Swell Cabin › Santa Barbara › Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach
Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach: surf spot in Santa Barbara
Suits all levels.
- Wave
- Beach break, lefts & rights
- Level
- all levels
- Faces
- SW (offshore wind: NE)
- Best tide
- mid to high (from surfnerd.com and en.wannasurf.com, checked 2026-11-05)
- Best season
- Nov – Mar: November, December, January, February, March
- Water temperature
- 13–19°C (3/2 mm (warmest) to 5/4 mm + boots (coldest))
- Location
- Santa Barbara, United States (34.3923, -119.5240)
Other surf spots in Santa Barbara
- Sandspit: Beach break, right-hander, for advanced surfers, best tide: low to mid
- Leadbetter Beach: Point break, right-hander, for beginners, faces SE (offshore wind: NW), best tide: mid
- Hammonds Reef: Reef break, right-hander, for advanced surfers, faces S (offshore wind: N), best tide: mid
- Devereux: Point break, right-hander, all levels, faces SSW (offshore wind: NNE), best tide: mid
- Haskels Beach: Beach break, lefts & rights, for advanced surfers, faces SW (offshore wind: NE)
Places to stay near Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach
- Solimar Sands (0.5 km away): Holiday rental
- Best Western Plus Carpinteria Inn (1.1 km away): Hotel
- Motel 6 Carpinteria (1.5 km away): Motel
- Sandyland Reef Inn (1.6 km away): Hotel
- San Ysidro Ranch (3.9 km away): Hotel
- Loon Point Cottage (4.9 km away): Hotel
- Summerland Ocean View Cottage by RedAwning (7.0 km away): Hotel
- Inn on Summer Hill (7.1 km away): B&B
Surf schools near Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach
- Santa Barbara Surf School (2.4 km away)
- Surf Happens (2.5 km away)
- Santa Barbara Surf School (15 km away)
- Sandspit, Santa Barbara, CA (15 km away)
- Santa Barbara Surf Adventures (15 km away)
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to surf Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach?
Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach is in Santa Barbara, where the best surf season is Nov – Mar (November, December, January, February and March). It works best at this tide: mid to high. The wind is offshore there when it blows from the NE.
What wind is offshore at Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach?
Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach faces SW, so wind from the NE blows offshore and grooms the waves, while wind from the SW blows onshore and makes them choppy. The forecast on this page rates every hour with its wind.
What is the best tide to surf Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach?
The best tide at Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach is mid to high, from published surf guides (surfnerd.com and en.wannasurf.com, checked 2026-11-05). The forecast on this page weighs each hour’s tide and shows the best window each day.
Is Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach good for beginners?
Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach suits all levels on an average day; check the size in the forecast before you go out.
Where can I stay near Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach?
The nearest places to stay are Solimar Sands (0.5 km away), Best Western Plus Carpinteria Inn (1.1 km away), Motel 6 Carpinteria (1.5 km away) and Sandyland Reef Inn (1.6 km away). Swell Cabin lists 227 places to stay within 16 km of Santa Barbara.
What is the surf forecast for Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach?
Swell Cabin rates Tarpits/Carpinteria State Beach hour by hour for the next 7 days (Flat, Poor, Fair, Good, Great, Epic) from the way it faces, its level and its best tide, with the swell and wind forecast, and shows the best time each day.
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