Butterfly Beach
Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara County · California
Today's forecast
Updated 6:00 AM PT todayDawn is the clearest window — onshore wind picks up by late morning and surface chop stirs the bottom through the afternoon.
7-Day Forecast
Map · getting there
34.419° N · 119.647° W
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Open in Apple MapsAbout Butterfly Beach
Butterfly Beach sits across Channel Drive from the Four Seasons Biltmore in Montecito, a narrow strip of sand backed by stucco walls and hedges that climb the hillside above the road. The beach is short and west-facing, with cobble at the tide line and dry sand above it. The orientation is the reason it draws sunset crowds; the cobble and the open exposure to swell are the reason it draws few divers.
Because the bottom is sand and cobble with no reef or kelp structure offshore, the spot is a surf zone biome. Swimming and shore fishing account for most of the use, and a few surfers work the beach when conditions cooperate. Snorkeling and spearfishing are uncommon, and there are no reports of scuba diving here.
Free street parking runs along Channel Drive and Butterfly Lane. Time limits are strictly enforced, no parking is allowed between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., and the spaces fill before 9 a.m. on summer weekends. Two stair entries lead down to the sand: the public stairs at Butterfly Lane, and a second set at the Biltmore reserved for hotel guests. Fishing and spearfishing are legal here under standard California regulations.
Surf Zone
The surf zone biome consists of sandy beaches and breaking waves. The action of surf disturbing the sand and kicking it up exposes marine invertebrates, buried in their shallow dens. This natural exposure of invertebrates attracts all kinds of fish, looking for an easy meal. Learn more about this biome and the species found in it by clicking the link below.
Learn more in the Biome GlossaryTarget Fish Species
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