Discover your limits.
CHANNEL COUNTIES, CA
POINTS OF INTEREST
Carpinteria Harbor Seal Preserve
Located on the Carpinteria Shoreline, the Harbor Seal Preserve is a great place to do some seal watching. The preserve is home to over 100 seals who give birth to their young here. The site is protected December through May, but does offer benches and spots for viewing.
Tar Pits Park
Tar Pits Park is a well hidden secret in Carpinteria, CA. There are many beautiful walking trails, and if you are lucky you may even catch a glimpse of some seals or dolphins! Watch your feet though - the beach gets its name from the natural asphault that seeps out onto it
Butterfly Grove
From mid December to mid February, a large number of Monarch butterflies flock to Goleta, CA. Butterfly counts can reach numbers of above 7000! The best time to see the butterflies are on cool mornings or warm afternoons.
Visit Solvang
Solvang is known as California's "little Denmark". The Danish village is a popular place for weddings, and offers boutique shopping, bakeries, and wine tasting.
Tour the Wine Trail
Lompoc is home to an ample number of wineries, many of which fall along the Lompoc Wine Trail and Wine Ghetto. Follow along the trails to hit over two dozen tasting rooms.
Meditation Mount
Need some time to wind down and relax? Head to Ojai's Meditation Mount. The Mount is a place where people can go to unwind and meditate in nature, without interruption. Guided meditation and mediation classes are also avaliable
Bubblegum Alley
Okay, so its kind of gross, but for some reason bubblegum alley attracts thousands of tourists each year. Found in San Luis Obispo, Bubblegum alley is simply a wall full of gum that has been chewed by passsers by. Buy your own bubblegum and add it to a piece of history.
The Dorn Pyramid
In 1905, a woman and her child both lost their life during childbirth. The husband, Fred Adolphus Dorn, erected a pyramid in their honor. The pyramid stands alone and the entrance reads "Distvrb not the sleep of death". The tomb remains mysterious to this day.
Tour the Santa Barbara Courthouse
Courthouse tours are available daily and last approximately 1 hour. They are free to the public and focus on the history, art, and architecture of the court.
Drive the Santa Barbara Loop
The Drive starts in Santa Barbara and then continues on to make 2 loops. The loop travels through the flowerly fields in Lompoc, and takes drivers through the Santa Ynez Valley (the perfect place for wine tasting!). The loop continues through Ventura and Ojai Valley, with plenty of museums, gardens, historic sites, and beautiful scenery along the way.
Stearns Wharf
Stearns Wharf is the hottest tourist spot in Santa Barbara. The Wharf is home to a variety of great restaurants, unique vendors, and specialty shops. The Wharf also has several activities including water taxis, a sea center, and a psychic (among many more).
Channel Islands National Park
The Channel Islands National Park is spread out around 5 islands and surrounded by ocean. The park is home to a variety of endangered species and unique formations. Snorkelling, diving, kayaking, and whale watching are popular activities of the area.
