Carpinteria Beach, California

Carpinteria Beach is just 12 miles east of Santa Barbara. The area is named after a native Indian tribe who used to build sea-going canoes in a 'carpentry shop'.

The mile wide stretch of sand is well known as a very safe beach for swimming, thanks to the combination of a gently sloping beach/seafloor and a natural offshore rock ridge which acts as a breakwater.

Not only is the beach safe for swimming, but the water reaches a very pleasant temperature on a summer's day. If it gets too hot, beautiful groves of old cypress trees provide welcome shade.

If you're a competent surf-dude, try the famous rightwards point-break at the nearby Rincon point.