No. 5 beach pick: Carpinteria, Calif.

Carpinteria lies south of Santa Barbara’s small-city bustle -- close enough for easy access but far enough to feel like you’ve gotten away from it all. The setting along this stretch of the coast is spectacular: farmland and ruddy cliffs to the east, and a gently sloping beach along the western margin. In between lies attractive and pleasantly unpretentious Carpinteria. Affordability, relative to pricey Santa Barbara, is one of Carpinteria’s big plusses. Another is the state-park campground, a beachside wonder that is among California’s most well-situated and scenic. Then there’s the beach itself, described back in 1602 by the area’s first Spanish explorers as “cosa segura de buen guste,” which roughly translates as “the safest beach on the coast.”  

AGE APPROPRIATE

Bring the young’uns -- the reef-protected beach couldn’t be safer. 

TOO MUCH FUN 

Carpinteria City Beach, at the end of Linden Avenue -- Carpinteria’s “main drag” -- is fun and kid-friendly, because an offshore reef acts as a natural breakwater, preventing riptides from forming. The near-shore waters are shallow and taper off gradually, too. Carpinteria State Beach (just south of the city beach) has a sandy, milelong strand, large dunes, healthy tide pools and more than 250 made-in-the-shade campsites. A pretty river flows out of the nearby mountains, adding to the scenic splendor. 

BEST ATTRACTION 

The Channel Islands are visible offshore from Carpinteria, and if you’re up for an adventurous day trip, you can visit via boat. Channel Islands National Park maintains visitors centers in Santa Barbara (12 miles from Carpinteria) and Ventura (16 miles from Carpinteria), and on-site concessionaires lead daily boat trips to each of the five islands, returning at the end of the day. First-timers might want to start with an all-day trip to Santa Cruz Island, the largest in a chain of islands called “North America’s Galapagos.” 

KEEP ‘EM HAPPY 

Some of the finest surfing beaches in California are located near Carpinteria. Close by is Rincon Point, among the best in the entire world. Even if you don’t surf, watching surfers shoot the curl on Rincon’s well-formed waves is highly entertaining. And you may get the bug to try it yourself -- though not at this experts-only locale. 

TIMING IS EVERYTHING 

Spring and summer are dependably warm in Carpinteria Valley, while fall and winter can be cool enough (dress in layers).  

AVOID THE CROWDS  

Crowds? What crowds? Well, if you really want to escape humanity, head to Loon Point Beach. It’s a bit of a hike to the beach from the free parking lot on Padero Lane, just north of Carpinteria, but soon enough you’ll find yourself on a beautiful beach backed by yellow sandstone cliffs. 

CAN’T MISS 

Stearns Wharf, in Santa Barbara, is a broad, planked commercial pier crowded with shops. It even has an interactive marine-education facility, the Ty Warner Sea Center, that the kids will love. You can drive and park your car out on Stearns Wharf. It’s located at the foot of State Street. 

BARGAIN LODGING/DINING 

Carpinteria State Beach offers camping in a variety of settings for $25-$34 per night. In-town motels, by contrast to pricey Santa Barbara, are a steal. 

INSIDE TRACK 

The name Carpinteria refers to the fact that Chumash Indians had set up a “carpentry shop” where they built canoes because of the availability of tar (from local tar pits) that was used to seal them.

-- Parke Puterbaugh, beach guidebook author