If you're ever looking for a great morning routine or need a chance to recharge, this is the place…read moreto be! After my runs, I would love to just walk the beach, meet all of the wonderful dogs running around the place, and enjoying the soothing sounds of waves crashing! If you're also looking to each after a rejuvenating beach walk, you have Boathouse on Hendry's on one end and Shoreline Cafe on the other!

Lovely beach! Tide pools and a long stand to walk the sandy beach! That's a restaurant right by the…read morebeach too! Love the views! Dog friendly beach too with reserved space for off leash pups!

If you can get some friends together to chip in for a group camping area, this is the way to do it…read more No partying going on until all hours, no screaming kids running through your site, no drunks to deal with. Unless the parties, kids, and drunks are members of your group, anyway. This was the first time I've had a quiet night camping on Paradise Road unless it was during the winter with nobody else around. Wonderful! Our camp host was awesome, the restrooms were kept clean and fully stocked, and it was a great experience all the way around. Normally you have to cross over a stream to get to the campground, but at the moment it is bone dry. When there's enough water the stream is a great place for your kids to play.

looks like sage hill has reopened, giving it the stars the camp ground deserves. just make sure…read moreyou have good ground clearance; the is a stream to ford. https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/lospadres/recreation/sage-hill-group-campground

Omg, it was like sleeping next to a racetrack, but the noise never ended!! I was sandwiched…read morebetween the bathrooms on one side and 101 about 20 feet away on the other side. Do not stay in #8!!! I didn't see what the rest of the park was like or how far the other sites are from the freeway, but site 8 was so loud I couldn't hear myself think, and I have hearing loss!! I pulled my pop top down to help drown out the noise and wore earplugs, but man oh man!!!!

Always my favorite place to stay in Santa Barbara!…read more We come up here once a year for our anniversary and we drive a converted Van. What I love: Safe, Quiet and peaceful little RV park! Bathrooms are simple clean and stocked with lots of T.P.! The area feels tucked in a secure but close to everything we need and close to downtown! Great communication from the business in case there are any changes No problems when we do late check ins !

We loved it here! We'll be back- restrooms were well kept up! Looking forward to our next trip:)read more

Visited Paradise Campground with my family from Aug 9th to the 11th 2024. We reserved the group…read moresite #1 which allows 16 people and is pet friendly. That site is pretty big and has parking for 4 vehicles, It has two tables and two bbqs and a fire pit but no electricity. The water spigot is very close by and the ground is pretty flat except there was lots of gofers and small holes as well as lots of tiny flies and yellow jackets (bees) Camp host was very nice and informative, they have firewood for sale on site. No showers but very very clean restrooms. For swimming reference..there was water at White Rock day use but not as high (about knee high) as well as at First Crossing day use area which is where we went for the day, water level went up to our chest and well above 5ft. Area was fairly clean and accessible. Parking fee is $10 per vehicle at First Crossing and they accept credit cards and the walk from parking area down to where the swimming area was very easy and accessible. Road to Red Rock area was closed due to water level and they couldn't tell us when it will open. Cell phone service is not that great..seems ATT is the only carrier with pretty good reception coverage out there. All others were not great. The campground is fairly quiet and clean and secure. Nearest store is about 25 mins away outside of campground and up the mountain in to town. There was a meteor shower during our time there so we were able to enjoy seeing the Milky Way in its glory as well as many shooting stars. Over all a great time and we highly recommend this campground.

Camping here requires a reservation a couple months in advance, make sure to plan accordingly for…read moremajor holidays as it fills up quick months in advance, we stayed a couple nights and it is peaceful and lovely. The amenities include some good showers with hot water, pick up coins at the entrance before setting up. Restrooms available as well, take something to clean the seats, sometimes people leave a little mess, but overall the cleanliness is good for a campsite restroom/shower.. Great town for bike riding and some hiking along the coast. Weather can be a bit unpredictable, sometimes really windy sometimes calm, gets cold at night. If you prepare with care, the campsites are an awesome time, the beach can get windy and cold, check the weather.

I used to stay in the other Anacapa Loop about once a year until I moved to Sacramento area 6 years…read moreago and it was way more crowded than I remebered it being. This time stayed in a Electric/Water site and it was so small and jammed right into the people on either side of you. Serviced the perpose of a place to sleep while hiking the Channel Islands, but not sure I would go back.

We had no idea that this nice easy trail existed when he headed out to Santa Barbara with our 9year…read moreold lab mix for a 4 night vacay. What a great find this place was. Parking is Free and Plentiful -- In early August 2025 we showed up at 6:30pm on a Monday (to hike the preserve). There was tons of parking in the lots that abut The Boathouse, and the lots are always free for the public. There is also free street parking on the street just past the traffic circle. The hike/trail (The Douglas Family Preserve): A nice easy trail, and really fun for the doggos as it is an off-leash area. I'd say that half the people we saw on the trail had a pup, while the other half had no pets. The loop from the ground to the top and back is 1.5miles. There is 150 feet of elevation gain over a distance of about 1/3 of a mile; the rest of the hike is flat (w/ a large mesa at the top with lots of interconnected trails if you want to make the hike more extensive than a 1.5mile loop). Our dog not only enjoyed the walk, but had lots of fun trying to start some small play sessions with other dogs that she saw on the trail. Bonus: this trail uses the same parking lot as Hendry's Beach (Arroyo Burro Beach), which is leash free along the coastline east of the lifeguard tower (to the left of the lifeguard tower if you are facing the ocean).

It's nice to see how different the ocean views and the vegetation on this trail changes in…read moredifference seasons. I had previously visited in September and this visit it is May. Still a nice day to walk and enjoy the cool ocean breeze, friendly people and dogs on the trail.

PRELIMINARY FOREWARNINGS: - Three and a half mile,…read moreintermediate to advanced hike with 700-800 foot elevation gain. - This is 30 minutes from Santa Barbara and Goleta within Los Padres National Forest. - Bring $10 in cash bills for the entrance/parking fee. - Drive a 4WD or SUV because you do need to drive over a river wash. - There is very little shade so bring a hat and plenty of water. - Don't confuse it with the "Aniso Trail" which is between El Capitan and Refugio State Beaches along the PCH. This is well within the Los Padres National Forest lands. - A flushing toilet with running water and picnic tables are at the trailhead. - WHAT THE SHALE! Beware when transverse up/down the trail since the ground consists of a lot of shale (fine-grained rock that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments) which is super slippery. Now with all the 'important' information covered, I will share this Aliso Canyon and Loop is within my top three favorite hikes around Santa Barbara. There is natural beauty with 360-degree views of the greener Santa Ynez and stony San Rafael Mountain Ranges. Along my hike I have seen turkeys, deer, skunks, and many bird species, plus skeletons, scat and foot prints galore. The trail begins as a mile long interpretive trail along a creek and travels through Aliso Canyon (unfortunately I've never seen the tour maps to match the points of interest). Continue in either direction another 2.5 miles to make the loop which climbs out of the canyon and up along the hill crest. At the highest point (1,700 foot elevation) you can enjoy some relaxation on a bench (thanks to the memory of Blanche 1924-1996) with views over the Santa Ynez Valley and both mountain ranges. Directions: Your best bet is to set your GPS to Sage Hill Campground. While it isn't difficult to find the trailhead, it can be potentially confusing at first. Drive on the 154 and turn onto Paradise Road which eventually enters Los Padres. Continue on the winding road until you see the Los Prietos Ranger Station on the left side. (You went too far if you reach Rancho Oso). Turn left and follow the road down and U to the right then left before crossing the Santa Ynez River wash. You will reach the payment area and signage. After depositing your ten dollars, continue to the right until the pavement ends. Cost: - $10 Day Use (CASH ONLY, no checks--they should really modernize and have a machine or even a code that accepts Venmo or Cash Apps!) - No passes accepted (i.e. Golden Age, Interagency, State Park, Federal National Park, or any other pass you can display) - No holidays are observed! Enjoy your time and remember to pack out what you pack in.

Family Friendly - The Aliso trail is located in the Sage…read moreHill Campround. You'll need to buy a day use pass ($10) to park and hike here. Just put the cash in one of their envelopes and put your pass on your dashboard. Is it worth ten bucks? Well, while I love free hikes I do think this was a good loop trail and worth the fee. Start the loop trail on your right up the mountain ( you'll see the sign) and soon you'll be hiking counter-clockwise along the ridge, and back down into the Aliso canyon. There are some great views along the way and the final decent into the canyon along the side of the hill is exhilarating fun for the whole family. Yes this is kid friendly, but it's not easy. Be prepared for some complaining going up. We came after a large rain yet the river that runs through the Aliso canyon was mostly dry. - 3.3 miles total - Little shade so come early or late.. - Good Shoes are recommend as some of the trail is small rubble.

I had such a good experience staying at Rancho Oso!! I planned a wellness retreat for my student…read moreorganization and they treated us with great hospitality. The food was amazing and the cabins were even better than I expected. The beds were sooooo comfy!! I would definitely come back to Rancho Oso again, not only for a group retreat but for a personal camping trip.

5 STARS! The PERFECT WEDDING VENUE!…read more Unbelievably beautiful natural setting for our 75 person wedding at Rancho Oso, Thousand Trails, Santa Barbara. The nature, the scenery, the private setting and the lighting for the reception, led to the perfect weekend for our outdoor rehearsal dinner and next day wedding and reception. The scenery was spectacular and the accommodations were perfect for our upscale rustic luxury wedding. This wedding weekend, was also a family reunion where everyone attending was able to stay on site, throighoutbthr weekend, in adorable tiny homes, offering more time for connection to each other, to nature, which cut down on commuting time. A lifetime of memories, were created, for the entire guest list. Thank you Rancho Osos, Thousand Trails, Santa Barbara Warmly, Mother of the Bride

Los Prietos Campground is a decent spot if you're looking for a quick nature getaway close to Santa…read moreBarbara, but it has a few drawbacks to keep in mind. The location is pretty, with plenty of trees for shade and easy access to nearby trails, and the sites are generally spacious. But man was it dry and I get that that's how it is in the summer but I wasn't a fan. On top of that it's not really a great camp ground to take dogs, there was foxtails all over the place. Which made my best friend and I super nervous. But they definitely enjoyed going into the Santa Ynez river! Bathrooms were kept up which was nice. Everyone at the campsites near us were all pretty respectful.

No complaints. I went camping with my daughter and her/my friends after attending UCSB orientation…read more Campsite was clean, bathrooms clean ( no light in the bathroom, but clean). Campsite 11. Plenty of flat ground to put tents up, we also had plenty of shade. Hosts were incredibly attentive and kind.

I found Mono Campgrounds on GORP and it was listed as a top ten campground for Southern California…read more I was stoked to hear that there was swimming, hot springs, and many more great things to do. However, this campground is not all it is promised to be. First, the hot springs are pretty cool. However, they really are HOT. I mean too hot to go into when I was there. Hotter than a jacuzzi for sure. And they are literally piped into a little pool type concrete thing. Still nice though, but don't expect a natural swimming hole. Second, the area is very beautiful. You are not that far from Santa Barbra, but once you are over the first mountain range, you are into the middle of no where and it is beautiful. However, be prepared that you will have to drive 15+ miles over rough road. I saw some BMWs out at the campground, but man, I do not know how or why these people would take their cars out there. It is rough for a standard SUV and most people out there bring old beat up four wheelers. There are multiple water crossings and steep roads. We went in July (2010) and it was hot, about 95 when it was only 70 by the ocean. But this wasn't a surprise. But the millions of flys were. They were everywhere and unbearable. We left a night early because they were so bad. As for the swimming hole, we didn't find it. We did find an old dam, that was nothing special. I think there is a larger lake downstream a little bit, but it was so dry in July that I would doubt if there is any appreciable water that isn't stagnant and gross. Overall, this is a beautiful campground and the hot springs are something to see. But you really have to plan on taking forever to get there over the roads and be ready to battle the flies, heat, and lack of water. There is also no water at the sites themselves, so be sure to bring in your own water. There are vault toilets. Also do not forget your adventure passes!

I agree with the previous reviews. Our party also got feasted on by flies and ticks. The so called…read more"Hot Spring" is an ugly cement basin. The drive out there is very beautiful but easily 15 miles of rough road not suitable for my poor little sedan. If you're looking for a Santa Barbara Hot Spring check out the Gaviota hot spring. Right off the road, easy to find, good times to be had by all at good ol Gaviota.