Santa Barbara is surrounded by miles of pristine beaches. The most popular and crowded beach is East Beach, with its white sand fringed with swaying palm trees and a nearby harbour.
Leadbetter Beach, just west of the Santa Barbara Marina, offers less crowded stretches of sand. Or head to Arroyo Burro, also called Hendry's Beach, for off-leash sands and a nudist beach.
Beneath the Biltmore Hotel in Montecito is Butterfly Beach, an isolated stretch of sands that faces west, making it one of the best places to watch the sunset.