Thousand Steps Beach

Okay, the name is a bit of an exaggeration—it takes only 154 steps to reach Santa Barbara's Thousand Steps Beach (also known as Camino al Mar, Spanish for “the way to the sea”). But why quibble? Your reward for descending this narrow concrete staircase is a ribbon of sand nestled below rugged cliffs. Getting here requires just enough effort to keep the crowd factor low. Wear your best-gripping shoes; these concrete stairs are often wet and slippery from water seeping off the hillside. A few steps are eroded and moss-covered, but consider their age: The Thousand Steps staircase was built in 1923.

Keep your speed down for safety. A railing-lined landing near the midpoint provides a spot for stretching. At the stairs’ base, the vast Pacific spreads wide. High tides swallow up all of the sand, but at low tide, you can walk left to Shoreline Park Beach, or right to Mesa Lane Beach and its long flight of stairs. Minus tides are especially rewarding, when the sea rolls back to reveal a massive tide pool shelf teeming with sea life.

Thousand Steps staircase in Santa Barbara is at the southern end of Santa Cruz Blvd. near Shoreline Dr. Dog-friendly!