Rincon Beach is one of California's most popular surfing spots, and on a busy weekend day, you may see as many as 30 or 40 surfers here, sitting on their boards waiting to catch a wave.
A relatively small beach, Rinccon sits in the curve of the shoreline at an angle to the incoming waves. The surf is good, but houses line the shore and the sand nearly disappears at high tide, making it best for surfers or watchers.
Rincon Point just around the point is a long, sandy beach, good for walking your dog or taking a stroll, with nice views of the Channel Islands on a clear day. Steps and a sloping path lead to the sand.
-
Entrance Fee: None
Parking Fee: None
- Restrooms in the parking lot
- No pets allowed
- In Rincon Point Park on the other side of Bates Rd., you'll find picnic tables and soda machines.
- Surfing
- Watching the surfers
- Beachcombing
- Rincon Beach is primarily a surfer's beach, with a narrow stretch of sand and a lot of rocks.
- The beach is often covered in driftwood.
Because of the offshore oil wells (which you can see on a clear day), all Santa Barbara area beaches are likely to have balls of tar washing up on shore. Once the gooey stuff gets on your shoes or feet, it's almost impossible to get off. We recommend that you do not go barefoot, and you may want to take an old pair of shoes or buy some inexpensive ones that you won't mind throwing away.
