Jalama Beach

by Wendy Purdy

Although I shun swimming in the frigid Pacific Ocean, I do enjoy visiting beaches to relax, listen to the waves and breathe some fresh air. The girls and I found a wonderful secluded beach in Santa Barbara County, near Lompoc, where we found it easy to accomplish all these goals: Jalama Beach.

While the girls trekked down the sand seeking treasure for their big red bucket, I opted to just relax in a chair and read a good book. The waves were fairly active that day, so a handful of surfers entertained us as well. We stayed on the beach itself for about two hours, just enjoying the respite from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. Scroll through our beach gallery and then continue reading about the "World-Famous Jalama Burger."

Jalama Beach Store

After we gathered our gear, we visited the Jalama Beach Store for lunch. Because of the on-site campground, this store offers a wide range of products. Many people, though, order food at the small cafe inside, which prides itself on the "World Famous Jalama Burger." I couldn't pass that by, of course, so I ordered this while the girls selected other items. We chose to eat in the "indoor deck" and continued to enjoy the fantastic view.

Making your way

Why does Jalama Beach remain so secluded? Possibly because people must traverse a 14-mile two-lane, narrow, winding, hilly road in order to reach it. If you decide to visit, I suggest you use the restroom and don your "patience pants" before you embark on the journey. A great probability exists that you will find yourself behind a recreational vehicle at some point (as we did on our return trip). The road does not contain any stretch conducive to passing. So, if you are in a hurry and need to be somewhere at a certain time, I suggest you plan accordingly or delay your visit to another day. As mentioned before, we saw RV and regular campsites, as well as a few cabins, available for folks who want to spend more than one day at this beautiful location.