The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Carpinteria

A delightful public beach with a seal sanctuary

This beautiful coastal state beach, spanning nearly 5,000 miles (8,046.72 km), located just 12 miles (19.31 km) south of Santa Barbara, is nestled beneath the Santa Ynez Mountains and surrounded by the Channel Islands. It's an ideal place to stop for a break, where you can cool off with a dip in the water on a hot day or enjoy a short stroll along the boardwalk to stretch your legs. There is also a fantastic campground here for a scenic overnight stay. You'll likely see plenty of sea life, including dolphins, gray whales, and harbor seals, who call this area home.

The Franklin Trail is a shared-use trail with fantastic panoramic rolling hills and coastline views the entire way. It connects the Carpinteria valley floor to the Santa Ynez River and is popular with hikers, mountain bikers, and trail runners, so keep an eye out for others as you explore this beautiful area. The path runs through diverse terrain, including existing neighborhoods, a public high school campus, creek banks, avocado orchards, and a mountain with protected flora and fauna. Whether tackling a quick ascent or the full nearly 20-mile journey, this path is very scenic and well worth the trek.

Frank's Bench is a peaceful spot to take in stunning ocean and mountain views. Nestled along Franklin Trail, it's a perfect place for a break after a hike through the scenic foothills. Whether you're watching the sunset or soaking in the coastal breeze, this overlook is a lovely escape above town.

Tar Pits Park features some of the few natural asphalt lakes in the world. These tar pits, formed by ancient petroleum seepage, date back to the Pleistocene epoch and have preserved fossils of prehistoric creatures. Historically, the Chumash people used tar to waterproof their boats and tools. The park has been preserved and restored to its natural state, with a great path that winds throughout the grounds, popular for hiking and biking. There are several picnic tables, plenty of benches with fantastic views, a harbor seal sanctuary, and a lovely stretch of beach. Tar seeps out of the ground along the trail, beach, on the bluffs, and throughout the park and can get on your shoes. It's a good idea to bring footwear that you don't mind getting dirty when you come to explore this beautiful area.

This trail, lined with eucalyptus trees and coastal scrub, runs along the Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve, which spans 52 acres of open space with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands. The preserve is home to a harbor seal rookery, one of only four along the Southern California coast. It's a fantastic place for a day trip, and if you're here in the evening, a great place to watch the sunset over the ocean.

This beautiful coastal state beach, spanning nearly 5,000 miles (8,046.72 km), located just 12 miles (19.31 km) south of Santa Barbara, is nestled beneath the Santa Ynez Mountains and surrounded by the Channel Islands. It's an ideal place to stop for a break, where you can cool off with a dip in the water on a hot day or enjoy a short stroll along the boardwalk to stretch your legs. If you are on a long ride, there is a fantastic campground here for a scenic overnight stay. You'll likely see plenty of sea life, including dolphins, gray whales, and harbor seals, who call this area home.

Small bay where seals, pelicans, eagles 🦅 and other animals have their resting place.