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Butterfly Beach
updated: Sep 11, 2010, 8:40 AM
By the Dedicated Staff
One of Santa Barbara's favorite beaches dating back to the days when the Chumash Indians were the only locals here, Butterfly is known as a local hangout, popular with Montecito residents and students. But you might also catch a celebrity or two hanging out there, due to the proximity of the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel.
For pet lovers, it's one of a few places in the county where you can walk your dog on the beach without a leash (Butterfly Beach is under the jurisdiction of Santa Barbara County - unleashed pets are not allowed on City beaches.)
Popular with ocean swimmers, beach art makers, wedding photographers and many others, Butterfly is arguably the most laid-back place in Montecito - and definitely one where there's no dress code.
Here are our top reasons for making the jaunt down to the end of Olive Mill Road.
 For brunch at the Biltmore (or at least in front of it). OK, so this member of the dedicated staff has never had brunch at the Biltmore, despite the fact that it's a legendary Santa Barbara experience. We have eaten lunch on the patio there, but only once, and it was a very special occasion now many years past. Now priced at $70 per person, the Biltmore selection of lox, crepes and quiche on Sundays is a little out of our price range. But one of our favorite places to eat a to-go bagel or muffin outdoors is on the sturdy chipped stone railing of Butterfly Beach. For a while, you could even sit on a comfy chair below the railing.
Watching dolphins, seals, and swimmers in the water, walkers and dogs on the beach and hearing the waves land softly on the shore is pretty much sublime in our book. Goes great with hot coffee, and it's practically free, too. Ride a bike or take a walk down there to get some extra exercise.
 It has art. A recent Edhat submission highlighted the work of a local artist who makes "circles in the sand," to steal a line from Cyndi Lauper. These transitory creations are special for their precision, despite the fact that they're made with a garden-variety rake. If you happen to catch this artist at work or see the aftermath of his efforts, sometimes accented with a piece of driftwood or cut flowers you will be impressed at how beautiful yet temporary this art form is.
And if you don't see the Zen-like sand art, you'll surely see a recent thematic addition to the beach - a plywood cutout/painting of a little girl chasing a monarch butterfly that has been attached to the beach's retaining wall by a local artist. On a foggy morning when it seems like the sun will never come out, this particular art is a nice reminder of how fun and sun will return to the beach soon enough.
 To get a tan or make a sandcastle. (But wear your sunscreen.) When the sun is out, Butterfly is a great place to have the perfect day at the beach. Pack up the kids, the beach towels, the picnic basket, the umbrella, and whatever other supplies you need for a fun time on the sand and in the surf. For the most part, the ocean currents here are manageable and great for swimming.
Decent size waves happen only with winter weather. Parking is not plentiful but it is free and not restricted by hourly limits, as long as you stay out of private driveways, which could result in your being towed. Arriving before noon on the weekend usually guarantees you a spot. And if all else fails, you can always park off of Coast Village Road in Montecito and walk under the tunnel beneath the freeway (accessible to the south of the gas station on CVR) and hit the beach a block after crossing the train tracks.
 To take a walk. When the tide is out, you can leave your car at Butterfly and walk on the beach in either direction - toward Santa Barbara to the north, and toward Carpinteria to the south. When the tide is low (check a site like: this one to find out the low tide times) you'll be able to walk all the way to Stearns Wharf or, in the other direction, to Padaro or Santa Claus Lane.
Along the way, fascinating sights going northbound include the border of the Clark Estate, Bellosguardo, maintained but unoccupied by its owners for the last 60 years. Then you'll hit East Beach, where fierce volleyball competition goes on almost every day, and the Cabrillo Bathhouse, hosting site for the annual Santa Barbara Triathlon.
Going south, the view includes the popular Hammonds surf spot, popular with stand-up paddlers (SUPs) as well as frequent dolphin pods, one of Santa Barbara County's only rows of traditional-style beach houses, and the decrepit Miramar Hotel, slated to be rebuilt by Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso, but without progress. If you continue around Loon Point, you'll see the aging retaining wall murals featured in March Edness and finally, a long stretch of open beach heading into Summerland. It's a great place to watch the ocean stretching out as far as the eye can see.
Photo by Henry Fechtman:
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Photos by the dedicated staff:
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Photo by Dan Seibert:
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