Carpinteria - Tourist Attractions

The Winehound

SantaBarbaraYP.com

We Love Trees!

Dog Training for Inquisitive Canines

Mindfulness Based Leadership

Order Local Food

Samys Camera

Advertise on Edhat

more articles like this

Carpinteria
updated: Apr 09, 2011, 8:30 AM

By the dedicated staff

It's getting to be that time of year when tourists flock to Carpinteria like 49ers rushing to California for gold. They camp, hit the beach, or wander Linden Avenue antiquing and eating ice cream.

If Santa Barbara is the Barbie in our local tourist attraction dream house, Carpinteria is Gidget; the fun loving kid sister who likes to surf and then ride a beach cruiser to grab a burger at the Spot. Carpinterians are fiercely proud of their seaside city, and it's easy to see why after spending a sunny afternoon there.

Here are five fun reasons to visit. This story focuses on Carpinteria downtown; we'll highlight the seal rookery and bluffs in a future story.

Beer and wine. Two gems for wine shoppers and beer sippers are Island Brewing Company and Carpinteria Wine Company. Carpinteria Wine Company, located at 4193 Carpinteria Avenue, has an amazing selection of wine from Santa Barbara County, Northern California, and worldwide imports at very reasonable prices. Island Brewing Company trackside at 5049 6th Street, is beloved as one of the South Coast's favorite microbreweries. Tables outside and a casual bar inside are a great place to try some of their creations. The Island Blonde is a particularly refreshing favorite.

Candy, fancy and old-fashioned. When Edhatters were asked about their favorite things to do in Carpinteria, a visit to the luxurious Chocolat du Calibressan was at the top of the list. The chocolatier makes candy that looks like it should be in an art museum or fashion boutique… but it's so delicious you'll want to eat it just as much as look at it. Conveniently located right next door to the Carpinteria Wine Company, you can pick up the perfect dessert for a romantic vacation evening. On Linden Avenue, Robitaille's, a longtime family owned candy store, is a local favorite. Don't miss their old-fashioned silver dollar size dinner mints that melt in your mouth .. they are also known as the Presidential Inauguration Mints.

Dining out. A favorite destination for local foodies, there are plenty of great restaurants to try in Carpinteria, from super casual outdoor dining to nice date-night spots. Best bet's downtown include include Esau's and the Worker Bee for breakfast; for lunch, The Spot, Sushi Teri, Reynaldo's and Siam Elephant, and for dinner, The Palms, Sly's and Gianfranco's. To see a full list and more detailed comments, check out the recommendations provided by locals.

Wandering Linden Avenue. Surf shops, antiques, art, health food and beauty products are among the offerings at Linden's boutiques, which seem to have some of the friendliest sales staffs around. It's easy to waste away an afternoon looking at cool old stuff for décor and design in the half-dozen antique stores. Local art galleries featuring the work of area artists are also great for browsing. If the beach isn't your cup of tea, lunch and some shopping might be the perfect fit.

South Coast's best beach? If you like wide sandy beaches with gentle summer surf, Carpinteria is the place to go. Billed the "World's Safest Beach," it's a family favorite for sunning and splashing. Typically very crowded on summer weekends, its attractiveness is enhanced by plentiful close parking and proximity to the State Park campground. The State Beach and City Beach are one of the county's longest stretches of usable sand, and just up the road is Santa Claus Lane Beach, another favorite. You might come for the weekend, and never want to leave. Some families have been renting beach houses in Carpinteria for generations.