Santa Barbara in its entirety is one of the most beautiful and convenient cities for runners in California. With the glistening surf to the west and the picturesque mountains to the east, any run will have insane views. Runners will also never miss up the opportunity to go on a long run past the rolling fields of wineries, the historic Spanish architecture, and even the bustling and lively runner-friendly city streets. Additionally, the temperate climate that is present year-round makes running all throughout the city possible and very ideal. With it also being a mid-sized city that boasts its plethora of outdoor activities, there is an incredible variety of spaces for runners to choose from, and you’ll never have to worry about not having the right spot for one of your runs or workouts. Whether you are new to Santa Barbara or maybe even just new to running, you’ll never get bored of all the endless trails, parks, beaches and other options that this elegant city has in store.
Scenic runs in Santa Barbara
Below are some of the most recommended spots for those who want to absorb the beautiful Santa Barbara scenery while getting some miles in.
• Lake Los Carneros Park: This park is kind of a hidden gem, and is great for if you want to stay away from crowds and potentially even get a little workout in. It is a little outside of the main city, but it’s usually pretty quiet. There is a flat, paved trail that goes around a glistening blue lake for a couple miles. You can also choose to go off of the main paved trail and onto some well-maintained dirt trails if you want a little more terrain. In addition to the lake, there are usually the sounds of wildlife as well as gorgeous mountain and winery views off in the distance. • Ellwood Mesa: This is an excellent choice for people who want to get an easy trail run going. The park begins with a single trail that divides into multiple directions a little further into the trees, but all trails emerge at an extending, green mesa that overlooks the ocean. You can enjoy the trails and the large open space, but you can also run along the buff and enjoy the waves crashing just below. If you’re a beach runner, you can even take a short trail down to the shore! • UC-Santa Barbara Lagoon: UC-Santa Barbara in Isla Vista has one of the most beautiful college campuses, and since it is right on the beach, it even has a lagoon with multiple trails around it that are great for a short and scenic run. You can run around the lagoon and enjoy the views of the campus, but you can also take side trails that go over a few hills and offer more terrain. Nevertheless, these trails offer an unbeatable view of the pacific, and like many parks in Santa Barbara you can easily detour from the trails to the beach. • Santa Barbara Boardwalk: This beach boardwalk is perfect for folks who want to enjoy the city life while still getting to listen to the flowing ocean waves beneath the tall palm trees that are abundant in Southern California. This flat, 3-ish mile trail travels right along the beach and the streets of downtown. Runners will pass by plenty of other pedestrians who might also be running or even biking, walking or just heading for a swim. This is a great spot for those who need to get their miles in but want to simultaneously be a tourist in this cute city.
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Comments
Carolynn -
When I first moved to Santa Barbara I was young and by myself, so I wasn’t sure which areas would be best for running alone. I started by running around my university. Luckily, UC-Santa Barbara is very biker and pedestrian-friendly, which meant there were plenty of sidewalks and trails that offered great views of the ocean, and some that sometimes even went to the ocean. I soon came to discover that many other students, and non-students as well utilized the beach as a safe, flat, sandy and extensive environment for runs. The beach at UCSB can be followed for a lengthy distance in either direction, making it ideal for a variety of distances. This isn’t just the beach at the university however, as Santa Barbara as a whole is a mid-sized beach city that doesn’t extend far from the ocean at all. You can go downtown or in surrounding areas and always find an opening for getting to the beach. The great thing is also that there is a large outdoor culture in Santa Barbara due to the great weather and scenery, so you’d never feel alone, unsafe, or weird going for a nice beach run. Before I was brave enough to venture to any parks or tracks, I did a lot of longer runs on the roads. I basically would just look on google maps for a road that I could follow for a long time and find my way back home without getting lost. Two of the most perfect roads I discovered were Calle Real to Hollister, and Cathedral Oaks Road. These are basically two roads that are the kind of roads that you take when you want to avoid freeway traffic. They are great because like I mentioned, Santa Barbara is not that extensive from the beach to the mountains so it’s not a long distance to get to these roads no matter where you are at in the city. I liked Cathedral Oaks a bit more because there weren’t many, if any stop lights or signs until you get nearer to downtown. It also has some longer rolling hills and goes directly past some pretty wineries. It is a great road for long, quiet and focused runs. I am biased toward the beach and simple, straight roads through the town because that’s how my running journey in this gorgeous city began. I would later discover that there is so much more that Santa Barbara has to offer that I still have yet to finish experiencing.
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Running spots in Santa Barbara
Running tracks in Santa Barbara
Comments
When I first moved to Santa Barbara I was young and by myself, so I wasn’t sure which areas would be best for running alone.
I started by running around my university. Luckily, UC-Santa Barbara is very biker and pedestrian-friendly, which meant there were plenty of sidewalks and trails that offered great views of the ocean, and some that sometimes even went to the ocean. I soon came to discover that many other students, and non-students as well utilized the beach as a safe, flat, sandy and extensive environment for runs. The beach at UCSB can be followed for a lengthy distance in either direction, making it ideal for a variety of distances. This isn’t just the beach at the university however, as Santa Barbara as a whole is a mid-sized beach city that doesn’t extend far from the ocean at all. You can go downtown or in surrounding areas and always find an opening for getting to the beach. The great thing is also that there is a large outdoor culture in Santa Barbara due to the great weather and scenery, so you’d never feel alone, unsafe, or weird going for a nice beach run.
Before I was brave enough to venture to any parks or tracks, I did a lot of longer runs on the roads. I basically would just look on google maps for a road that I could follow for a long time and find my way back home without getting lost. Two of the most perfect roads I discovered were Calle Real to Hollister, and Cathedral Oaks Road. These are basically two roads that are the kind of roads that you take when you want to avoid freeway traffic. They are great because like I mentioned, Santa Barbara is not that extensive from the beach to the mountains so it’s not a long distance to get to these roads no matter where you are at in the city. I liked Cathedral Oaks a bit more because there weren’t many, if any stop lights or signs until you get nearer to downtown. It also has some longer rolling hills and goes directly past some pretty wineries. It is a great road for long, quiet and focused runs.
I am biased toward the beach and simple, straight roads through the town because that’s how my running journey in this gorgeous city began. I would later discover that there is so much more that Santa Barbara has to offer that I still have yet to finish experiencing.