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Tucker’s Grove County Park
updated: Apr 23, 2011, 9:00 AM
By the dedicated staff
There are so many beautiful places to have an Easter picnic in Santa Barbara - the beach, the mountains, City and County parks - all beckon as destinations.
Tucker's Grove County Park might be an easy one to overlook - tucked in a corner off Cathedral Oaks (Hwy 192), the park offers excellent group BBQ areas, horseshoe pits, playgrounds, a volleyball court, a new off-leash dog area, and extended hiking trail that meanders along San Antonio Creek.
To get to the park, exit Highway 101 at Turnpike and go toward the mountains (a left turn if you are coming from the north, a right if you are coming from the south).
Park entry is free unless you have a large group reservation, which is available through the County Parks Department. Eight sites are available for advance booking for group sizes of 25 and up.
The best pick of the sites is Kiwanis Meadow, a bit up the parking lot from the main park and including a secluded meadow surrounded by oak trees and bordered by San Antonio Creek on the left side. Large BBQ pits, a volleyball court, small playground and restroom are all nearby, and the kickoff point for a hike along San Antonio Creek is here as well.
The new off-leash dog play zone is just beyond Kiwanis Meadow, separated from the picnic and BBQ area by a gated fence.
If you meander up the San Antonio Creek trail, you may find yourself walking farther than expected. The pretty, pristine path is well kept and unoccupied most days, and we went over a mile shooting photos of wildflowers and enjoying the sunshine before we realized how much time had passed.
The trail is sandy, a result of the watershed it's part of, but is mostly even terrain, suitable for entry level hikers and kids. Take it to its terminus, and you will end up at the base of San Marcos Pass (Hwy 154).
For a look at other options for picnicking this weekend, we've included links to a number of previous past tourist attractions featuring local parks and beaches below the photos.
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