Arroyo Burro Beach

I was very happy to have discovered this beach while passing through Santa Barbara.  My charming pit/lab mix Ava absolutely loved the dog beach and got a lot of play buddies.  She was so ecstatic to run and play that her feet barely touched the ground (pictures coming up shortly).

The dog owners were well-behaved, stayed with their pups, and I didn't find a single random log of either the beach-bound or free-floating variety (yes I'm calling you out, OB dog beach people...)

Don't wear shoes.  To reach the long strand on the west part of the beach you have to cross a shallow, narrow, inlet.  Jesse Owens might be able to leap it.  You probably can't.

There's a restaurant on the east side that's gotta have some magnificent sunset views, but we didn't stick around for that.

Everybody seemed to be circling the lot right by the restaurant and beach for a space.  I found plenty of spaces in the lot that runs parallel to Cliff drive.

When in SB, Ava and I will be back.

We were in Santa Barbara for a wedding and brought our dog on the trip. He deserved some play time after being cooped up in a hotel room so we brought him to Arroyo Burro after seeing the great reviews. It's definitely as big and free as they describe! Parking looked crazy but we actually found a spot on our first go around. If you can't find one in the lot there are residential streets near the entrance and the walk didn't look bad. As others have mentioned as you walk up to the beach the left is designated for off leash and the right on leash (there are signs to verify). It can look intimidating with so many people and dogs but if you continue walking you'll find plenty of room for everyone. Our dog LOVED chasing the other dogs and learning to chase balls in the waves for the first time (until he got pummeled by a wave). Make sure to grab poop bags on your way on to the beach as there aren't dispensers or trash cans on the beach itself. I saw quite a few pooping dogs both in and out of the water... Clean up after your pet please. I saw a couple people trying to bury the poop in the sand.

The only reason I'm docking Arroyo Burro one star is that after we got back to our car my boyfriend realized his feet were covered in tar. This is the black stuff washed up along the water line of the beach - avoid it if you can. We stopped at a CVS on our way out of town and washed it off with some soap and a sponge but I've read that vegetable or olive oil works as does ice. Our dog had a few splotches of tar as well and his feet smelled like gasoline so we had to give him a good scrub down as well. Maybe this is the reason for the dog washes in the parking lot. I'd definitely come back to Arroyo Burro but with more caution and awareness of the tar.

Omg! My new favorite beach in California!
So warm and welcoming. Very well thought out. CLEAN! Everyone is so thoughtful and friendly. All I know is Im ready to move to Santa Barbara.
FREE 2 hour parking?! Yes! I drove 2 hours with my two pups and I'm ready to do it again this weekend! As soon as you pull in you notice they have a doggy wash station.  How incredibly perfect. This is the sole reason I don't take the dogs to the beach more often. NOTE TO all LA beaches: Install a doggy wash station! It's really not that difficult.
They have water fountains for humans, for dogs and bottles. They have a foot wash station as well.
I was excited. It took me a few rounds to find a spot but I got one. Arrived on a Sunday at about 2pm.

There are two sections to the beach. On leash and off leash.
I think this is genius.
Everyone was so lovely and happy.
Beach +dogs=  I can't say enough about this stop.
My dogs thanked me immensely and smothered me with kisses! They were so happy I almost cried. It's been triple digits in Valencia and we've been stuck inside with the a.c. Blasting for weeks. This was well overdue and worth the trip.
All the dogs were friendly and fun. All sizes all ages all breeds. The beach is so clean. I am impressed.
We stayed for a few hours and around 5 I was ready to start packing it up.
I was also getting hungry and anxious to order at the onsite restaurant. (Awesome too)
Stopped by the doggy wash station on my way back to the car. $10 for 10 minutes. Wash, shampoo, rinse and dry. The whole sha-bang!
There's nothing better than getting home after a beach day and the dogs are already bathed.
I loaded the car, called and ordered my food to go (thank you yelpers! ) and drove up closer to the restaurant entrance (scored a spot right in front!) and was on my delicious way home in 25 mins. (Restaurant wait took a bit longer than it should've. But you couldn't be waiting in a more beautiful place. So all is forgiven.)
Can't wait to go back to this beach this weekend.

Bottom line: Only come here if you have a dog, skip otherwise! I am a beach lover. I came to this beach on a Sunday morning while visiting SB to go for a morning run. The beach was full of flies (I think I swallowed some while running). It also has a bad stench in the air, not the salt water and clean smell one usually breathes while going to a CA coastal beach. I mean it isn't awful, it is still beautiful and I didn't see any trash so it is clean. There is a decent amount of parking and it is great to go for a walk, run or to take your kids/pets. But, I am a CA girl and I have been to a lot of beaches and this is definitely my least favorite.

It's my favorite beach since high school. In my 50's now... that should say something.

It says... great place to body surf, people watch, dog walk, dine at a decent restaurant on the beach, watch sunsets, and close by access to the Douglass Preserve is a bonus.

And if you're Jewish, you can wash your sins out to the ocean on Yom Kippur at this beach.

If that's not a winning beach, I don't know what is.

Arroyo Burro Beach, is a really nice beach with hikes and fun things to do. Next to the beach there is a really nice river following. Also at night you can hear the frogs go "rrribyit" at night. There's a really nice restaurant on the beach but it's really pricy.

Probably one of my favorite beach in Santa Barbara and is also known as Hendry's Beach! There is a huge parking lot for this beach which is really nice but can be busy. You can always park in the neighborhood nearby which is always nice too. There is a famous restaurant at this beach called Boathouse and is always nice for a happy hour, brunch, or any special occasion!

This beach is huge splits down the middle when you walk down.  Since this beach is dog friendly one side is if you want to let your dog off leash and the other side is if you want to keep your dog on leash. Either direction is beautiful! It's a great place to take a nice beach walk at all times of the day and even a grab place to layout to grab some sun!

If you are lucky enough you can grab some good waves here and have a great surf. I've also seen some dolphins here a few times as well! This beach has some of the most beautiful sunsets that I have seen in Santa Barbara. They even have a public bathroom and picnic tables which are super convenient.

I recommend this beach for anyone who is dog friendly and wants to enjoy some sunshine! Great place for walks, sunsets, surf, and more! :)

Went on a Thursday around 11:30 am in June and it was packed. The parking lot was full and the beach was filled with people and dogs. To the left, dogs are allowed off leash. To the right, dogs should be on a leash.

We went to the right to avoid an incident as there were so many big dogs to the left and my dog is only 29 lbs.

The beach itself was not that nice as compared to other beaches in SB. Lots of small rocks made it hard to walk on and the sand wasn't as nice or vast.

Some pros: There is a dog wash machine near the parking lot and the parking is free. Benches at the top walkway area.

My dog is my gauge as I go to the beach for him and he really didn't enjoy this beach. He seemed anxious so we left after 10 minutes which is a shame because he loves the other beaches like Summerland, East Beach and Butterfly.

Arroyo Burro Beach is THE place to give your dog a good time when you're in Santa Barbara!

Sun, sand, and gentle surf combine to make a wonderful dog-friendly environment for your furry friend to play.  The beach is uncrowded and clean, the people are friendly, and any dog that comes here seems to be guaranteed a wonderful time :-)

Tip: There's even a dog wash station so your fur baby can get clean before heading home.

Whether you live in Santa Barbara, or are just passing through, bring your pup here and they'll thank you for it.

Amazing place to bring your 4 legged friends. Frequently see dolphins here and the sunsets are simply spectacular. Please grab a poop bag on your way down! Most owners are really courteous about cleaning up after their pets.

Parking can be a hassle so I recommend parking in the neighborhood on the right before the headache of trying to wait for parking.

Also please note that the left side is a OFF LEASH DOG BEACH. This is one of the few areas that our pups can act like dogs and yet people who choose to jog down the beach or just don't like dogs still get annoyed. As long as you don't mind a happy wet dog you will have an amazing time for sure.