Location

Surf Beach area has beautiful dunes, coastal flora, and abundant wildlife. Public access is at the Amtrak parking area. The areas north and south of Surf Beach are fenced and closed March through September to protect the Snowy Plover bird nesting spots. From October to February you can walk from Surf Beach to nearby Ocean Beach at the mouth of Read more...

Ocean Beach Park is where the Santa Ynez River meets the Pacific Ocean. Bird-watchers and nature photographers flock to this destination, where all kinds of migratory sea birds can be seen. Please note that access to the beach is closed to the public from March 1 through September 30 due to the Snowy Plover nesting season. Read more...

 Arroyo Hondo Historic Adobe The earliest known inhabitants of Arroyo Hondo are from the Barbareno-Chumash civilization 5,000 years ago. Evidence of a permanent Chumash camp has been discovered buried deep in the lower canyon. Rancho Arroyo Hondo was part of the original 26,530-acre Rancho Nuestra Señora del Refugio Mexican land grant to former Santa Barbara Presidio Commandant Jose Francisco Ortega Read more...

Goleta Butterfly Grove Monarch butterflies migrate to Goleta each November through February and this amazing sight is best viewed at the Goleta Butterfly Grove. The site is open sunrise to sunset with no admission fee, but the City of Goleta does accept donations to support the Monarch Butterfly Docent Program.  The grove is adjacent to the Sperling Preserve on the Ellwood Mesa. The Read more...

Gaviota Gorge Tunnel This Gaviota Gorge Tunnel (51 0172R) is a reinforced-concrete tunnel measuring approximately 420 feet long, 35 feet wide, and 22 feet tall. The raised curb on the west side is approximately 2 1/2 feet wide, while the east side has a 4-foot-wide walkway. The interior of the tunnel is smooth concrete with two rows of mounted square Read more...

South Coast Railroad Museum The South Coast Railroad Museum, in Goleta, Calif., focuses on the history, technology, and adventure of railroading. Special emphasis is placed on the railroad’s contributions to local history, on the Southern Pacific Railroad, and on the key historical role of the railroad depot in rural community life across America. The museum centerpiece is Goleta Depot, a Read more...

Rancho La Patera & Stow House The Stow House was built in c. 1872 by Sherman P. Stow (1851-1907). Stow was the son of William W. Stow (1825-1895), an influential San Francisco railroad attorney who in 1871 purchased 1,043 acres of La Patera Tract land in Goleta where his son could establish and manage a ranch. The Carpenter Gothic Style Read more...

Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve One of the best remaining examples of a coastal-strand environment in Southern California, the Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve protects a wide variety of coastal and estuarine habitats. Largely undisturbed coastal dunes support a rich assemblage of dune vegetation and have become a nesting site for the endangered Snowy Plover. Learn More → Article by James Read more...

Arroyo Hondo Vista Point Scenic Vista If you forgot to bring your binoculars, no worry. Use the recently installed telescope and binoculars to scan the ocean for migrating whales and other distant objects. Interpretative Information Display The history of the Gaviota Coast is on display at this southbound turnout off Hwy 101 Arroyo Hondo Bridge The bridge was built in 1918. It was Read more...

El Capitan State Beach Campground amenities include picnic tables, fire rings with high metal sides, flush toilets, pay showers, potable water, and a general store. The most appealing amenity of course is the beach, where you can swim, surf, fish, play in the sand, and walk along the shore. For those who are not camping overnight, there is a day use Read more...