20 Attractions to Explore Near Goleta Depot

Lake Los Carneros is a living ecosystem that requires freshwater inputs from winter rains to ensure a healthy aquatic environment for birds, fish, and plants. A network of trails meander across the park through rolling meadows and a forest of eucalyptus, oak, and pine trees. A wooden bridge crosses the northern end of the lake.

Goleta Beach County Park offers visitors a little bit of everything, including beautiful beaches, a 1,500 ft. fishing pier and miles of paved biking trails. There are walking trails on the bluff top west of Goleta Beach Park which lead to the UCSB Lagoon and Campus Point Beach. The 1500-feet long fishing pier is a long walk in itself with views back toward the mountains.

The Stow House was once the headquarters of Rancho La Patera, on the original Rancho La Goleta. It is now the headquarters of Goleta Historical Society which preserves and interprets the history of the Goleta Valley. The house museum displays family photographs and furniture, with stories of Sherman and Ida Stow and their descendants.

The South Coast Railroad Museum, 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 role of the railroad depot in rural community life across America. The museum also features the Goleta Short Line, a 7+1⁄2 in gauge miniature railroad, a Southern Pacific caboose, and a model train set in a panorama of the cities of Goleta and Santa Barbara, California

A secluded sandy beach between Arroyo Burro and Goleta Beach. Because of the remoteness it is popular with nude sunbathers. The clothing-optional beach is to the right/west once you reach the beach.

The Art, Design & Architecture Museum , formerly the University Art Museum, is located on the campus of the UCSB in Goleta, California. It was originally a gallery for art education at UCSB. Today the AD&A contains a fine art collection of over 8,500 works. It also possesses over 1,000,000 architectural drawings, historic photographs, writings, scrapbooks, and three-dimensional objects in the Architecture and Design Collection.

A beautiful surfing beach in Santa Barbara. It offers a fun scene with college students and families gathering and relaxing, while kids play in the sand and water. This latter beach is narrow at high tide and is shaded in the afternoons.

Goleta Point is a cape in Santa Barbara County. It is characterized by a beach cliff, crashing waves, and a view of the Channel Islands. The rock formation is frequented by shorebirds. It is one of the iconic attractions in this area and also there are so many things to see and do.

Coal Oil Point, located just west of the UCSB campus, is an ecologically important area that is home to a number of endangered and threatened species.Largely undisturbed coastal dunes support a rich assemblage of dune vegetation and has become a nesting site for the endangered Snowy Plover.

The San Marcos Foothills is a County of Santa Barbara open space located in the foothills between Santa Barbara and Goleta. Encompassing 200 acres the San Marcos Foothills offers extraordinary views of the Santa Ynez Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and the Channel Islands. The Foothills is the feeding ground for hawks, kestrels, kites, roadrunners, coyotes, bobcats, and hundreds of other animal species. It offers nesting locations for dozens of native bird species.

The Goleta Monarch Butterfly Grove goes by several names including Ellwood Main Monarch Butterfly Grove as it is signed when you get there. It is located next to Ellwood Beach just west of Santa Barbara. This is one of several monarch butterfly groves in California that are home to tens of thousands of butterflies during the winter months. In November to February you can find these eucalyptus trees covered in bright orange butterflies. It is quite spectacular to see in person.

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park preserves centuries old Native American artwork that graces the wall of a sandstone cave in the Santa Ynez Mountains behind Santa Barbara. The smooth and irregularly shaped shallow sandstone cave contains numerous drawings apparently depicting the Chumash cosmology and other subjects created in mineral pigments and other media over a long period ranging from about 200 up to possibly 1000 years or more.

This is an old 25-acre park runs up San Roque canyon with a picturesque hiking trails that criss-cross a creek and connect to the historic trails of the Santa Ynez Range. It opens up into a grassy field with picnic tables, a playground, public restrooms, and walking paths. There are also so many things to see and do here. it is one of the iconic attraction here, which is very close to nature.

This beach is just a ten minute drive along the Coast from downtown Santa Barbara. Hendry's is secluded by towering cliffs and a curving coastline. Surfers and children vie for territory as the waves tumble into shore. Hendry's is centrally located to a great deal of other fun.

This is a long sandy beach that runs along picturesque bluffs, adjacent to the Douglas Family Preserve. It is good for swimming, surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, fishing, and more. It has a reputation as a dog beach and is a popular location for dog owners to walk their pets off leash.

Elings Park is a 230-acre private park. It is one of Santa Barbara’s most beautiful gathering places for nature, athletics, and culture. It hosts weddings, special events, recreation activities, sports leagues, and more. The park consists of sports fields, hiking and biking trails, playgrounds, wedding/special event venues, and landscaped walkways. The park is a hub for mountain biking, youth sports, paragliding, and other outdoor activities.

The 70-acre Douglas Family Preserve is located near the intersection of Cliff Drive and Las Positas Road in the Mesa neighborhood. The property spans 70 acres of undeveloped ocean-front land, and represents the largest area of coastal open space within the city limits of Santa Barbara. A walking trail loops the park perimeter, with many smaller trails across and along the interior. There are several bluffs overlooking the beach, popular for watching whales, dolphins, and birds.

Haskell's beach is a great beach in Goleta that is slightly more hidden.It is nestled between The Ritz-Carlton Bacara and Sandpiper Golf Club. Soak up the sun on the sandy beach, explore the tide pools, or look for dolphins playing in the ocean.

This is a narrow beach located in the heart of Barbara. At low tides, this beach is wide enough for sunbathing and beach sports, but at high tide there is little dry sand. It requires a hike down a steep stairway to reach the beach here.

Mission Santa Barbara is a Spanish mission in Santa Barbara, California. Often referred to as the ‘Queen of the Missions,’ it was founded by Padre Fermín Lasuén. Mission Santa Barbara, like other California missions, was built as part of a broader effort to consolidate the Spanish claim on Alta California in the face of threats from rival empires.