Sands Beach — Attraction in Isla Vista

Nice sandy beach surrounded by a nature preserve and Snowy Plover Sanctuary . Great place to spend a day relaxing on the beach and hiking the numerous trails nearby in the Coal Oil Point Nature preserve. It is also a great place for birding and watching sea life. There is good tidepooling at low tides and it is a good place to enjoy evening sunsets. It is a bit difficult to access since it is located on UCSB property. There is paid parking available. It does take a bit of effort to get to but it is...

Memorable beach walk at low tide. We were practically the only ones except for the Snowy Plover which, as the signs say, are endangered. Its one of the few Santa Barbara beaches where you can walk for miles without worrying about a high tide. There is a bluff walk above the beach which must be spectacular. Parking was remote and confusing but keep heading toward the end as Google maps shows and there is a metered lot there. Definitely a hiking highlight...

If you’re staying in Santa Barbara, this is a decent beach to head to for surfing. But, there’s limited parking at the parking lot, it’s a five minute walk to the beach, and the beach is so-so. The best thing about this beach are the mountains you are surrounded by. We went in September and got out of the water with tar all over us, our bathing suits, and surfboards. The water was dark and full of seaweed and debris that day. Overall, cool spot...