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Butterfly Beach

4.6 (155 reviews)

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Dolores P.

So pretty! I was hanging out in SB and a friend told me I had to go by because it's her favorite beach. The landscape is beautiful! Found a handful of seaglass and nice walk. There is a lot of tar that I had to deal with when I was cleaning up so I'll leave my sandles on next time.

Love this spot !
Frank D.

I've been coming here for years! This is a great place to park and relax, while listening to the ocean. The beach is just steps away and the views are quite breathtaking !! Oftentimes, you will find us in the later hours, chilling, while we enjoy our McConnell's Ice cream, watching the twinkling stars, and the flickering lights of the rigs on the ocean ... Such a serine scene. Truly, one of our favourite spots ! Cheers !!

Alan R.

Butterfly beach is a beautiful beach in Santa Barbara with some of the most best views of the water and many other houses/nice properties. It is definitely worth it to come walk/sit in this area at some point if you visit Santa Barbara.

Bea K.

One of my favorite beaches in Santa Barbara! The best thing about this beach is you can see both SUNRISES and SUNSETS because of its east-west orientation as told to me from one of the locals here . I brought my pug, she loved it. Dogs are allowed on the beach as long as they are leashed. The only con is there are no public restrooms, you would have to just go up the street to use them. Otherwise this beach is absolutely perfect.

Amber P.

One of my and my mom's favorite beaches in the area. Feels very private and they allow dogs. Lack of parking is the only complaint.

Ali B.

Beautiful dog friendly beach! It is a more low key beach, not overly crowded and there was plenty of parking though I'm sure it's busier in warmer months my pups had a great time visiting!

Simply beautiful
Rebecca F.

Simply beautiful! Peaceful, clean. Easy parking. Gorgeous spot to view the sunset. Definitely one of my favorite spots. It's a gem

Yvette M.

I had the opportunity to visit at sunset and early morning and it's appears as two different beaches. At sunset, it was high tide and taking a walk along the shore is pretty much impossible. The views are absolutely gorgeous and it can be a relaxing and meditative moment. You can park along the curb and sit on the retaining wall or bring your own chairs to enjoy the view. This morning during low tide, we walked down the stairs and walked along the shoreline. A lot of people were walking their dogs along the shoreline as well. There is also a bike and walking path in the area. Overall, a great spot to take your morning walk or for your late afternoon chill spot.

Tatiana P.

This is one of my favorite beaches. It's located right in front of a beautiful Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore. There is street parking along the Channel Drive. It is sandy but I recommend wearing water shoes if you want to walk as you may step on tar. If you go towards Santa Barbara, you will find beautiful hills with rocks. I always take tons of pictures as it's hard not to! :) PS note that it's a dog friendly beach :)

Beautiful beach, barely anyone around
Rebekah T.

Traveling along the coast, one of the beaches my handsome navigator chooses to stop at was Butterfly Beach in Santa Barbara. Palm trees line the beach front, along with colorful flowers, but we didn't see any butterflies. Maybe it was the time of year. The beach was quite the adventure, we walked along and saw washed up sea critters, interesting rocks and parts and pieces of shipwrecked sailboats and yachts. It was truly fun to explore and relaxing.

Leonah Y.

It was pretty and private. Would prefer swimming here than a nearby pier. The cove (towards the right, didn't get a picture) was very beautiful!

To our left
Marc P.

This is not a very long nor deep beach, but that is part of why I liked it ... it was a good place to bring a chair and a book and just chill. No matter where you sat, you were quite close to the shore, and there was the continuous nice lapping sound of the small waves that continuously hit. A few people walking their dogs (some on leash, some off), a few people playing with their kids; but most people were just chilling, creating a nice relaxing setting. Oh, and to my surprise a dolphin jumped out of the water right in front of us..... that was a nice bonus. It is street parking only, but assuming you find a spot you are literally steps to the beach.

I set up the rose petals in a heart and the balloons (as no one would respond to the marry me signs... we had to improvise!!   Snm-media.com

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My absolute favorite beach, and its dog friendly! It's not too busy and has the most stunning views!!

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Decent beach but very small with no bathrooms or showers. Had to change on the side of the road.

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Nice beach, but the beach has tar- oil gunk that is very tough to remove unless you have those special wipes!

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Butterfly Beach Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Butterfly Beach

I want to have a small elopement on the beach? 8 ppl total including officiant and photographer. Does anyone know if a permit is needed for this?

Is the beach open?

It should be, I went a month ago and it was open with plenty of parking and space to enjoy yourself away from other beach goers. Take some baby oil if you go, there's a little bit of beach tar that was hard to get off and oil will do the trick.

Does anyone know if I'm allow to lay down a towel and sit there with covid-19 restrictions?

Yep totally fine

Are there public restrooms?

No public restrooms or changing areas whatsoever

Is there a Shower?

Not unless you're staying at the Biltmore

View All 6 Questions

Review Highlights - Butterfly Beach

To walk along the bluffs above Butterfly gives you Santa Barbara's most beautiful look at the Pacific ocean.

Mentioned in 26 reviews

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Lookout Park - View of the ocean from top of the bluff

Lookout Park

(62 reviews)

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.

Miramar Beach

Miramar Beach

(12 reviews)

Miramar Beach is one of the beaches in the city of Montecito. I was driving on US 101 southbound to…read morehead home. The scenery was very beautiful. The drive was very nice. I enjoyed my drive and the views of this wonderful beach very much. Thank you! After I got home, I did some research on this beach. It is known as the best walking beach in the city. I will have to come back here and experience the beach walk.

My husband grew up within walking distance of Miramar Beach, and now that we have our own kids,…read morewe've been going whenever we're in Montecito. We hang out right where the hotel set-up ends and avail ourselves of their bar and clean bathrooms. It's kind of like having a really shitty room at the Rosewood, which is probably worth like $1,000 a night. The beach is calm and peaceful and never particularly crowded, a blessing if you're coming from, say, Los Angeles, where the beach:population ratio is significantly higher. Parking clogs up right by the public entrance, but it's pretty easy in the morning, and we've had good luck parking by the hotel and walking through the lobby. Our three-year-old Leo B. loves Miramar Beach (also loves walking through the hotel). We've coasted through hours and hours of tantrum-free toddler time, moving between the sand and the gentle waves. Even our baby likes a beach day, though he gets very angry when he crawls into the tide and gets splashed with saltwater. We spend a lot of time in Montecito, and I like that our kids will grow up playing at Miramar Beach. It's an idyllic place where our whole family can while away hours of sunny leisure. We'll be making memories here for years to come.

One Thousand Steps Beach

One Thousand Steps Beach

(59 reviews)

If you have the time and get lucky with parking, then stop by for a carefree stroll along the…read morecoastline. The stairway heading down from the neighborhood to the beach gives you the chance to carefully soak in the beauty of the landscape. As others have mentioned, no there aren't a thousand steps. Whoever named this place as such sure liked rounding up, like way up. We came by around low tide which washed up a lot of unique shellfish as well as the world's debris. This meant on a sunny day you may very be greeted with the pleasant aroma of the sea's breeze and the very next moment a waft of sundried plastic. That's the reality of the ocean's health. Still, it's a peaceful slice of nature worth visiting.

About two miles from Stearns Wharf, we headed over in hopes that it would be low tide. We were…read morelucky to find a parking spot on a tiny dead end residential street where the steps start. Not quite one thousand steps, but still a good workout with 157 steps. We headed down the steps, some were covered in water and mud. It was pretty much low tide when we arrived at 1pm, which made for a beautiful walk. I thought this beach was secluded. However, a half mile into our walk, we came across another set of stairs, Shoreline Steps. These steps will take you from Shoreline park to the beach. There was a good amount of people walking and we saw a few dogs as well. If you're looking for a walk along the shore, this is a great spot. Just remember parking near One Thousand Steps can be very limited.

Shoreline Park - Beautiful rock formations

Shoreline Park

(91 reviews)

Shoreline Park in Santa Barbara is a 15-acre coastal bluff park known for its panoramic ocean views…read moreand family-friendly atmosphere. Perched above the Pacific, it offers a long, narrow stretch of green space with paved paths ideal for walking, jogging, and soaking in vistas that include the Santa Barbara Harbor, the Channel Islands, and the Santa Ynez Mountains.

Shoreline Park is a gem for anyone seeking peaceful surroundings . The park offers stunning views…read moreof the ocean, with plenty of grassy areas perfect for picnics or lounging. I love coming here for walks and soaking up the panoramic views of the coastline. Benches are stationed throughout the park to enjoy the scenery. Unfortunately, some areas have been gated off for safety reasons due to the foundation of the hillside. If you want to venture down to the beach, just look for the wooden archway. The stairway will lead you down to the shoreline. Occasionally high tides won't allow you to venture down, so just be aware of that. The beach itself is rocky, and sometimes full of debris so bring comfy shoes! This spot is ideal for families, walkers, and even solo relaxation. I recommend bringing a small bag for special sea treasures that you may find during your visit. I always enjoy looking for sea shells, sea glass and heart shaped rocks. The rock formations here are always breathtaking during low tides so be sure to bring a camera or have your phone fully charged. Overall, Shoreline Park is my top favorite in town and a must-visit for beach lovers and nature enthusiasts alike. It's also a dog friendly park, so bring your fur baby as well.

Santa Claus Beach

Santa Claus Beach

(35 reviews)

Such a hidden gem of a beach. We stumbled upon it after randomly getting off the freeway. Passing…read morethe beautiful beach houses , there's an open area to park by the railroad. Walking across the railroad, the beautiful beach is kept hidden and beautiful. It was nice to come relax in the sun and hit the waters for a bit. It is NOT hard to find, don't be mislead by these reviews. There's also a surf store, a restaurant, and other stores going more down the road! Nice area.

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.

Butterfly Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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