you to go down a private road to get there but you obviously can't go down there. I recommend parking at one of two places. Either 1.) the small parking lot off of Carpinteria Ave at the end of Bailard Ave. and walking through the bluffs to the seals (there are trails) or 2.) At the Carpinteria Bluffs trailhead off of Carpinteria State Beach road. Its southwest of the Carpinteria state beach and past the RV park. Park here and walk south west down the paths in the bluffs. read more

See all

The Carpenteria Seal Sanctuary is along the bluffs. You will have to cross over a railroad track but I love the walk around the area because there's plenty to see like wildlife and the lush greenery if you are not there for just the Seal Sanctuary. It can get crowded so keep your distance from others. Wait your turns. Little kids get really excited and don't want to leave the viewing area too soon. Make sure to wear face masks. There are pockets of spaces where you can see below from the viewing area on the bluffs however, be careful as not to disturb shrubs or plant specimens beyond barriers. There are trails and other nearby of you are up for more adventure. read more

See all

A beautiful hike to a wonderful sanctuary of watching seals lay and do seal things. We watched the seals lay there, watch us, scuttle, roll, bark, and even saw little babies. In another corner we saw a gang of cranes, crows, and seagulls. The views from the bluffs were gorgeous. The hike itself is around 1 mile round trip and flat. You do have to cross the railroad tracks, so it is not wheelchair accessible. Easy for elderly who are able to walk with a cane for that distance and children, but be careful with the bluffs. There are viewing benches provided to take in the serene views. read more

Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary - Seal! - Parks Near Me - Carpinteria, California

See all

I visit here often, and can not believe I am showing one Yelp check in and no review. Hmm, maybe because the Seal Sanctuary can be accessed via the Carpinteria Bluffs Preserve trail, and from the Carpinteria State Beach Park which I also frequent. The Seal Sanctuary is in the middle of those two jewels and is worth visiting in different seasons and tides. The overlook is patrolled by volunteers during pupping season February-April to keep people from disturbing them. In December, I had the whole overlook to myself except for 50 harbor seals lolling about on the sands of low tide near the oil company's pier. It is definitely worth the scenic coastal walk to check out what the seals are up to any time of the year. read more

Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary - Not rocks, harbor seals - Parks Near Me - Carpinteria, California

See all

My daughters and I walked to the seal sanctuary. It was a nice walk. We did go down to the beach where the seals were. read more

See all

Currently the parking lot near the beach is marked as private property and is patrolled by security, but parking along Carpinteria Bluff Trail Drive is only about a quarter mile walk away. It's definitely worth a visit to see mother nature in all her glory and only a few minutes off the freeway. I highly recommend binoculars if you have them. Luckily a super nice woman volunteer allowed me to use hers. She also was a wealth of information about the wonderful creatures living in this area that deserve preservation and our respect. read more

See all

Easy 10 minute walk from the parking lot. Toddler enjoyed looking out at the seals. I'm not sure if there's a particular season to see the seals, but we saw them during Martin Luther King Jr weekend! read more

Very easy stop off the freeway in Carpenteria. You will have to walk about 1/4 mile because they area above the seals is private property. As you get close to the cliff you can smell them...Mmmmmm. Its cool to see the seals laying out in the sun and just laying around. I understand February and March is when you get to see all the new pups. read more

Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Carpinteria, California

wonderful and stunning scenery and seals and a train to hoot! unfortunately was ruined by a family that walked right into the seal sanctuary and let thwir little children chase the seals. against my better judgement, not posting that familys picture. read more

We were on the way to Solvang and Santa Barbara and made this quick exit when I was yelping to see what was in the area and discovered we were within minutes of pasting this place. Having seen the sea lions during my Big Sur trip, I couldn't wait to get a chance to peak at the seals and especially since I read online that it was around the time that they are mating/having puppies with them on the shorelines of Carpinteria. We exited the freeway and drove for another 5 minutes or so until we passed some train tracks and ended up being near an oil drilling area near the shores of the beach. We were a bit confused so we decided to park the car and venture out on foot to see where the area designated for seal sighting was. Head up the trail (as there are no signs directing you to the seal sighting location) and then probably 5-10 steps later, venture a bit to the right hand side and you'll spot the sign that tells you this is the area for the "Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary" and basically the rules of the sanctuary. If the beach is closed for them to mate, as long as you don't head down onto the beach (which should be gated off anyways), you should be fine. From atop of the roped off area, you can also still see the seals from down below as they play in the water, waddle onto the shore and jump towards each other and make barking noises at each other. Simply a beautiful place to just observe them in their natural habitat. read more

See all

What an awesome sight! The seals sat sunning themselves while we on Carpinteria Bluffs watched gleefully, it cheered us to see those so much like we with our breakfast bellies and hearts full of love. A beautiful place to come to see nature! read more

See all

One of the better places with a view that I've visited while I was here in Santa Barbara. We were hoping to see some seals, and we did! Although you couldn't go down there (I think because it was mating season when I was there), you can still catch a good glimpse from the top. On the way there from the parking lot, depending which direction you walk, there's a train track too, so it's a perfect place to capture some nice photos with an awesome view there. Definitely a huge plus since one of the main points of my trip was to take some stunning photos. read more

See all

I was there in February after seeing the reviews on this place. I didn't see any seals. I'm wondering if they are still seen in this area during that time of year. The views are still pretty though. read more

We didn't see any seals but there's a beautiful trail to walk on that's well maintained and has a great view of the ocean and the railroad.

It's a quick and easy walk to visit the Seal Sanctuary if you are visiting the Carpinteria Bluffs. It's about a half mile or less from the main parking lot at the bluffs to the Seal Sanctuary overlook. During this time of year with pups and their moms hanging out, the beach below is closed. However from the top of the bluffs you get a great view of them laying on the beach below or playing in the small pools. We saw at least 3 babies and several more adults intermittently playing and relaxing. Definitely bring binoculars if you want a closer view but they are still visible with the naked eye. Volunteers are there to answer questions from visitors during pup season and to take "seal counts." Great stop and free to visit local Carpinteria treasure. read more

SEALS! Mother nature deserves 5 stars. I only wish you can go all the way down to the beach and play with or pet them read more

A fun little look out spot along the Carpinteria Bluffs. Do not follow the address on this Yelp page, instead drive toward Viola Field and you will see the turn on the right into a parking lot to take the trail. Less then a 10 minute walk to get there. You will have to cross the train tracks. So much fun watching the seals! read more

Beautiful setting! We enjoyed the lovely walk and we're excited to see the seals down below!

I read reviews before visiting this location so I did not expect to see any seals. I heard the best time to see a lot of seals sunbathing on the beach is December through May. We went there today and were happy to see two seals playing in the water. No seals were seen on the shore. It was still fun to see the two seals splashing around, having fun. Easy walk and beautiful coastal views. read more

Carpinteria Seal Sanctuary - Two seals spotted splashing in the water. Photo taken July 23, 2017 - Parks Near Me - Carpinteria, California

See all

Beautiful easy hike/walk to the beach. The scenery and nature are breath taking. Great day out with the family, friends or by yourself. Dogs are welcome are welcome on this hike. read more

This is a beautiful place but PLEASE DON'T GO CLOSE TO THE SEALS!! There are signs that say you can't go near them or pass the sign and you will be federally prosecuted if you violate this. During mating season they cannot be disturbed, otherwise their babies WILL DIE. The babies and the mom's need to bond otherwise the mom will not care for them and they will die of starvation. Whenever there's a disturbance the seals will move and go in the water and the babies and the moms will get lost from each other. So please please look at them from the cliff, but don't go too close to it for your own safety. There are volunteers that make sure people aren't going near the seals, they're great! read more

Great walk and scenery. Very peaceful. We saw 3 seals swimming about. You can visit the tar pits and also a beach.

What a privilege to witness the beauty of the seals in their natural habitat. There is a volunteer at the edge of the cliff with binoculars you may borrow and so much wonderful information. read more

Great spot to hike and see the seals. Very scenic cliff overlooking the ocean. It's along a beautiful hiking trail great for exercise or fun. Lots of people, so you feel safe. Bring pennies to put on the oft-used train tracks! :) read more

We were very disappointed. There is no signage from the bluffs parking lot to give any indication which way to go. With two little ones and a checkout time we didn't have time to wander around looking for the seal lookout point. A simple map from the parking lot would have solved all problems. read more