El Capitán, My Capitán

Camping at El Capitán State Beach

Sunset at El Capitan State Beach in Santa Barbara

The best part about camping at El Capitán State Beach? It just might be sunset. The campground, perched on a forested bluff above the beach, gives you the best seats in the house for watching the sun settle down into the Santa Barbara Channel. Relax in a camp chair and enjoy an amazing show at the end of an amazing day in paradise.

That bluff perch means you enjoy the best of all worlds at El Cap, about 20 miles up the coast from Santa Barbara. The campsites are like what you’d expect in a forest campground—spacious, and surrounded by oaks and sycamores, with the occasional mule deer or western gray squirrel sighting. All the while, you’re just a few minutes’ walk from the sandy shore. The beach is perfect for relaxing, with waves gentle enough to be family-friendly, and a feeling of seclusion that makes it more private and peaceful than your average beach.

Camper at campsite at El Capitan State Beach in Santa Barbara

Person enjoying El Capitan State Beach near Santa Barbara

Sunset view from the bluff at El Capitan State Beach

When you feel like a stroll, follow the self-guided nature trail near the park entrance on El Capitán Point through dense groves of coast live oak and sycamore. Or get more adventurous on the strenuous 12-mile (round-trip) Bill Wallace Trail for some amazing coastal views. The trail follows El Capitán Canyon and Creek as it climbs inland into the Santa Ynez Mountains. You may forget you’re at the beach—until you get back, ready to cool off, post-hike.

TIP: Small amounts of tar in the sand (common on Central Coast beaches), can get on your feet and blankets. You can purchase tar removal wipes found in the beach general store (which also sells all sorts of treats and supplies).

El Capitán is about 20 miles up the coast from Santa Barbara. Take US-101 to Exit 117 for El Capitán State Beach and head toward the ocean and the park entrance. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance via Reserve California. Day use hours are 8 a.m. to sunset. Dogs are permitted in the campground, but not on the Bill Wallace Trail nor on the beach.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View