Chase Palm Park

Santa Barbara, CA Print   Leave a comment

Description

Chase Palm Park, informally called Shipwreck Park, is so beautiful that you won't want to leave. From the moment you enter it on the corner of Cabrillo Blvd and Garden Street, you are treated to luxury. A classic Spanish fountain in a grassy terraced oval greets you (unfortunately this has become a homeless hangout lately).
Next you walk through lush landscaping over bridges and a stream filled with ducks, past long wispy grass and flowers and fountains pouring over rocks, to the playground! It's a fantastic playground with an outline of a ship to climb, sand galore, whales that spurt water out, monkey bars, a little cave filled with gems to hide in, and a pastel-colored adobe village where kids can play hide and seek. There's a slide that is made of an interesting material- kids can stand on it with their socks on and have a blast surfing down! Make sure you bring socks for your kids so they can slip all over- they will be laughing and playing for hours! There's an area with an octopus and fish carved into the rock where water runs out, plus a huge spongy starfish kids can jump on. The designer of this park really went to town and you're the one who gets to benefit!
Past the playground are rolling hills and a stage. Here an easter egg hunt is held on the Saturday before Easter at 10am, and in summer the city hosts free concerts on Thursday nights in July from 6-8:30pm. The concerts can be a little too crowded, especially if you have kids who want to play on the playground- it's a madhouse! But if you come without kids it's fun to dance on the grass by the stage on a warm summer night and let it all hang out!
From Chase Palm Park, you can see the rows of tall palms along the Cabrillo Bike Path. It's a wonderful happy atmosphere!
In months other than August and September, this park can be a little chilly since it's right by the ocean. Bring a sweater. Also, bring a blanket so you can sit on the little hills by the playground and watch your little tike have the time of his life!
There are restrooms by the playground.
You can buy snacks (such as candy bars) across Garden Street at the tourist office.
If you're hungry, enjoy a burrito at Lito's Mexican Restaurant, a cute counter-service place in an industrial area at 514 E Haley St.
There's some great bike riding around here: Cabrillo Bike Path leads east to East Beach and the gorgeous Andree Clark Bird Refuge Bike Path, or west to the pier, West Beach, the harbor, and all the way to beautiful Shoreline Park.
Other places to visit near Chase Palm Park are: Santa Barbara Zoo, with its views over the ocean and the riviera; Doubletree Walk, a walk along Cabrillo Blvd under palms and past tropical flowers; and East Beach, with its playground in the sand.

Photo Gallery

As you enter from the corner of Garden and Cabrillo...	The Spanish adobe village behind the cave and playground.	A slide, a tunnel- lots of fun!
The Spanish adobe village where you can play hide and seek! In front, lots of sand to play and run in!	The octopus and seashell area- "look at the water, Mom!"	The beautiful carousel with its huge windows looking out on the trees.
Ducks in the pond.	Kids having fun on the slippery slide.	The starfish to stand on and shell to play in, plus a ton of trees!
You can see the ocean and the tree-lined boardwalk from the top of the playground!	Ship's wheel at the top of the playground. Ahoy Captain!	A building that looks like a lighthouse.
The design of the park is beautiful.	Mountains and bird, as seen from the park.	Rock boulders to climb on, and the adobe village in the distance.
Kids can play with water and mud in this lifesize shell.	Whale that spurts water.	The large ship play structure.
The sandy part of the playground.	A little girl stands at the top of the slide.

Directions

Chase Palm Park is located at 323 E Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA 93103.
From Highway 101, exit at Garden Street and turn towards the ocean. Turn left at the end, on Cabrillo Blvd. Park along the road for free. If it's the weekend, you won't be able to find a space along the road and since this is a busy area, it'll be awful to drive round and around. So, instead, pull into one of two parking lots. There is a lot on your right at the end of Garden Street before you turn onto Cabrillo Blvd. Or instead of turning onto Cabrillo Blvd, go straight and you will be in a parking lot. Both lots cost about $2 an hour and you pay in a machine with a credit card.
There are restrooms by the playground and also by the stream.
Lito's Mexican Restaurant, 514 E Haley St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

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Overall Visitor Rating:

Lola 04/21/2017 10:59	Nice pictures
Mark 05/21/2010 21:57	I love this place
Pat 12/22/2009 13:08	Saw this when it first opened...simply wonderful.
Courtnie 09/09/2009 14:27	This park is truly one of a kind. My daughter explored it for hours.