5 Star Rating Lookout Park in Summerland, near Santa Barbara, 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. read more

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

Nice small little park with a bit of everything, picnic area, play area for children, restrooms and a path down to the ocean. A very beautiful location but small and can fill up fast on nice days. read more

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Really pleasant little park on the bluffs in Summerland. Gorgeous ocean views, nice breezes, and beach access. When I was there I saw a family party eating and playing interactive games. The place is just off the 101 at Lillie Avenue. It's a nice place to spend a day or part of a day. It's a nice place for a picnic and it's pet friendly too. My dogs loved it. read more

Great place for a stroll and access to the beach. There are bbq grills and picnic tables. Restroom Facilities are available as well.

Great stop with an even greater view!! One of our favorite hop on hop off stops. Benches over looking the Pacific and a short pathway that leads down to the beach. Restroom and a playground for the kids to run around and stretch one's legs. Or just come by and watch the sun set or rise. Such a wonderful place to stop or even picnic with the entire family; including your fur babies!! They have dog and human showers! All the proceeds from the dog shower goes to maintaining the park. Unfortunately, they close at 8pm and no overnight parking. read more

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This park had a ton of great views and you can even walk down to the water. Besides that, all the play areas are super clean and the rest of the park at that. Above everything else, the restrooms were super clean and stocked with soap and paper! Not a common site at public parks lol. Great visit tho! read more

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Here is one of my favorite little places where you can stop when passing through. Summerland between Santa Barbara and home for me, Westlake They just kind of renovated this place in recent months, it's right on the ocean with very fast on off from the 101 freeway. What's there not to like? read more

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WOW what a change!!! This was always a great stop between Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. We pick up coffee at Red Kettle Coffee shop and head to the park to enjoy the gorgeous view of the Channel Islands. Now, a beautiful renovation job that includes barbecues, leisure sitting, bocce ball court and the best of all, ping pong tables makes this a full afternoon stop (we keep a set of paddles and balls in the car for these very opportunities). Bring the dog, it also has a do-it-your-self dog wash. Bring the kids, it has a terrific playground too. read more

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Lookout Park is a lovely park in Summerland, in the calm stretch of land between the freeway and the beach. We went with our two-year-old and his grandparents during Father's Day weekend, and it was a great place for a daytime outing. The playground was spacious and pretty empty on a Saturday afternoon, with a splendid view of the water. (Also, I don't know that a freeway view is typically a bonus, but the traffic wasn't bothersome and our son loved watching it.) Our boy rode a baby swing, stomped around the play equipment, and reluctantly went down a slide in my lap (smart choice, that thing burns on a hot day). We also took the short walk downhill to the beach, where he looked at the ocean for a few seconds before deciding he was ready to turn back around. If you have dogs, Lookout Park also appears to be super dog-friendly, with a dog washing station on site. Maybe in a few years, we'll come back with grandparents, kids, and dogs. This is a really nice park, with plenty to offer to the whole family. read more

Beautiful nice and clean park for family gatherings. I love the environment where you can sit and enjoy the beautiful sea view.

I'm absolutely shocked the county of Santa Barbara has allowed this beautiful beach spot to turn into a murky run off of petroleum activity nearby. There are signs posted along the walkway to the beach from lookout park, stating that pets and vulnerable humans should avoid the water when tar and oil sheen is present. While I did not see any tar, I could tell the water had a layer of oil along the top, leaving sticky residue on your skin. The sand was a texture that needed dish soap to get off. There is a slight smell from the water that is not a a salty ocean breeze, it is oil. It's easy to say don't go in the water, but I saw dozens of people of all ages swimming. Everyone's sensitivity is different I suppose. The park itself is nice on a quiet day, but fills up fast. Great coastline view. If you're in the Summerland or Santa Barbara area, look for a better area of the coast to get in the ocean. read more

I would give this TEN stars if I could! What a wonderful community park! We were visiting from the bay area and took our dog here. She had the most fun I've seen in a long time! The weather was perfect, beach was clean, and everyone we ran into was so friendly. Lots of dogs out enjoying the nice weather! I love all the grassy areas this park has too, nice to be able to sit and enjoy the beach view. There's some great food and coffee options nearby as well, so you can grab food before or after, or bring some to the park and have a picnic! But by far the best amenity here is the dog wash station. $10 for 10 minutes is actually a pretty good deal (it's $15 at Pet Food Express). Our dog was a sandy mess after the beach, and it was super convenient to be able to give her a rinse off before getting back to the car. Plus, the proceeds go to community and park upkeep. I cannot wait to come back to enjoy this park and beach; highly recommend!! read more

What an incredible spot to come with family, friends, a date, your dog, or even alone and lookout at the breathtaking ocean beauty! This park is right off the freeway and generally has plenty of parking for all. I'd even recommend stopping here on your way up the coast for a nice stretching of the legs and to get some gorgeous shots of the view. I have been coming here for years to BBQ (yes they have BBQ areas open to the public), to walk my dog, relax on the beach, and so on. I love the new additions they've added in the past few years, such as the dog bath and new playground equipment. The city really makes an effort to upkeep the beauty and safety of the park. In the Spring the views are even better because of the stunning California native plants and wildflowers. Couples, this IS your cheap date spot! Arrange a picnic, go for a walk on the beach, enjoy the sunset, then walk a couple minutes up the street to the Summerland bars for a nice drink and live entertainment. More of a fly solo kind of person? That's cool too! Bring your dog here, come watch other people's dogs here, or go up to Red Kettle Coffee grab a latte and come back to sit on a bench and enjoy the views as the caffeine kicks you into gear. The moral of this post is - There is no reason not to visit Lookout Park! Young, old, single, married, or four legged there is something for everyone and you will not be disappointed! read more

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NOT SANCTIONED TO BE OFF-LEASH. Bring your leash. Use discretion! Be responsible!! Or please don't come at all!!! This is a gorgeous place to share for people, dogs & horses alike. What a gift & blessing to have this slice of paradise between the Pacific & PCH. Footnote: PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOGS ;) read more

Lookout Park - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

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The county parks did a great job on the new east end of the park. Ping Pong tables, Bocce ball, fresh new bbqs and beautiful, native plants. Nice stop along the 101 with a great view of the Pacific ocean. read more

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Wonderful flat packed sand beach for a long walk. The beach is blocked from the freeway noise by the houses on the cliff above. It is a doggies-run-free beach, and there is little wave action so dogs have a great time swimming out to retrieve balls. Access to the beach is via a walkway down the hill from the parking lot at the end of Evans street in Summerland. The park on top has restrooms, playground, shower, benches, picnic areas and grass for soaking up Summerland sunshine. There is another beach access parking lot at the other end of town. This beach is a hidden jewel and the park is a good bathroom stop if you are stuck in traffic between SB and Carp. read more

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Came here to bring our dogs to the beach but THE BEACH is gone! Walked down the ramp expecting the wide expanse of sand for the dogs to run and play, and we were greeted with nothing but rocks. Not sure what climate-change-related event caused this but our dogs were sorely disappointed. The park remains lovely and of course Summerland is an adorable town. read more

We went here because this showed up on a Yelp search under dog parks. However, all dogs must be on leashes, and the park is tiny and unfenced. When I think dogpark, I think leashless. Hence my 1star review. read more

Hidden gem of a park. Breath taking views. Convenient dog washing station available to those with fur babies. Dog are required to be on a leash but not everyone follows that rule. So if dogs without a leash is a bad thing for you, this place might not be suitable for you. read more

Perhaps I'm a bit biased, as my boyfriend proposed to me here, as his favorite beach, at sunset. The views are beautiful. The park is well maintained and even has bathrooms! Parking lot is fairly large, but I could see it getting full on a nice day. read more

Lookout Park - Sunset! - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

We walked this beach every day. Each day was a new discovery of views, rocks collected and sea glass found! The best part was the daily meeting of new folk and their pups. This is a dog friendly beach and we met and made a lot of new friends! For the view, sound and solitude of a great Pacific Coast beach - we loved it! read more

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The park is perfect for people who enjoy a small yet beautiful park near the ocean. This has some bbq pits that are free. There are two spots one could reserve. Among which the area A is quiet big and perfect for a large group. There is a small children's park beside this area A. The beach beside is quiet nice and small. The view is very good too. There is a volleyball court for adults. read more

It's the best place to go to see the sunset!! So beautiful and I love having picnics here with friends I gave it a 4 because the parking lot is closed after sunset but before that, it's such a great hang out place!! read more

This little Clifftop park have a great view of the Pacific and the coastline both north and south. The park itself as restrooms, some small volleyball area, grassy areas, and a walking trail down to the beach. The beach itself is a mixture of sand and rocks, seasonal depending on currents, tide, and longshore drift. Like many beaches in Santa Barbara County, some folks ride horses up and down the coast, although there are time restrictions on equestrian activities on the beach, specifically between May and November. Due to all the asphalt seeps in the area, you will often get tar on your feet if you visit the beach here. Pro tip: keep a bottle of baby oil in your car with some cotton swabs or a small rag. The oil will remove the tar from your feet with a little bit of vigorous rubbing... and your skin will be smooth and soft, like a baby's butt. Anyway, this is the kind of neat place to visit. Seasonally, parking can be an issue. Best to arrive early, or have a friend in town within walking distance, and use their driveway. read more

This is one of my favorite beaches in the Santa Barbara area. It's not crowded and is dog friendly. There is a dog wash machine, park with grass and playground, and it is a great beach that isn't overrun with tourists. My dog loved it. Vast sandy beach with seagulls. Be aware that there is a steep ramp you have to walk down (and back up). Normally that wouldn't be a problem but I had to carry my dog down and there isn't a smooth transition from the ramp to the sand. Also there is a sign warning of oil in the beach. I took my shoes off while walking and some oil got on my feet but nothing I couldn't scrub off. However, I'd advise wearing shoes. Nearby via car there is The Summerland Beach Cafe which is dog friendly. read more

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Dog friendly! The address on yelp is not entirely accurate - this is a better address: 15 Lookout Park Rd Summerland, CA Parking is free in a lot, came on a Sunday morning with plenty of spots, but not sure how it fills up later on in the day. The park itself is pretty average, green grass, small climbing playthings for kids, a dog wash (which is unusual but awesome). It's the beach along here that really shines. (With oil though, probably) There are warnings not to swim in the water and to watch for oil, so be cautious, for this reason and due to the fact that my dog is a greyhound, I did not let her off leash. However, we still had a good time meeting other people, dogs, and horses! I definitely recommend visiting if you're coming from out of town, and want a fun place to bring your dog. read more

Lookout Park - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

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Tar patties AND Tar balls alert!!!! It was a beautiful Saturday and what better way to spend it than going to a beautiful beach in Santa Barbara. We came upon Summerland and figured LookOut Park would be the perfect medium. The park was small but had a host of parties in progress. There were benches that looked out onto the beach, some facing the ocean, 1 facing a tree. (Please refer to picture) There is a playground for kids to monkey around in and a small restroom. After taking a quick look around the park we headed down a ramp to the beach. The beach itself was pretty sad looking. Sea debris everywhere, to be expected, but there were also brown foam that washed to shore. Well no matter, we weren't divas and were used to a not so clean looking beach. After a short walk, I walked on the beach w flip flops on and suddenly my feet felt sticky. I looked down to see a wad of black goo on my feet. Alarmed that I'd stepped on poo, I immediately rushed into the water to wash the excrement off. However, no matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't come off. At this point I figured the substance had to be something else. I joked w lover that it was an oil spill since there were so many oil rigs in the ocean and I was lucky enough to step in it. A couple of steps later, I saw the same black substance on lover's foot. EEK! We rushed to the bathroom to get cleaned up and was about to call the city to let them know when we saw a bulletin. "Unique to Santa Barbara counties, we have a Naturally (Bold & Italicized) occurring oil seepage. You may run into tar patties or tar balls that sticks to your feet". I'm sure people from around the world flock to Santa Barbara for their naturally (Bold & Italicized) occurring tar balls. Seriously, crude oil cannot be healthy for you and there were babies, adults, kids, and dogs all frolicking on the beach like their swimming in gold. Gross! Never again! Like gag me with a spoon. read more

Lookout Park - Nice bench. Good view of d tree. -.- - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

On of the nicest beaches we frequent. Because of the point and wind direction, u can pretty much come here any time of the year and have a great beach day. The facilities up top are great for the kids with a nice little park. Years ago there use to be lots of nude beach goers down aways, but recent crack downs u don't see it much. Parking can be a bit of a pain at times..but usually fairly easy to get in and out. Surf fishing here can be decent in the area, using the Berkeley gulp stuff works, but the beach is covered with sand crabs and pretty easy to dig a few hundred out.. read more

Lookout Park - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

This is a great place to bring your dog. If your traveling the King's Highway its a must stop to stretch the legs and tire out the pooch before you travel on. There is a doggy wash station in good working order that solves the sand all over the car issue. When you pull in find the ranger at the south end of the paring lot to buy a couple of dollars worth of tokens so you can wash the dog on the way out. This beach is a fairly long stretch of sand so bad dogs who run off out of your control should not be taken off leash here. We ran up from Santa Clarita on more than a few Saturdays this last summer and stopped here on the way to the Brewhouse in Santa Barbara (A dog friendly micro brewer / restaurant). Just the thing for a great day. read more

This review is mainly for the park/view. On the way home from Paso Robles to LA, we exited the 101 fwy to enjoy the beautiful view. We crossed our fingers that we would be able to find some street parking. To our surprise, there was a perfect little park with a small parking lot. The park had some BBQ grills, a small playground and a pathway to the beach down below. This is a great spot for pictures, with the beach/waves, and distant cliffs in the background. Definitely bookmark this park and schedule a stop if you're passing through. read more

Lookout Park - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

Beautiful view from the top at the park and the beach is a short walk down a hill. We lucked out and didn't experience any tar on this visit but we have been when the tar was too much to enjoy the beach. Go off season and the parking is easy, but I imagine it can get pretty busy during peak times! The park at top is okay with bathrooms and public shower area. Unfortunately not everyone picks up after their dog and homeless seem to overrun so much of SB. All in all....a very nice time. read more

Lookout Park - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

Such a. Lovely stretch of beach! Dog friendly, kids playground and bbq grills for a party. read more

Lookout Park - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

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Ughh the oil smell is awful!!!! But beach and view are beautiful. Many dogs were off leash (mine too at times) which was nice and no one seemed to mind. Awesome pet wash as well! Easy parking and just a short walk down the path. read more

Fantastic little park right off the 101. Clean restrooms and nice tables for lunch. The park was very clean and had lots of green grass to play with the kids. The playground was nice for kids and wenjoyed the easy access to the beach. Sunset was breathtaking from the park. Highly recommend stopping by this park on your way through Summerland CA. read more

Lookout Park - Beautiful park with lots of green space. - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

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There is calmness at this area and the park. I enjoy trekking it down to the beach at low tide refit a great walk toward Padaro lane. It is a little oily, thus I haven't been in the water here. Yet, definitely a nice place to chill out and think. read more

Lookout Park - Beachside - Beaches Near Me - Summerland, California

This place was perfect when I came with my pup. It was however noon on a Tuesday so there were only a handful of people on the beach. Sign says dogs on leash but everyone (including me) let our k9's run along the sand :D Beach is hidden right off highway 101, always a good stop if your on your way to Santa Barbara. read more

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I absolutely love Lookout Park. It's also perfect for my dog as it has a large grass area for him to run on as well as the beach. They also have doggie baths. With the tar here, I was glad I brought my blue Dawn although I didn't need it. In the upper area in the back there are several regulars that gather at a table to drink. They kept to themselves and added to the ambiance here. Nearby is a horseshoe pit as well as grills. The view over the cliff to the land formations, rocks and ocean make it clear whee this park received its name. There is also a playground I've always found to be busy with smiling kids. I can't think of any age or demographic group that wasn't represented during my two recent visits. I deducted one star because an aging lobster cage had washed up onto the beach. I have a feeling this isn't the first time something similar has happened. read more

This is our favorite park to go to on our way from our home in San Luis Obispo to Southern California, or as a midway point to meet friends and family who don't want to come all the way up to SLO. We like that it's small, great views of the Pacific, and that there's always parking. Dogs are welcomed, and it seems that many Santa Barbara folks come here with their best friends. The playground was revamped a few years back... great for little ones, up to about 10 years old. I'm WAY past childhood, but I like swinging on the swings to stretch my legs before getting back in the car for the rest of our SoCal road trip. Easy downhill walk to the beautiful beach below. BBQ pits near most tables. Caution: If you're going on a weekend, get to the park no later than 11 a.m. to grab a table. Only downside is that the restrooms can use some revamping. No paper towels and the cement floor always seems wet. read more

There are lots of dolphins today. This is a great park for family and all. Beautiful view of the ocean and part of the coast, dog friendly with a dog wash station. Park has bathrooms, volleyball net, picnic benches and BBQ grills. Best part is how close is it to the local shops and restaurants. Sweet spot. read more