El Capitan Canyon, You Stole My Heart
Do you love the outdoors, but you dislike camping? Or do you like camping along the coast, but you have a hard time making reservations months ahead of time?
El Capitan Canyon is a gorgeous nature resort located on 300 acres along the Pacific Coast in Santa Barbara county.
Thankfully, we stumbled upon this eco-friendly resort while planning a trip to the central coast. Scott and I have always wanted to camp along the coast in Santa Barbara, but we could never manage to get reservations at any of the always-booked state parks.
Luckily, while searching for a campground that had availability, we found El Capitan Canyon.
As you may know from our previous posts, we love to camp but we also love to relax and forget about our busy schedules from time to time. El Capitan Canyon turned out to be the perfect combination of experiencing nature and the relaxing getaway that we desperately needed.
Camping can sometimes feel like a lot of work if you are just looking to sit back and relax without any responsibilities. Camping can definitely be relaxing, but you still have to cook your own food, do the dishes, and light and stoke the campfire. You can still do all of these things at El Capitan Canyon, but the greatest part is that you don’t have to!
You can enjoy nature at its best while enjoying a comfy, warm bed or you can “rough it” in one of their many tent camping sites overlooking the ocean. There is literally something for every type of traveler.
Lodging Options at El Capitan Canyon:
Safari Tent – Your choice of double or queen
Creekside Cabins – Your choice of double, queen or king
Canyon Cabins – Your choice of bunk, queen, suite and loft
Safari Cabin Suite with an Ocean View
Tent Camping Overlooking the Ocean
Motorhome Campsites Overlooking the Ocean
Adventure Yurt
El Capitan Canyon Amenities:
Meals
So you are too tired after that walk to the beach or afternoon hike to see the llamas and you don’t feel like preparing a meal? No problem! El Capitan Canyon has you covered.
You can either eat at their canyon restaurant and let the cooks work their magic or you can order one of their delicious BBQ meals already prepared and delivered to your cabin or tent. Now all you have to do is throw it on the fire while you drink a cold beer and admire your campfire cooking skills.
Free Bike Rentals
Yes, you heard that right. El Capitan Canyon offers free bike rentals to their guests.
Walking Distance to the Beach
Just a short and easy walk or drive west will lead you to El Capitan State Beach, or El Cap as the locals refer to it.
Canyon Market and Store
Don’t worry about rushing around shopping for your camping trip because you can get most of the necessities at the Canyon Market. Whether you are in the mood for s’mores, a bottle of wine, a few snacks or even a couple of souvenirs, you’ll find what you are looking for here.
Llama Feeding!
Scott and I took part in the guided hike and llama feeding tour on Saturday morning. It was a unique experience and we were happy to see the llamas have plenty of space to roam around in.
Spa Services
We didn’t get a chance to experience any of their spa treatments, but I’m sure it’s top notch and well worth a visit during your stay.
El Capitan Canyon Overview
We couldn’t have been happier during our stay at El Capitan Canyon. The staff was extremely helpful and professional. They even answered all of our questions about the surrounding area, including directions to neighboring towns for a little more exploring.
Related Posts:
The Big South – Big Sur, California
The Forgotten Coast – Central California
Tips for Hiking and Camping in Yellowstone
Disclosure: Our 2-night stay with El Capitan Canyon was complimentary in exchange for a review of their resort. As always, our thoughts and opinions are our own.
If you enjoyed this article, get email updates (it's free).
