Nestled between the rows of palm trees in Santa Barbara, east to the rolling hills of oak trees in Ojai and south to Ventura, the gateway to the Channel Islands, you will find the little gem of Carpinteria. With an average of 279 days of sunshine, there is plenty of time to get out and explore what this town has to offer. The Carpinteria Bluff Nature reserve is just a ten-minute walk from the Villa Del Mar condominiums. There, you will find avid bird watchers keen to see a red-tailed hawk, or stroll a bit farther and peer over the cliff face to quietly watch the harbor seal pups in the protected seal rookery. Carpinteria is a great place for active lifestyles with many outdoor activities in reach. One exit away from Villa Del Mar condominiums on the Southbound 101 there is the world-renowned surf spot called Rincon Point. The long northwest swells bring surfers from near and far to the annual Rincon Classic surf competition and event. There are also the Tidepools near Carpinteria State Campground where you can find starfish, sea anemones, and so many other critters during daily low tides. Bird watchers and nature enthusiasts flock to the Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve, established in 1977 by the University of California, where you can spot fish in the shallow water and the regal Snowy Egret perched on one leg. You would be surprised, with how small Carpinteria is, how many hobbies you can pick up! The Carpinteria Community pool, Tee Time driving range, beach volleyball courts, and the various yoga and Zumba classes at Tomol Park on Saturday mornings all give Carpinterians a variety of ways to stay active.
There are lots of great options for a fresh bite to eat in Carpinteria, as our consistent sunshine is great for local farms to grow to produce. Sample a variety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers all grown locally at our weekly Farmers Market that fills Linden Avenue every Thursday afternoon. Our proximity to Santa Barbara Harbor and the abundance of the Pacific Ocean has made Carpinteria home to some great seafood restaurants. The Central California area boasts many well know wineries from, Camarillo to San Luis and Morro Bay to Cambria, which are featured on many of our Restaurant’s menus. Even in Santa Barbara County, there are over 200 wineries and 27,000 acres of vineyards. All the California sunshine and morning fog create a perfect micro-climate for the grapes to thrive on the Santa Barbara foothills. Carpinteria is also full of ‘mom and pop’ restaurants that have been a staple for locals for decades. As a town full of avocado orchards it is only fair that we have an Avocado Festival annually in October. This festival brings in up to 80,000 visitors, if full of live music, vendors selling spectacular art, and lots of delicious food. Local businesses are challenged to include the star ingredient, avocado, and the result is avocado ice cream, avocado ale, avocado chocolate, and lots of good old-fashioned guacamole.
Kids and adults alike can learn about the history of our town at the Carpinteria Valley history museum. In this interactive museum, you will find a replica of an old schoolhouse, information on the construction of the railroad that still trails up and down the west coast, and the history museum shares information about the natural petroleum seeps which have been used by the Chumash to build their tomol boats, and are used now by the Carpinteria Offshore Oilfield as an energy source. Carpinteria is also home to a giant natural wonder, the Wardholme Torrey Pine. This massive tree towers over the heart of Carpinteria and is the largest Torrey Pine in the world. Both visitors and locals enjoy the vibrant rose garden below the stoic Santa Barbara Mission. Inside the mission, there are guided tours through the monastery and cemetery as well as information about the history of the Chumash people and the Catholic Missionaries. The Mission is also home to many annual events like the Medieval festival and the Madonnari Street Chalk Festival which both bring the community together for creative activities and entertainment. For a good view of Santa Barbara from above head to the Santa Barbara Courthouse. From the top of the bell tower, viewers can see across the adobe brick roofs and to the sparkling blue Pacific Ocean. The Courthouse itself is just as grand of sight, with Spanish missionary influences in architecture and beautiful historic murals. Any visit to the Courthouse and you are bound to see a beautiful bride from an esteemed Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding, but if you are lucky enough to visit during the Old Spanish Days Fiesta Week you will be greeted with live music, rhythmic flamingo dancers, and lots of street vendors offering delicious snacks that will keep your stomach full all festival long.
Carpinteria is the perfect place to raise a family. The Carpinteria public schools are full of compassionate teachers and even is home to a California Distinguished elementary school. There are also many extracurricular activities to choose from outside of school. If your kiddo is full of energy and wants to play sports Carpinteria AYSO and Little League are great places to join and bring quite a crowd to our parks every weekend. The Carpinteria Boys and Girls Club and Girls Inc. are amazing afterschool programs that enrich kids’ lives with collaborative activities, and as they grow older great scholarship and networking opportunities. If your child is curious about the world around them and loves to get into the wilderness, Carpinteria has a vibrant Boy Scout and Girl Scout community that is always giving back Carpinteria through their various volunteer activities. Living in such a beautiful town inspires many artists, so our Carpinteria Arts Center always has new events, classes, and day camps.
Carpinteria also has a vibrant senior community that is always giving its time to make this town a better place. The Lions club partners with local businesses to host a yearly tree raffle where up to 30 trees are fully decorated and surrounded by Christmas goodies. This holiday event raises money for local charities and also brings the community together for some festive cheer. The Carpinteria Rotary club has so many members for a small town that they have broken up into multiple groups to accommodate their members. The Rotary Talent show also raises funds for local nonprofits and brings the community together to enjoy the performances from musicians young and old that compete for first place title at this annual event. Carpinteria Beautiful is another organization full of civically engaged people who are dedicated to keeping Carpinteria litter-free.
No Matter what your interests are there are plenty of opportunities to live and thrive in our community.
Welcome to paradise….
