Right Beaches › California › Santa Barbara
Leadbetter Beach
4.6★ · 1,989 Google ratings · Santa Barbara, California
✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms✓ Showers✓ Picnic tables
At a glance
Parking
Reported adequate
Walk
230 ft · under a minute
Restrooms
Yes · 125 yd away
Cost
Paid parking
Water
69°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Length
0.7 miles of shoreline
Sand
275 yd from the water to the back
Water quality
Mixed · 14% of 104 over the limit · 2025
Crowds
Quietest Sun 8am
Map of Leadbetter Beach
1
2
1Restrooms and showers125 yd from the listing2Picnic tables180 ft from the listing
Guide
Good to know
Ideal for calm-water activities
Shallow waves and gentle water make this beach excellent for families, paddleboards, swimming, and beginner surfers.
Plan a full day visit
On-site picnic tables, grills, a restaurant, bike trails to Shoreline Park, and nearby shops make this a complete waterfront destination.
Litter reported
Visitors mention rubbish on the sand.Mentioned by 16 visitors · 2017–2026
Arrive early in summer
The parking lot fills by late morning on hot weekends, though $3.50/hour with a $12 daily cap is reasonable.
Wear shoes for tar
Natural oil deposits and tar wash up on the beach regularly and stick stubbornly to skin and feet.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
68°F · clear
Water
69°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
3.3 ft · 6 s apart
Wind
3 mph from the ESE
Shelter
Onshore · wind blowing straight in off the water
UV index
7 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 15:45 | High tide | ↑ |
Last updated Sep 4, 5:30 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
| 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | |
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 C832+3MG, 801 Shoreline Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, United States
🌊 Water 230 ft away, under a minute walk
🚽 Restrooms 125 yd away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
0.7 miles away
0.8 miles away
1.0 miles away · shorter walk
1.0 miles away · shorter walk
1.5 miles away · shorter walk
1.9 miles away
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Questions
Common questions
How far is the walk to the water at Leadbetter Beach?
230 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, under a minute. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Leadbetter Beach have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 125 yd from the listing.
When is Leadbetter Beach least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Sun 8am and the busiest at Sat 4pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
