Butterfly Beach

The ambiance was great, but there was tar in the water. We were surprised to see people swimming. However, it was a beautiful sunset.

Relatively not crowded beach with easy access. We witnessed a wedding solemnization. My boyfriend and I spent all afternoon painting 🖼️!I totally recommend this beach for a chill time by the water. Very family friendly and very clean. I will be sure to return the next time I am in the area!

Beautiful beach with free street parking. Some paved walking path choices and space on the beach to walk as well. A gorgeous place to see the sunset!

One of our favorite beaches to walk our dog in the Santa Barbara and Montecito area. When tides are low, then you can walk to Miramar Beach.

Great (free) parking right next to the stairs to the beach. I gave it a 3 because although reviews say it's a great beach, it smelled like oil and fumes. Very unfortunate, considering I brought my kids and food to have a picnic in the sand.

Gorgeous and very peaceful! There were barely any people on the beach, which I love!!! Can’t wait to return!

All time best beach for those late summer post fiesta swims. Love it here

Beautifully quiet and serene beach. Not crowded at all and plenty of space. Ample street parking, even on 4th of July. We have been here a few times now and it’s our new favorite beach when visiting the area. Dog friendly and perfect for a family picnic. Hidden gem in Santa Barbara.

We came by here yesterday to hang out at a nice beach, while eating our Bettina pizza take-out. Hard to find free parking along the street but we were able to find one! Walked right down to the sand from our car, set up the tent umbrella and beach chairs. It felt very relaxing at this beach. Was not crowded but very windy. Sand felt soft. Overall a pleasant experience here with the kids. Best part was the good food we got to eat in our tent on the beach.

One of my favorite beaches in Santa Barbara! The best thing about this beach is you can see both SUNRISES and SUNSETS because of its east-west orientation as told to me from one of the locals here . I brought my pug, she loved it. Dogs are allowed on the beach as long as they are leashed. The only con is there are no public restrooms, you would have to just go up the street to use them. Otherwise this beach is absolutely perfect.

Love coming here to watch the sunset when in the area. Absolutely breathtaking. Also a great beach for a quick swim. Easy access.

Simply beautiful! Peaceful, clean. Easy parking. Gorgeous spot to view the sunset. Definitely one of my favorite spots. It's a gem

Beautiful dog friendly beach! It is a more low key beach, not overly crowded and there was plenty of parking though I'm sure it's busier in warmer months my pups had a great time visiting!

Nice beach, but the beach has tar- oil gunk that is very tough to remove unless you have those special wipes!

It was pretty and private. Would prefer swimming here than a nearby pier. The cove (towards the right, didn't get a picture) was very beautiful!

Best beach to watch the sunset. A true jewel in our tourist town. Please keep it clean.

Another day at the beach. The sand is soft and it's a great beach to catch the sunset. The walking path is gorgeous you can see the ocean and enormous homes. The water was picturesque but cold.

Really beautiful and cute beach. It's a thin strip from water to sand, and was very popular. My family and I enjoyed having our dogs walk alongside us in the sand, and how scenic it was. Parking is crowded but manageable, also be prepared to deal with bits of tar

I had the opportunity to visit at sunset and early morning and it's appears as two different beaches. At sunset, it was high tide and taking a walk along the shore is pretty much impossible. The views are absolutely gorgeous and it can be a relaxing and meditative moment. You can park along the curb and sit on the retaining wall or bring your own chairs to enjoy the view. This morning during low tide, we walked down the stairs and walked along the shoreline. A lot of people were walking their dogs along the shoreline as well. There is also a bike and walking path in the area. Overall, a great spot to take your morning walk or for your late afternoon chill spot.

I set up this proposal on butterfly beach... it was so wonderful! Easy access to the beach and she said yes!

Great spot Beautiful setting Hidden gem Best beach in town Quieter than touristy other beaches closer to the pier Will be back for sure

This is one of my favorite beaches. It's located right in front of a beautiful Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore. There is street parking along the Channel Drive. It is sandy but I recommend wearing water shoes if you want to walk as you may step on tar. If you go towards Santa Barbara, you will find beautiful hills with rocks. I always take tons of pictures as it's hard not to! :) PS note that it's a dog friendly beach :)

Traveling along the coast, one of the beaches my handsome navigator chooses to stop at was Butterfly Beach in Santa Barbara. Palm trees line the beach front, along with colorful flowers, but we didn't see any butterflies. Maybe it was the time of year. The beach was quite the adventure, we walked along and saw washed up sea critters, interesting rocks and parts and pieces of shipwrecked sailboats and yachts. It was truly fun to explore and relaxing.

Sure was the perfect place to spend time with the family. Plenty of beach space and parking. Beach was clean and people were friendly. I really like this beach, prefect place to bring the kids.

We liked how beautiful it was. How clean the sand was. Nice and peaceful beach for walking and relaxing. Chill beach vibes.

This is not a very long nor deep beach, but that is part of why I liked it ... it was a good place to bring a chair and a book and just chill. No matter where you sat, you were quite close to the shore, and there was the continuous nice lapping sound of the small waves that continuously hit. A few people walking their dogs (some on leash, some off), a few people playing with their kids; but most people were just chilling, creating a nice relaxing setting. Oh, and to my surprise a dolphin jumped out of the water right in front of us..... that was a nice bonus. It is street parking only, but assuming you find a spot you are literally steps to the beach.

This beach was beautiful! Perfect for audiences of all ages. The water was swimable and the overall vibes were very positive! The only issue was the beach did leave my feet with a layer of tar, in the future id recommend beach goers are hyper cautious of where they walk.

This is a great beach to grab a coffee on Coast village road at either Starbucks, Brioche, or Jeannine's and head over to enjoy the view. Make sure to bring a beach blanket for when it's high tide, you can just sit above the sand on the ledge (in picture) and enjoy!

I've been coming here since March of this year, when I was in the area and happened to find the beach. It's located in ritzy Montecito, and seems to be a popular beach amongst Santa Barbara locals. It's a good beach for swimming, surfing, sunbathing, walking, running and biking; the beach is dog friendly and dogs must be on a leash. There are no amenities here such as public restrooms so plan accordingly. The beach is perhaps a bit on the narrow side, and at high tide even more so. To get here, exit Olive Mill Road on the 101, and follow the road down which will turn into Channel Drive and you'll see the beach near by. Parking is all along the road and is free. There is a paved bike path bordering the beach with nice scenic views; the pathway borders private property that is filled with plants and beautiful flowers. Coast Village Road nearby has various options for lodging, food, drink and retail.

Beautiful! Not sure where the butterflies were, but I didn't look, I was too busy laying in the sun like a dead fish. Not too big. People social-distance. Influx of dogs. Must love dogs. You don't want to be here if you have a thing against God's given animal. The water has seaweed. Duh. Would recommend

It's a beautiful beach. It's a 4 start because it's not easily accessible for a family with small children, towels, chairs, and beach toys. We used our wagon so it wasn't too bad but beware you will have to haul it down stairs and then back up. Additionally, parking is a bit of a hassle. If you can work past accessibility and parking you're golden!

The monarch butterflies are way up in the tall eucalyptus trees in bunches but if you look up you can see a lot of them flying around. Hard to see but still pretty cool. Bring binoculars if you have them. There is a small souvenir truck as well and some signs about the butterfly life cycle. Went there for a couple minutes and took a short walk to the beach that's pretty nice. There's some parking on the street/road and portable toilets (gross but there in an emergency). Overall a nice quick pit stop if you like butterflies or want to head to the beach.

Fantastic beach for a walk in the evenings. If you're lucky enough you'll get some great snaps of the sunset. I'd definitely recommend coming here for a walk as a tourist given how clean and well maintained this place is. There's ample parking on the street right opposite the beach as well.

Beautiful beach that you can walk end to end during low tide. Parking is on the street along the beach. Beach itself is very very clean, and usually not very busy at all. Fun fact: it's pretty popular amongst celebrities too! Lots of surfers the day that I was there. A great beach to catch the sunset!

Growing up, I enjoyed going to butterfly beach. This is a very family friendly beach where many locals still come to watch the beautiful Santa Barbara sunsets. Many tourists also end up here as the Montecito Inn is just up the street and the Biltmore is across the street. This is literally my go-to beach. My absolute favorite for laying out or picnicking. There's a beautiful path that goes up the side of the bluff if you keep going down the beach as well as lots of great skipping stones on the beach. This place is classic SB!

Such a beautiful beach right across from the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara. My second fave resort after Ojai Valley Inn and Spa. The beach allows dogs. A couple of interesting rock formations, flowers, and a sail boat to look at and take photos near. Worth a nice long walk when at the resort.

Stunningly beautiful beach situated across from the Biltmore hotel. You can see why they picked that location for their hotel as it's a ten for views. This sunset was particularly spectacular and a serious gift to the two brides who were getting married there that evening. It's not a hugely wide beach but then again it was high tide. We spotted dolphins off the shore, probably within a hundred feet. It was so special. It's sandy and the people were friendly. There's lots of free parallel parking in the area. People also had their dogs though I cannot say definitively whether it is a "legal" dog friendly beach. It was busy but everyone was friendly and enjoying the evening. I'd definitely return for a sunset here

So glad we went to this beach while in Santa Barbara! It was clean and had nice soft sand! There was ample space to lay out and watch passerbys, families having picnics and dogs playing fetch. Parking can be tough especially since it is right across the street from The Four Seasons. But if you come early you will find a spot. It is a relaxing beach with gorgeous palm trees swaying in the wind. The tickly soft gray sand was evermore comforting on a hot summer day!

Butterfly Beach is an iconic Montecito staple. I read the tide reports daily (pick an app) and when it's very-low tide; you can venture out for a 6-mile walk up this coast-line with yr pup, it's heavenly. Subsequently, if you want to hydrate head to the Biltmore for a matcha-latte at the bar, sans diary products. Also, there's an extensive bike path adjacent if you'd rather cycle thru yr calorie count for the day.

Gorgeous beach. Slightly hard to access. Our family loved that it wasn't crowed. We were able to relax and enjoy the weather. What ended up being the major drawback for us was the tar/sap on the beach. All of our feet were black on the bottom and it took vigorously scrubbing that night to get most of it off.

Amazing spot! Very secluded. Little walking baths. Absolutely loved all my visits here. Takes you away and you forget where you're at.

Great sunsets. Park along the street (Channel Drive in Montecito) next to the Four Seasons Biltmore and walk around or wait for the sun to set. You'll have to walk over rocks to walk on the beach. When there's a King tide, the waves sometimes splash up onto the street. Not too crowded in the winter. Definitely worth the trip.

This is the place to go for a panoramic view of beauty. Butterfly Beach is one of the most well-maintained in the area. It's on the western end of Montecito and resembles the city itself when it comes to tidiness and overall maintenance. The beach itself isn't too large but is consistently clean. The sand is unobstructed by rocks or seaweed. The tide is usually low so it's not a spot to surf, but the sand area is large enough to sit down with a blanket and enjoy the ocean air. This beach borders a well-landscaped bike path and the now-shuttered Biltmore hotel. There is a large retaining wall which is a great spot to sit and enjoy the view without having to set foot on the sand. There is no private parking, but the street spots are a'plenty. This beach is also popular amongst celebrities. While I've never seen any of them here personally, I've heard that many frequent it on a normal basis. Definitely worth checking out for the beauty alone. Who knows, you may just happen to spot a celebrity yourself!

Such a beautiful beach. My husband and I happened to catch the sunset here and it was a breathtaking view. Highly recommend visiting here if you're in Santa Barbara. Absolutely gorgeous.

This beach was recommended to me by a friend. It's across from the Four Seasons hotel. Parking is free and easy to find on a Saturday afternoon. It's a sandy, beautiful beach that isn't overly crowded. This was my toddler's first time at a beach, and he had a great time!

Love this beach, now one of my favorites. Definitely recommend it is wheelchair friendly has a ramp all the way down to sand. Relaxing and peaceful

Prepare for tar stains and dead bees in the sand. I unfortunately stepped on both! great sunsets with views of the rigs, not too busy, nice quiet area, lots of lady bugs, and a really cool sailboat wreck to take pictures of if the tide allows. There were some sweet dogs off leash and plenty of free parking too, btw. It was relaxing to sit on the the rocks and ledges above the sand and just look out.

I've been visiting this beach since I was in college and I am still in awe of it's beauty. This must be the the cleanest beach in all of Cali, a wonderful day to just spend the afternoon with good friends.

A beautiful beach in Montecito, near the Biltmore, Music Academy of the West and Coral Casino. This beach is stunning and due to its location, is often empty. Gorgeous views, clean beach, ample street parking and pet friendly, what more could you ask for? I do miss the days back in college where you could go and watch Paul Walker surfing with friends. I love SB!

This is a beautiful stretch of beach. If you are staying in Goleta this is your spot. During the winter the high tide can wash the beach out, but it's still a beautiful spot to visit, even if you walk on the paths above the beach, the views are scenic.

My all time favorite bike trail/walk. One of the most beautiful beaches in California. The bike trail is pretty short, with a few hills and dumps you on the road so be careful of people parking, people opening car doors.

My boyfriend and I walk to butterfly almost every day. The beach is usually clean and the view is always incredible. This beach is dog friendly but unfortunately they must be on leash. It's also a great place to ride your bike to. There is a biking and walking path near the beach.

Beautiful beach with street parking and located between resorts so in a weird way certain parts of the beach is secluded or "nicer." The waves are right, the sand is grainy. The section that I was laying on, had very small ratio of sand to ocean, but everyone was friendly and there were no vendors or boats out as it was just people and the ocean.

My memory of Butterfly Beach goes back to 1969 when Platform A blew and the infamous Santa Barbara Oil Spill largely sparked the modern international environmental movement! I really don't remember how long it took for butterfly beach to regain it's beauty but it most certainly has. It has been the location a hundred weddings and I am sure countless marriage proposals, it is that kind of spot. To walk along the bluffs above Butterfly gives you Santa Barbara's most beautiful look at the Pacific ocean. Ty Warner did an excellent job when he created that bike path. A number of years ago it was becoming a scene during the summer months with too many parties, too much alcohol and amplified music. The City (or County) passed an ordinance banning alcohol and amplified music and it again became mellow. As I recall there was supposed to be the option of obtaining a permit for alcohol on the beach but from what I have heard that has never happened. Dogs are allowed on the beach but bring a leash! Animal control seems to love giving tickets to dog owners who let their dogs run free.

What could be better than a FREE DAY AT THE BEACH. Yes no paid parking. There is Free street parking here. What a beautiful picturesque beach. I love the bike path above the beach dotted with tall palm trees. It's Very relaxing here.

This is another one of my favorite beaches in the Santa Barbara area. It is in Montecito across from the Four Seasons Hotel. At the top there is a sidewalk and grass. Nice sandy beach that isn't too crowded. Check the tide table though. I went when the tide was in.

Its so so pretty here!! It's super clean and right in front of the four seasons hotel. Parking is easy and doesn't require any payments. There are beautiful dolphins swimming around for the past hour. Lots of people picnicking on the beach.