Wow! This is a park with a capitol P! Amenities galore for your $5 parking fee. We came here for a 4 mile hiking loop that spits you off along the ocean which is awesome. As we were heading to park we discovered a 9 hole disc golf course is also on property. I'm telling you this park packs a punch. Disc golf, hiking trails, baseball fields, mountain biking wonderland, Remote Control tracks, landing zone for drones/radio planes, so much to explore! We hiked then did the 9 hole course for disc golf and it was awesome! What a gem to have for those who are local. The hiking trails take you over the road to Douglas Family Preserve which was beautifully maintained and allowed doggies to be off leash living their best life. Such a great local resource to take advantage of all that sculpted nature! Beautiful effort from the community. read more

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Great park! I attended a festival here. Love the sunset here. Not a huge park but big enough :) There are a few festivals held here . We took an uber to and back from our hotel in Santa Barbara. read more

Pretty good for a community supported nonprofit public park. The athletic fields are good with only small patches of dirt and very few gopher holes in the areas of play. Decent restrooms, certainly better than many public parks' restrooms. read more

I love this park. Great views the bathrooms are pretty clean. I watch my BF play softball here. There's a nice grilling area too read more

Elings Park - Playground - Parks Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We were introduced to Elings by our dog, 13+ years ago. Sadly, she passed away in December, but we still take late-afternoon strolls in the park & pass out treats to the dogs we encounter. We've been to many dog parks in CA, & Elings is by far the best. The entire park is open to off-leash dogs, except when scheduled events turn some parts into human-only spaces. It is important to understand that Elings is NOT a part of the city's parks system, nor is it funded by the city. Its ability to provide MANY recreational opportunities is solely dependent on private donations. The annual fee for dog membership is a real bargain. Elings is constantly improving its grounds & facilities. It's never looked better! read more

I don't usually review all the great parks in town, but this is one of my favorites. Whether it is a gloomy Monday morning or a Saturday afternoon there is something to enjoy at Elings. We walk from our house and often times I see new parts of the park I never knew existed, even after like the 100th time. Careful to pay attention to the signs for operation hours as they will lock you in if you attempt to leave after closing, yes this is the one draw back. I literally had to climb a fence with my toddler to get out one night. Highlights of the park include: -hiking trails -playgrounds -baseball and softball areas -bathrooms open when covid isn't a thing -benches to picnic lunch, and -HAPPY PEOPLE and DOGS (with dog membership). read more

Elings Park - Sheep and ocean covid blues - Parks Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Ocean views in all directions! Hike to the top or park off Flora Vista for an easier hike! Tons of open space and different trails. Plus plenty of Mountain Bike trails! Go around sunset and take in the breathtaking scenery! Earlier in the day you can see the paragliders practicing! For a special family treat, the open space is getting cleared by Goats, Sheep and Alpacas! So fun to watch them, but don't make the mistake of touching the electrified fence LOL! I was quite a shock! ;) read more

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Virgil Elings is a local philanthropist like no other. This park is really pretty great. BMX, baseball, soccer, learn to parasail, walk through nature, have a wedding, bbq, walk your dog! You can do all that and more but, at a cost that's fair or just come in when the gate is free to pass through. read more

Elings Park - Looking out on a cloudy September 1st 2023 - Parks Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Lovely park with paved walking paths, playing fields, hiking trails, pavilions, and more. Dogs must have an annual park pass, but then they are allowed on-leash in the park. There is something for everyone at Elings Park! read more

We had a great time wandering around Elings one afternoon. We took the trail that headed toward the ocean and were treated to sweeping views of Santa Barbara on one side, and gorgeous views of the Pacific on the other. I enjoyed watching the paragliders fluffing their sails repeatedly and then floating down the hillside. It was an uphill trail but nice and flat at the top. The views of Santa Barbara are so incredible. You just feel like you're on top of the world. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours. read more

Elings Park - Paragliders heading out toward the ocean - Parks Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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GO AT SUNSET currently the park closes at 7:30 sharp so keep that in mind when you're there in the evenings. Now that's it's getting darker a little earlier If you are thereafter they close the gate you will be locked in! I would definitely go in the evening and walk the veteran's memorial. It's a beautiful path and tribute with flowers. There are a lot of events and sports games that happen here, so they do charge during peak hours but I usually go on a Friday afternoon or during the week. read more

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I can't believe this was my first visit to Elings Park but I finally made it. This park is right here in the city on the way to lots of restaurants, grocery stores etc. You just have to take the time to stop. What made me finally stop? The park board has brought in around 200 sheep to clear out some non native grass that the sheep will eat and help clear so the native plants can grow. What a great park for wide open spaces, views and hiking. Climb the trails up and you have a fabulous ocean view. We took our six year old granddaughter to see the sheep. She loved it and was happy to hike up to be able to see them and the two white Great Pyrenees dogs that guard the sheep. There are plenty of sheep and plenty of new lambs to see right now. I will definitely be back to hike and explore some more. read more

Elings Park - Mother with lamb - Parks Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Probably my favorite park in Santa Barbara. I've been coming here regularly since high school, 1994. It's been fun seeing it grow and change into what it is today. They are always adding new community and family friendly events, but it's a beautiful place to take a stroll any day of the week. Elings park has had a special place in my heart for decades, and it will always be a place I treasure for a lifetime. If you're a local looking for good place to take a picnic or visiting and looking for a mellow park to take your family friends, definitely keep Elings Park in mind! read more

We had our ceremony at The South Bluffs and we could not be happier with the location!! WOW, what a view!!! We knew that we wanted to be close to the ocean but not right on the beach. This spot was absolutely perfect. We used Jump on the School Bus to transport our guests to and from the ceremony site so there were no issues getting up / down the hill. We definitely impressed all of our guests with how beautiful the view was! read more

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One of the best outdoor wedding venues I've been to in Santa Barbara! The area is a so beautiful at the top of Elings park. There was plenty of parking for the wedding of 60+ most people ubered to the site. If you were to have more guests drive I recommend contracting shuttle service it's too long of a walk for most. The walk into the venue is short and overlooks a grassy area for the dance floor and bar. The bathrooms were very clean (2). There is a lot of stairs to get down to the amphitheater and bottom deck where the tables were set. Only things that could be better: the grass was wet and long! They didn't prep the grass for lots of dancing and people. By the end of the night it was muddy. Some of the steps and walkways have random steps uneven and hard to see in the dark highly recommend string lighting for the safety of guests. The venue closes at 10 early night for most. The sunset was unreal with a 360 view of Santa Barbara. Golden hour was one of the best I've seen in town! read more

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Elings Park is a hidden gem of which local residents may not even be aware or appreciate more. My BFF and I "discovered" the park since we stayed in an airbnb offering nearby and were seeking a safe jogging / running route. (Car traffic moves fairly fast on Las Posits Road.) Unique amenities include a BMX track (plenty of dirt mounds) and the Veterans Memorial Walk. Visitors can drive uphill and park closer to the top, where views of Santa Barbara extend for miles! A thoughtfully planned sidewalk features plaques with the names of fallen soldiers from a variety of wars. Around the "top" we noticed some level lawn areas to picnic as well as terraced amphitheater-like settings. Several trees also had memorial plaques. After we walked downhill toward the athletic fields, we "found" another trail near some gardens that led us up to the South Bluffs. Here, vegetation seemed less maintained but not unruly. We noted bicycle tire tracks in the dry earth and yards in front of us were three paragliding parachutes. The bluff terrain was more level than I imagined; parents with relatively young children were present. Plenty of space to socially distance. Note: We were able to enter and park for free on a weekday. When we returned on a Saturday, we had a $5 all-day fee. Lacrosse tournament attendees took up a majority of stalls, but enough parking spaces for those of unaffiliated. read more

This place is amazing... dogs and people. Weddings and concerts. Can't go wrong with this location! read more

Elings Park - Parks Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Elings Park is one of the most beautiful spaces in Santa Barbara. I had come here countless times as a child: watching my father play league softball, watching my cousin race at the BMX tracks, Easter egg hunts, two weddings, enjoying the playground, and taking in the beauty of the many sections. This park is unique in that it's located on a hilly terrain and is sectioned off into several tiers. I've hosted three company picnics at Godric Grove and the process couldn't have gone smoother. The park staff were easy to work with and they were very accommodating with my various requests. This section of the park is downright gorgeous and is truly the ideal spot to host an event. Elings Park is also home to a great hiking trail which meanders through the neighboring wilderness. It's well-maintained and allows you to have a panoramic view of Santa Barbara when hiking it. I'm only subtracting a star because of the fact that they now require vehicles to pay. This was not always the case. I don't know of any other general county parks that require $5 per car. Maybe it's to curb vehicle-dwellers from spending the night? Either way, I park at the end of Valerio and enter through the back to avoid this unnecessary charge. All in all, a beautiful open space that should not be missed. read more

If you hike to the top, it is a perfect spot to watch sunrise/sunset. Very dog friendly. Lots of dogs off leash.

This review is only for the playground at Elings Park. I took my 2 year old toddler on a Monday mid-morning. It was pretty deserted and the playground equipment seemed especially dirty and rusty. The playground was definitely made for older kids and was placed over gritty sand. There were 2 super squeaky swings, a few slides and just gave the overall impression of being unused and uncared-for. There was also lots of trash and empty beer cans littering the ground. The setting was pretty and it was nice to see the mountains, but that's about it. I would rather take my toddler to almost any other playground in the Santa Barbara/Goleta area. read more

Luscious, picturesque park in the Mesa neighborhood of Santa Barbara -- doggie friendly, with baseball diamonds, park facilities, radio control vehicle course, etc. Totally a community place! SITE TOUR We toured the park for a wedding site. They showed us the Mercedes version first (of course) and then we proceeded to the Buick and then the Yugo. Well, what can I say, the Mercedes version captured our hearts -- Godric Grove is perched on a hillside, with a backdrop of lush trees and views of the ocean. The stage is in an amphitheatre which can easily hold a few hundred, though we only had about 80 guests. They're great on negotiating prices, so I encourage you to do so! For our rate, we were able to rent the entire site for 12 hours on a Sunday in May. Oh yes!!! DECOR: As for decoration, we were able to keep it minimal because of all the spring blooming flowers around us. We stuck to turquoise and orange which popped against the green and brown of the natural landscape (see photo!). DAY OF WEDDING Onsite: The Park Coordinator will give you a day coordinator's phone number who will help you in case of emergency. Vendors: I highly recommend working with folks who have delivered to Elings before. I used Cliff & Co for catering and Crush Cupcakes. We used Event Rents who supplies extra tables. In May 2009, Godric Grove had these brown picnic rounds on the patio.. They were planning to pull them out but waited until our wedding to do so. It really helped to have the round tables in place, we only had to rent 2-3 tables to fit everyone! Facilities: There is NO place for you (bride, groom, gramps, gramma, etc) to change around here. Come prepared to get hitched. There are two clean park restrooms onsite. They do have some noise restrictions for evening, but we had a day wedding and did not have to contend with that. PARKING: Plenty. Just plain ole plenty, pull up the RV, for crying out loud. GUEST HAPPINESS Very happy. Folks got to make it a day at the park and this was a very unique location! Bride was happy, groom was happy. There are ENDLESS amount of gorgeous photo opps around this park. We had an incredibly memorable wedding! It was so gorgeous and if you go at the perfect time of year, the weather will be just right and and all the flora and fauna singing your praises to boot. read more

Elings Park - Our wedding in May 2009 at Godric Grove at Elings Park! We used the available picnic round tables and rented some more. - Parks Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I directed a summer camp (Nature and Games Camp) at Elings Park a few summers ago and greatly enjoyed my experience in this beautiful park! We used the great play structures, the little gazebo, the many green lawns, and sometimes the hiking trials. We always saw tons of cute lizards on our hikes but I heard there are rattlesnakes out there too which are much scarier! I also checked out one of the movies in the park at Elings Park and had a great time. We didn't sleep over but enjoyed the movie on the big screen outside. I would definitely recommend checking out the events and camps at Ellings Park! The spot for weddings is gorgeous too with a fabulous view of Santa Barbara! Wow! read more

Never realized how dog friendly Santa Barbara is. The Grove has great views and plenty of grass & trees. It is the "Largest Privately Funded Public Park in America." read more

This is your park if you're seeking a relaxing and quiet place to sit, contemplate and take in some Santa Barbara views. On a spring Friday afternoon, Elings Park had a few baseball games going on but parking still plentiful. If you drive up towards the left there is parking that takes you to Godric Grove, the amphitheater and the Veteran's memorial walk. This park is made up of multiple terraces and from the top you can view the mountains and on a clear day all the way out to the beach. Lots of flowers in bloom and birds to watch, Elings Park is a small local outdoor oasis. There are a few paths to walk but not any serious hiking. This is the type of place to go to just be outside and soak in the sun. The grounds are well kept and the park is dog friendly. There were signs saying there is a parking fee on weekends but weekdays are free. After spending 5 hours in the car driving down to Santa Barbara this was a low key and lovely way to stretch my legs and take in some nature. read more

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A breathtaking view of the city and beach in the far off distance! My friend had an absolutely beautiful wedding in the park, and a fabulous reception to follow steps away on their quaint, shaded deck. The staff is extremely accommodating--even after a change of the wedding date to a weekend, they allowed the bride and groom to purchase the place for the original weekday price. Even though it's extremely quaint and apart from the city, there's still a sense of liveliness at Elings. When we went up there, there was a motocross event happening just below the hill. Beautiful place for a wedding or major event. Very romantic. read more

We are so fortunate to have this large park close to us. It has a lot of different activities. From soccer and softball fields to beautifully secluded areas for picnics and weddings. Some of the area is dog friendly but you need a special permit to bring a dog. If you go up to the top, the views overlook the city and are spectacular. There are also areas for bmx riding, paragliding and trails to hike. Great asset to our city. They do charge for parking on the weekends. read more

Godric Grove at the summit of the park is an absolutely beautiful place to have a wedding or special ceremony. There is a hardwood patio area, grass area and amphitheater with naturally shaded seating (although prepare to keep things short or bake if you plan to be the one on stage during the summer months). Gorgeous views of the city, East Beach and the ocean. There is even a public bathroom with flushing toilets and running water sinks. The only drawback of the venue, as with any outdoor venue, are the creepy, crawly critters. As with most all of Santa Barbara this year, the ants are vicious and unrelenting so be sure to have a plan for tight storage if you plan to bring food that will not be eaten immediately. There are also HUGE spiders that come out at night and lay huge 6 foot webs to end near unsuspecting guests and staff. Some guests have mentioned the noise level issue, but as long as you have a DJ who has some pre-warning they can easily get a device to measure the noise level and forego any complaints and monetary sanctions. Overall, a very pleasant place. I will certainly return to picnic, watch the sunset or maybe even have my own wedding there one day . :) read more

One of the most gorgeous parks I've ever seen!! It's situated on a very large hill overlooking the ocean, shoreline, and mountains depending on where you stand. It's peaceful, removed, and incredibly well maintained. An excellent photo op location. The couple chose the Gordic Grove area to have their wedding -- the ceremony was held in a semi stadium like seating (outdoor) that overlooks the bay, shoreline. The cocktail area was on the large piece of open green land adjacent to the ceremony site. The best part? Gorgeous reception area (only a minute walk away) ...with mountain views. =) Only down side is being aware of wind advisories --- it gets SUPER windy around 5-8pm during sometimes in the year. Limited parking in the lot. Next time will have to return for fun, not work. :) read more

My daughter had her wedding and reception at Godric Grove in Elings Park in June. The venue is BEAUTIFUL! We brought in tables, caterer, lighting, dj, bartenders, and etc so it was a lot of work, but well worth it! The only reason for my 4 stars is that parking lot theft is a big problem. Three of our guests had their cars broken into and items were stolen. If I had known this I would have hired a security person for the parking lot. Signs are posted that warn of theft, but these are professionals that know how to jimmy the locks on cars. Everything else was just perfect! read more

This place is amazing! But the owner and the staff are super rude. I use to come here every single day to take my dog, i do not want or wanted to stop coming but just the vibe that the staff gives is pretty intense and unwelcoming to the public! I am an EPDOG member I had to pay 150 for the whole year. I've seen so much drama in this place it's so weird! I don't understand why they don't give importance to the owners of EPDOG, I payed 150 for the year and I'm not allowed to go to certain parts of the park. because their renting the spot to people to use and they want to keep you out of that AREA! They will kick you out too! I'm so disappointed in the staff, because this is not nice! What is wrong with the world this days? read more

Just had our Wedding here Saturday November 3rd at the Singleton Pavilion - was absolutely perfect. We booked an "off season" wedding (Nov-Feb) so got the venue for about 1/4 the normal cost, the view was just amazing. Lush beautiful trees and well kept lawns made for the perfect day. They had grounds keepers there the morning of to clean the restrooms and clean the grounds, also had parking attendants there to guide our guests to our venue. If you do book Singleton versus their much larger venue Godric Grove the only major downside is the parking situation - you're guests have to walk quite a ways to get to your venue. And, besides electrical outlets and a sink - its pretty bare. No lighting anywhere so you need to be prepared to have all of the basic things covered. The staff was perfect with communication during the booking process and called to confirm everything 1 week prior. Very, very happy with this venue. Absolutely gorgeous! read more

I recently found out that it's pronounced "E-lings", but if you say "L-ings" or "Las Positas Park" people will know what you are talking about. Technically this is a private park but that just means if you want to rent it out for an event you have to pay more. Otherwise it's a wonderful park with 2 baseball fields, 2 soccer fields a small outdoor theater that people like to have weddings at and even an RC Car race track. Spread out over a terraced hills this park is a great place to take the kids or play some frisbee. It even has a nice little trail at the top with some great views. For dog owners they have off leash licenses that last for one calendar year and aren't too expensive. Go early though, I hear they sell out pretty quickly every year. They also have an area to launch your paraglider from. I'm not sure if they rent them or not but it sure looks like fun. You can glide out over the wilcox property and hendry's beach for some great updrafts. read more

I attended a wedding reception here of around 90 people in August 2015 at Godric Grove. The ride up to the venue was bumpy, but the grounds themselves are gorgeous with some of the best views that I've ever seen anywhere in the world. I know some people mentioned some issues with loud noise restrictions, however, we did not seem to get complaints regarding music played loudly all night. I really like the fact that with such a beautiful venue and minimal decorations are needed to make it seem festive. The park also had fairly decent bathrooms and I did not experience a huge wait in line to use them. Overall, I think this is a good venue to use, but I can see how it can be problematic for large weddings. As an out-of-towner, I did feel like I got the quintessential "Santa Barbara" experience attending a reception here. read more

My wife and I were married in Godric Grove. We really enjoyed our wedding, and the park helped us with tours and vendor recommendations. I am removing a star because of a few sticking points: 1. We were told that music volume would have to be very low after 10pm. They contacted us at 6 pm to lower the volume. 2. We cleaned up the morning g after which we were told was okay, we had asked the janitorial service for a broom which they told us they would give after they were done with the bathroom, but no broom appeared. I ended up sweeping with an old bouquet of flowers. read more

Goodrich Grove was the perfect location for our wedding. It was easy to bring everything in and the staff was very helpful and didn't hover. The grass area was perfect for the waiting area- drinks and lawn games. The amphitheater was perfect for the ceremony. It gets warm directly in the sun and pictures did not turn out great due to all of the shadows. The wood patio was perfect for our reception. We had 140 guests and there was plenty of room. The only problem I had was that our DJ was a friend and played music at the same level all night. Right as the night ended the owners came in with a sound check and said that it was too loud and fined us. I'm not sure how it suddenly got louder. That was a bummer. read more

As other reviews stated, it is a beautiful location. We were there for a baseball tournament. Each team paid $540 to play. Our game was scheduled to play late so the field lights were turned on in time to not delay the games. However, no light were ever turned on for the bathrooms and it was very dark and unsafe. The condition of playing field were disappointing. The outfield was rocky and the bases were not secure, leaving them moving as a player slid to it. Glad we went but would not go back. read more

Not great for "out of towners" passing through. Don't expect to find a "dog park" experience. All dogs in the park must pay a $125 membership fee, and there are no visitors passes or one time passes that we could see. The south part of the park is more open, and the views are amazing, but the access road is dirt and there are no designated places for dogs to play that we could find. read more

I attended a wedding recently in Elings Park, in Godric Grove. The venue is beautiful...don't get me wrong. The problem are the people living around the venue. The wedding party was told that they would lose $1000 dollars if people complained about the noise level. At 7:30pm, 3 songs into the reception....we received the first complaint. The music wasn't very loud at all.....my wife and I were near the speaker and having a regular conversation. We had to turn down the music for the rest of the night and no one danced...b/c you could barely hear it. Was a huge disappointment for the bride and groom....... With so many beautiful places in the surrounding area....I would highly recommend you stay away from Elings Park....unless you don't plan on having any music. Or just don't hire a DJ.....just play it off your phone, b/c that's how loud it will be for a majority of the evening. Read through other reviews....it's happened to a lot of people. At the end of the day....I think the people who complain at 730pm on a Saturday are just miserable. Stay away! read more

We got married at Godric Grove the last weekend of September. We met at UCSB, and Elings Park definitely brought us back to our Santa Barbara days. We fell in love with the venue the first time we saw pictures online, and it is even more gorgeous in person. Christina was really friendly and very responsive to all of our questions and requests. All of our guests loved the venue, and were blown away by the beauty of the park. It was nice to have pre-defined spaces for different events throughout the night (amphitheater for the ceremony, grass for the cocktail hour, deck for the reception). We did not want to over decorate the venue, so that our guests could enjoy the natural beauty of the park. A few simple centerpieces and string lights did the trick! Plus, getting married in the amphitheater means that all of your guests have a great view! The only negatives of the venue are kind of personal preference issues. We were fine with using the bathroom at the park, but needed to bring in extra bathrooms because we had a lot of guests. It's a park, so the amphitheater might not be an ideal location for someone who wants the ceremony location to be pristine and dust-free. It can get a little windy at night, but that is pretty much true for all of Santa Barbara. Overall, I am so happy that we got married at Godric Gove! read more

Great park to bring the family! There are many activities for everyone to have a great time. This park is huge! Bring the dogs too! Great weather and beautiful scenery. The beach is less then a 5 minute drive. The people are very nice, I will be sure to return soon! Thank you!! read more