Beautiful shoreline walk below the cliffs of Shoreline Drive in Santa Barbara. Be aware of waves coming in at various strength.

Alex C.

This place is definitely a local spot. If you are in the Santa Barbra area check it out. The parking is tricky. There is plenty of parking in the neighborhood. But I here you can't park in the cul de sac where the entrance is. Read the signs carefully. I parked in the cul de sac with fingers crossed. I wasn't planning on staying to long anyways. Nice view of the ocean from the top. Even better when you get down to the bottom of the steps. Nice view from the bottom of steps. Looks like people hang out by the rocks just to the right of the steps. Careful going down and coming up the steps are wet. If your not used to climbing so many steps you might be a little winded once you get to the top. You'll be happy when you get to the car.

Jay P.

Originally constructed in the 1920s, the stairs have never been restored and are marked by aged patina and slow decay. The lower you go the more pools of water are gathered on the steps but the stairs are so well worn there are uneven surfaces with more grip. Steps go right up to the water. My wife tried counting and lost track but it's definitely not a thousand. It's easy going down when excited but after roasting in the sun the climb back up will have you sweating. Check tides for the day, at 1:30pm it was pretty high and it would be a bummer if you visited and there was nowhere to walk or you end up walking too far and had to slog through water on the way back. It's a narrow beach but not too many people come here so very peaceful. Google maps will take you right to where they are but you can't park on the cul de sac where the stairs are loc-lactated, plenty of street parking can be found close by.

Amy D.

Cute beach where you can walk a long way along the shore. However, it's highly recommended you check on the tides since high tide can come really far up the shoreline. Luckily, I came on a low tide day, and the water was receding into the ocean. I peeked into some of the tide pools, but only saw a lot of kelp. It was overcast and rare super foggy day in Santa Barbara (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Jrqc-oYBw0Ua8cgkFtjwoA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=5uUXjhjYjJESkysRXKdxzQ&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg) and a lot was obscured by fog, but it was still relaxing to watch the waves and the ocean. There aren't 1,000 steps to walk down to reach the beach (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=O6KO9CdKcL44ae1iRzyveg&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg), and it's more like a few flights of stairs. The steps are really wet halfway down, and you'll need to be careful walking down since it's slippery. The last step is also super high off the ground, and a small jump for me to reach the beach. However, I thought the effort was worth it, and I really enjoyed walking along the beach. Parking in this area can be tough, but there was street parking available in the residential area.

Hannah S.

Was looking for some good stairs in the area to keep up my exercise routine while away and wow!! These are such a fun alternative!! I'm so glad I found them and will definitely be back! So, the name is a tad misleading - there aren't one thousands steps - there are around 150 stairs down to the beach....still a decent amount! Up at the top is a nice viewing area that has safety fencing. The entrance is obvious and marked with a sign as well. There's a decent sized platform about halfway down...but be cautious bc it was at about that point where the stairs were absolutely soaked with water all the way down. They weren't terribly slippery but it's definitely an issue if you're trying to exercise. You can't go at any kind of fast pace. I was there right at high tide and the waves were crashing on the bottom couple of stairs, so it's definitely a good idea to check the tide tables before going - plan ahead. I went ahead and visited during high tide bc the timing of low tide was crazy for me. But you can tell there's a really nice beach at low tide! The top half of the stairs and the midway platform are shaded nicely ...but the bottom half of stairs are exposed to full sun. The shade is provided by some lovely trees - such a nice area! The entrance is in a rather residential area and parking is all street parking but I had no issues finding a spot right by the entrance - however I was there on a Wednesday morning. I imagine weekends/holidays get packed.

Adrian R.

Fun easy quick activity for all. FYI: It's 152 steps...not 1000. We were disappointed for the lack of challenge, used to steps at Zephyr Cove Presbyterian Conference grounds.

Kiana G.

Came here on a Sunday early morning (Around 7 am). Quiet, peaceful, beautiful walk down the stairs & along the beach. Very unique shells if you like to collect! Highly recommend to check it out even if it's a short walk!

Melody K.

1000 Step Beach that is not really a 1000 steps, LOL, but is definitely worth the trip to walk and explore. It is beautiful, clean, peaceful and not a lot of people (at least the day we went). Here's a couple helpful hints that may be useful. 1) A MUST, check when High tide and Low tide are, because you can't get walking access on the beach when it is high tide. 2) If you miss the street to turn down to park OR if you can't find parking because it is residential street parking, just drive down the road to Shore Line Park which is beautiful too, and park for free in a lot. There is also step access down to the beach near the bathrooms. My friend and I missed the 1000 stair street, drove to Shore Line Park, parking area, walked toward the bathrooms, found stairs down to the beach, walk on the beach to the 1000 stairs and walked up the 1000 stairs back to the car. Just simply beautiful!

Dani N.

This beach is kind of a hidden find under the arch, in the middle of Shoreline Park. There's tons of parking in the two lots that frame Shoreline Park and street parking available in the neighborhoods across the street, as well. Once you park and walk to the center you will see a tall wooden arch with about 100 something cement stairs going downwards - You have arrived. This beach is great for long walks on low tide days, tide pool adventures on very low tide days, shell hunting, beautiful ocean pictures, sunsets, watching the sail boats, and running both north and south when the tide generally allows. I wouldn't recommend it as a great beach for swimming or fishing as it is very rocky and the currents tend to be rough. I personally love stopping by this beach at the end of the day on my way home from work to have a quick walk with some fresh air. I love how easy parking is, how it's never that crowded, and the sunsets are usually to die for. If you're looking for another close romantic sunset spot check out the Shoreline Park Yelp page and view the pictures of the picnic benches overlooking the ocean and sunset!

Tim S.

It was nice. I would say close to 1000 steps Whew! I went down once to look. Came up to get my chair and drinks. Went down again and stayed around till sunset. Beautiful view lot of doggies too. Parking after 4 is probably more available. No bathrooms here so be sure to do your business prior.

Melinda M.

Nice little beach to visit, but nothing in particular to do there. You walk down the 150 steps and...there's the beach. I read that I should come at low tide to see tide pools, and according to the internet I was there at low tide, but I didn't see any tide pools. A nice beach for kids to run around at... quiet, no sunbathers, etc.

Angela R.

If you haven't been to this historical area then I suggest you bookmark it and make it a point to visit! Just because it's called One Thousand Steps Beach doesn't mean there are that many steps so don't be discouraged. It's a little over 100 steps. My suggestion would be to wear shoes you don't care to ruin but are sturdy enough to withstand the mossy, slimy, wet steps as you venture down to the beach. The steps are slippery so be careful! Once you get to the end of the steps you will have to be extra cautious and use your balancing skills to get down. There's a ton of rocks below that you can step on so take your time and don't injur yourself! Don't mean to scare anyone here just keeping it real but I've seen grandmas trek down the steps onto the beach so if they can do it anyone can! The location is at the dead end of Santa Cruz Blvd just off Shoreline Drive but the parking is very limited on this street so I recommend parking on Shoreline Drive where there is plenty of street parking. If the tide is high you won't be able to get down to the beach but if you're lucky to go at low tide then you will be able to explore everything this hidden beach has to offer. Tide pools, sea shells, beautiful rocks, star fish, crustaceans and much much more! There aren't many people who sunbathe here but that's not to say you couldn't. You will see lots of dogs here but they are happy dogs running along the beach enjoying themselves just as we do. Overall this beach is definitely a hidden gem and great place for taking pictures. Bookmark it!

Clara C.

This beach is great for exploring and taking a walk. The address on Yelp is more accurate than the one Trip Advisor uses. 2 Santa Cruz Blvd is actually someone's house...oops! The entrance of the beach is next to this house. There are some parking spots in this cul de sac, but there is not much space. The best parking is probably at the nearby park or on the street. There are actually not 1,000 steps leading to the beach. I counted only 150. It rained the night before my visit, so the steps were extremely slippery and muddy. I'm so glad I wasn't barefoot - it is really gross and mossy. I saw many dog owners with their pets on this beach, but it was empty for the most part. I didn't stay late enough for sunset, but I'm sure it would have been beautiful. The beach is very rocky and full of small pebbles. I worried about high tide prohibiting me from exploring the beach, but it was not bad. There's a bunch of small pools and enough rocks to walk on if you don't have sandals.