At the end of Jalama Road you’ll find a long, windy beach, a 107-site campground with seven cabins and – this is important – Jalama Beach Shop. Jalama’s burger shops are a selling point for all of Santa Barbara County.
The beach is great for expert surfers (three waves, intermediate and higher), windsurfers and recreational vehicles. The varied coastline, with lakes and lagoons, allows for long walks.
Now back to the burgers. Their secret sauce was created in the 1970s by the late Kathy Eittrem, whose widower, 89-year-old Don Eittrem, still runs the shop with the help of his daughter, Linda Eittrem.
When they started, “Those were tough years. There was no volume. We were drowning in savings,” Don Eitreim recently recalled. “We didn’t have a winter camp. Now we do.”
The shop is open daily. The Jalama burger costs $11.45. The menu includes salmon burgers and corn dogs.
The best for: Camping (cabins, tents, RVs), windsurfing, solo travel, beach walks
Bathrooms: Yeah
Parking lot: $10 per day for large lots
For dogs: Dogs on a leash are allowed on the beach and in the campsite (but not in the cabin).
ADA Accessible: A wheelchair is available for the beach; ask the local ranger or lifeguard.
What’s nearby: Lompoc has many wineries and several tasting rooms called The Wine Ghetto. Also, La Purisima Mission State Historic Park includes chicken, hen, horse and chicken.
The post The 50 Best Beaches in Southern California first appeared in Nature Today.
