We spent 4th of July weekend in Goleta and hit Goleta Beach on our Saturday afternoon. Was it the…read moreprettiest beach in Santa Barbara? No. But it was pleasant and super easy, with free parking and zero crowd. We'd be lucky to have a beach like it in L.A. The sand wasn't especially nice, I guess, coarse and rocky and full of ocean debris. There was also a water quality advisory out for the day we went, which we only discovered once we had all our stuff set up. Otherwise, though, I have no complaints. The view was beautiful, and we were able to claim a prime spot to put down our friends' massive cabana. We brought chairs and beach toys and spent the afternoon relaxing, as all five kids in our crew were thoroughly entertained. My older boy even enjoyed the rockiness of the beach, collecting several interesting rocks that he requested to take home (we let him pick two). If you're looking for a quiet beach to lay out and entertain children, Goleta Beach is a great option. We had a lot of fun here and would be happy to go back for more rocks and sun.

I love a walk along a pier, so I ended up here namely for the pier. I had a little wander around…read moreand appreciated the sand and ocean. There might be some renovations going on; there were chain link fences everywhere -- starting from just right of The Ellwood down a bit. The fences made my walk a little more challenging to navigate and a little less scenic, but hopefully they are temporary. I'm happy I stopped, but know for the future to come prepared with anything I might need (e.g. there isn't a coffee shop nearby, so if I want a cup of tea for my walk, come with it.) Since I'm not from the area, I found it a little random to get to, but can see that it's closeby to the airport, the campus, etc. And it has a pier! 2025: 30/100

Does not have a designated dog park. It is a bit disheartening to see oil on the beach. It is a…read morebeautiful park to take pups on a leash, bathrooms available, and a large playground.

5 Star Rating Lookout Park in Summerland, near Santa…read moreBarbara, is an absolute gem! This clean, beautiful park, perfectly situated on a bluff above the Pacific Ocean, was the ideal spot for our family reunion this past June. We'll definitely be back! Value - 5 The value here is incredible. We reserved Area A for just $65 for the whole day for our family reunion! It came with a large, double-width bbq, two picnic tables and a long, high-top serving table. That's a steal, especially considering places in Oxnard (which aren't nearly as bougie or clean) were charging well over $200. Quality / Cleanliness - 5 This park is impeccably maintained. There are two large picnic areas (require reservation) and several smaller picnic areas with bbq (first come, first served), and the large, well-maintained play area for kids is fantastic, including a jungle gym and even musical instruments. The path down to the beach is somewhat steep but totally worth it. The beach itself is super clean, with sand at low tide and lots of cute nooks and crannies to explore. At high tide, it becomes a rocky beach as the water comes right up to the path landing. Plus, it's pet-friendly! Service - N/A As a public park, there isn't a traditional "service" component to review, but the booking process for the picnic area was smooth. Physical Location - 5 The location is simply stunning. Being on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean is breathtaking. The park is clean, the amenities are well-kept, and there's a cute little town/shopping area just past the Amtrak overpass that's easily walkable from the park. Everything about this location is perfect.

If you're looking for a quiet beach with excellent views, this is it. Plenty of parking, restrooms,…read moreand picnic benches to enjoy the oceanfront views. For those inclined for a beachside run or walk, head down the paved ramp to the beach! Perfect for large groups, families, and dogs, especially with the summer coming up.

We were looking for a place to take our dog and was told this is the spot! Free parking too -- so…read morewe walked to the right (North of The Point) and a long beach awaited us with happy doggies running and playing. Sign says they must be on a leash but I guess the dogs couldn't read! Not too crowded even on a warm summer weekend. No lifeguards but people were swimming as the waves were very mild. Saw a bunch of surfers way to the left (South of The Point). I can see this getting a bit cold in the winter but perfect for summer.

It's quiet and the water is warm. Very clean beach. I brought my girls for the first time and they…read moreloved it. I highly recommend this place.

Last month, on a weekday in the middle of summer, is when I dropped in to this beach known by…read moreseveral names... Santa Claus Beach (unofficial name) and Padaro Beach (offical name). It was so hectic to get to this beach due to all the road construction. And the beach was packed due to the various local children's summer camps and tourists. First, thing to note is the road construction. Possibly it's over by now. But when I visited, the road had no parking for the stretch right along the public access to the beach. It's free access and parking. The normal spots were taken by the construction crew and their equipment and materials. They were digging up the road. I saw a lot of folks parking in the road construction zone. The crew were calling tow trucks depending on where those cars were parked. Anyway, we parked really far away and hoofed it in while dodging dozers, street traffic, and construction crew. The access to the beach is limited to the open stretch where so happened the construction was occurring. Other access points are private property. Don't be tempted to cut through, it's illegal. Once you get to the public access area, you'll need to hike a wee bit of sandy elevation to cross the train tracks. Have your wits about while trekking near and on the tracks. Look both ways from afar and be ready to move to a safe distance if there is an incoming train. We ventured further to the far edges of the beach. The beach was clean. Sand was soft. Good vibes. Watch out at high tides if you venture to the far sides, the beach shrinks at high tide. And a rocky outcropping is beyond the sand. Plus there are no plumbed public restrooms, but I did see porta toilets.

A really quiet park with an ocean view. It's a small but there were few people there. It has a…read morebench so you can throw a picnic. It also has a small grassy field. Parking lot has 5+ spaces but plenty of street parking as well.

The SIMPLICITY and BEAUTY of it all!!! Why doesn't anyone ever review this park!?…read more The best things in life are free....The rest is too expensive. Quality over quantity. Big things come in small packages. Everything I think of when I come to this park. It may be small in size, but this park has everything. Elevated views of the ocean. A little walking path. Benches. BBQ grills. Good shade from some of the trees. It has open space to play frisbee and lots green grass to make your pups go crazy with the adventure sniffs. Parking along the road below. And not too far away from a VERY good cafe and DELIGHTFUL gift shop if you ever get hungry or bored. I just love it. Hanging out here for free is better than most things you spend your money on. Trust.

We absolutely love coming to this park. The kids get so excited every time we pull up im front. The…read moreother kids are usually friendly as well and end up playing games together which is an added bonus!

Went to this park to give our grandkids a break from sitting in the car. We had a 7 year old, 13…read moreand 16 with us. So only the 7 year old loved the park. She said give it a 4 star. She found someone to hang out with and didn't want to leave.

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.

Beautiful beach in Santa Barbara county. There is state beach parking for $10, but there's also…read morefree street parking right next to the beach, although it's limited to two hours. There's a nice wooded walk way that runs along the entire beach right next to the sand. You can also camp out there. A great spot to spend the day, and night.

Great little park! It's always packed with kids in the afternoons and weekends. Adults playing…read moresoccer in the evenings too. It's a wonderful neighborhood resource for outdoor activities. Lots of well-maintained grass and a small pool for kids. Basketball courts too. There's even a short bike path for bikers traveling on Quarantina through the park where cars cannot travel. It really is a great community park. There's a small club house that you can rent from the city for parties and events. I've seen lots of birthday parties and quinces there. There have been problems with homeless people who choose not to be friendly towards the neighborhood. Removing the picnic tables seems to have helped. I hope they put in a small dog park where the picnic tables used to be. Lots of parking on Quarantina St in front of the SB junior high field. The road was recently redone and it looks great and inviting. There's even a nice plaque explaining the history of the trees along that street.

Ortega Park needs some TLC from the city. There are three basketball hoops here (one full court and…read moreone half) and only one is in working condition. The full court has one good side and one where the rim is basically bent beyond function. The half court is fine it just doesn't have a net, however a chain remnant hangs for dear life. The rims on all hoops are bouncy so you better work on your shot if you want anything to go in. The park itself is alright. Lots of people run around and play soccer. I think the park is decent for kids but not for hooping. Fix it Santa Barbara.