Beautiful, long, sandy, deep even at high tide and bordered by a grassy, tree-lined park. It's also a favorite for special activities - Saturday afternoon drumming, Sunday afternoon art show or an occasional soccer game. East Beach is in front of some of the largest hotels in Santa Barbara so it is the Santa Barbara default beach.
East Beach is in the harbor.
Although it can be fun to watch boats, most of the boats on view are of the big and commercial variety. The free parking goes fast. East Beach is accessible from just about any exit along downtown Santa Barbara - Carrillo Blvd, Milpas, Garden, Castillo. Turn away from the mountains and when you reach Carrillo, you can't miss the huge stretch of park between Stearns Wharf and the bird refuge.