Expert: Steve Summers - 7/20/2006

Question
We are in Fresno, CA.  We want to know some good places to go camping on the beach with our 3 year old son.  We are interested in going to somewhere close.

Answer
Hi Branda,

The closest beach to you is Pismo Beach, 153 miles from Fresno. It has a decent state beach, but it is a considerable hike over some dunes to the ocean. The seafood in town is excellent. However, if you go another 80 miles, you can go to my favorite beach, Carpinteria, which is rated at "The World's Safest Beach". There is plenty of beach for swimming or body surfing. There are some excellent tidepools on the south end of the beach, and some large natural tar seeps nearby, which is how the beach got its name (The Spaniards noticed that the local natives used the tar to make their canoes... the word Carpinteria basically means "wood shop"). Also, there are plenty of places to explore in the nice little town. There are fun local restaurants like the Spot, the Palms (where you cook your own steak), or Giovanni's Pizza (where they have excellent antipasto salad). There is even an old-fashioned candy store called Robitaille's (RO-bah-ties). Kids will also probably like the surf shop (Matt Moore's Rincon Designs), and Foster's Freeze... nothing like a ice cream cone on a warm afternoon.

Camping on the beach doesn’t get any better than Carpinteria State Beach, which puts you steps away from the sand and surf. You can make reservations at www.reserveamerica.com. Be sure to bring your bikes: It’s one of the favorite activities besides going to the beach. Just before dinnertime, the campground has more bikes moving than cars. Best of all, the temps are a lot cooler than the valley this time of year. You can make reservations at www.reserveamerica.com

Have fun!

Steve