I saw on Yahoo that Santa Barbara was rated one of the top 5 beaches for swimming. Can anyone verify? I want to go from Oct. 20 til the 27th. Does this sound rational for swimming? Is there a better beach along the coast within 2 hours of LA? Where is the best place to stay?

Bring a wet suit.

Late Sept/ early Oct is usually fine, late Oct is pushing it. Is this just for a couple, or for a family?

Here’s a site regarding Santa Barbara beaches. http://www.totalsantabarbara.com/beach.shtml

You can click on each beach for more information. We have family in SB and nearby Carpinteria. We usually get together at Leadbetter Beach in SB (for its grassy beach area) or Carpinteria Beach (small town south of SB), which is touted off and on as one of the world’s safest beaches. Here’s a link to that beach. http://www.beachcalifornia.com/carpbch.html

Here a link for average temperatures for Santa Barbara. Late Oct may be chancing it a bit, unless they have an Indian summer. http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/w....php3?s=529327

The beaches in the area are safe to swim except immediately after a rain (street run-off adds bacteria). The beach areas tend to be sunny and warm during mid-day. Breezes generally pick up in the late afternoon and chill things up a bit. East Beach, with all its palm trees, is a beautiful beach just to stroll, bike, or roller blade along no matter what the season.

Santa Barbara County has some of the state's safest beaches vis-à-vis water quality. The beaches of Ventura County are even safer, according to Heal the Bay:

http://www.healthebay.org/brc/annual/2005/default.asp

But the Pacific is getting quite cool (read: cold) by late October. If the sun's out and it's warm, laying on the sand is very pleasant. If anyone wants to body-surf or wake-board, wetsuits are highly recommended.

You've been asking variations of the same question: "Can we swim in the Pacific in the fall?" The answer won't change, no matter how many times you ask or whom you ask: "Sure, but the water is quite cool, bring a wetsuit." We surf year-round here in CA, but we use wetsuits most of the year. If you don't want to use a wetsuit, your best time to come is late June through mid-September. Our High Season.

I'm from this area, and I definitely don't think Santa Barbara has the best beaches in Ca. I like Laguna Beach better...
You're pushing it with late October...it starts to cool off by then.