Goleta State Beach, Santa Barbara area north

This beach is only 10 minutes by bike on a bike path from our house. Surfing isn't great, but it happens occasionally. A slough, pronounced slue, comes in from our area and we can take out our kayaks depending on the tide. There's a great restaurant at the beach end of the pier aptly named Beachside. The University of California Santa Barbara is up the hill to the north. Students, local residents and visitors picnic, swim and play volleyball on this great stretch of beach. What a gift to have it and its wildlife, like this Great Blue Heron, as our neighbors.