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Jalama Beach County Park
Rating Details »
Categories: Parks, Swimming Pools, Campgrounds, Beaches [Edit]
9991 Jalama RdLompoc, CA 93436
(805) 736-3504
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
13 reviews for Jalama Beach County Park
We came to Santa Barbara and were told by my husband's XBox friend that we had to take a trek to Jalama Beach. He claims that it is the most beautiful beach out this way and *drumroll please* they have the most amazing burger!
So, I Yelp the beach. I see Lompoc, CA. I look to hubby and ask, "Isn't that where the prison is?" He replies, "Yes." Beach near a prison... beach near a prison... Ummmm... best burger you say? Let's go!
It was about an hour north of us and we went for it. When you take the road to the beach it's about 14 miles of windy road. As we start our trek we see the Welcome to Jalama Beach sign. http://static3.px.yelp... And they wanted to welcome those from Santa Barbara as well. http://static1.px.yelp...
We arrived, spent $8 for parking, and searched and searched for a parking spot. Many people like to camp there so there are a lot of people there for the long haul. We got our spot and headed out to the beach area to build up an appetite for, what we later found out was called, The World Famous Jalama Burger.
Beach was small and quaint. Looks like a private beach. I believe that there was only one lifeguard tower. Anyhow, the beach was a bit too cold for my liking, even with all of the families out there in the water so we just hung out in the sun for awhile. Would definitely like to his this place up again when it's warmer.
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I have been going to this place since i was a baby, back in 1980 and I love this beach. For a long time this place managed to stay off the radar. If you knew about the waiting list then you knew how to work it with no problems. I hate places that do reservations. But since this place has ended up in magazines, etc., it has become harder and longer to get in, during the summer. That part I hate. This place was and is an awesome get away from civilization. I will never stop coming here. Hopefully the waiting list part has made people not want to come back which is good for the long time, loyal campers of this place. I love that there is no cell phone service, it is almost 20 miles from the nearest city, and the burger are awesome. It is also beautiful.
Five stars all the way!
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I finally visited this place after reading/hearing much about it. I was highly disappointed. Camping is impossible due to a long waiting list. They say you have to drive out there every day to put your name on the list. Who would want to do that to this "remote" place? Even if camping is available, their camping grounds are so close to each other that you could literally "sleep on the same bed" with the next camper. The whole place, I'd say, is the size of a football field, and they put 98 camp sites plus day parking lot, the "famous" store, children's park etc. etc. This is a refugee camp. Finally, the beach. Yes, it is beautiful, but not as great as everyone says it is. I believe this place has become a victim of its own popularity. Maybe it was a great place long time ago when no one knew about it. Not any more, as long as people like me keep visiting there.
I have been here 3 times prior to this last trip and I guess I was always just plain lucky. The whole idea of trying to plan a trip and driving 6 hours to go someplace without a reservation is kind of absurd to me. Then they have this waiting list which gets carried over from the days before and you have to meet at the flagpole for them to declare you worthy of one of their campsites. We were told via phone to get a good spot on the list to arrive at 6 am. We showed up at 6:45 and were #50. You have to pay for a day-pass to even get on the list and each time to stay on the list you have to pay for another day pass and show up early to confirm your spot and then show up again at 3 when they announce who gets in. Then when you don't get one there's nothing around to do. There's some shitball campground in Lompoc they suggest so that you can repeat the process all over again. You have to set up camp, break it down and set it up again if you do get a spot. The 14 mile drive is only charming once trust me. And as far as the world famous Jalama Burger it's a big fish in a small pond. There's nothing else to eat around there. WOW the best burger in all of Lompoc. Fucking great... just like I am the most handsome man in the mirror. Finally the ranger was extremely rude on the phone and the ranger lady was rude and insulting in person. So as I turned in our day-pass to her and drove off into the sunset, the gate went up and I when I stopped myself from staring at the hair on her knuckles I said "Thank You Sir." And hurting someone else made me feel a little bit better about myself and the whole experience.
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This is a review I didn't want to write, but I may as well anyway.
Jalama (pronounced "Halama") is paradise on earth. I've been camping there since I was a little kid. This place is like a second home to me. The beaches are gorgeous. You can walk down the beach in either direction and find all kinds of awesome stuff (watch out for the military guys though to the north, but as long as you are on sand, you can tell them you are on navigable waters and passage is guaranteed by the California Constitution). The weather is a bit unpredictable (read windy-as-all-get-out), but anything is better than snow IMO. The road getting there winds through oak groves and is used in car commercials.
It is really heaven on earth.
So why the measly 3 stars? Cause hell is other people. See, Jalama used to be an unknown little surfer's spot (more accurately tarantula point to the south). But then came Sunset magazine. And then the Today show. Jalama has been suffering growing pains for the last 15 years now as more and more people come to visit what they think is a secret little spot.
How can it be a secret if everyone knows about it?
Basically, the place is too popular for its own good. They refuse to expand and they refuse to take reservations, so getting a spot here is a hassle and a half (during the summer of course; once the kids go back to school, Jalama is again an awesome abandoned alcove, if not a little cold).
Here is a recent example of the the hassle and bullshit that is the status quo. Basically, I came once real early. I arrived probably around 3am to a closed gate that said "Full Camp." So I waited. As the hours went by, the line got longer and longer in front of that gate. Then, when the ranger arrived, he yelled at us for blocking the road.
Alright...
So the next time, I again arrived early and just moved the "camp full" sign, parked in day use, and then went and set up chairs outside of the gate. This time, the ranger yelled at us for entering before they were open. So I confronted him, "So we can't block the road, and we can't enter before you open. What are we supposed to do?"
"Arrive after 6."
Yeah, and be behind all the people blocking the road for the roll call. Sure, whatever you say. Dick.
Anyway, so roll call, that's another fact of life at Jalama. Basically, you get on a list to see if you can get a spot. It is first come, first served. You get a number as you arrive. So at 2 o'clock at the flagpole, if they call your number, you better be ready to pick a spot. But if it is really busy, you won't get a spot and you'll have to go elsewhere for the night. Now, for someone like me who goes camping for one or two nights, this really sucks.
Some details for those wiling to risk the trip down the 14 mile road just to have to go back again: The best spots are the ones under the big cypress trees. They have hot showers, but they are like 25 cents for damn near one minute; bring a big roll of quarters. The Jalama Store makes something they call a Jalama Burger. It is really freaking good. I'd make a separate review for the Jalama Store, but it'd probably have 3 stars as well, great burgers, hit and miss other food, and the owner of the store is a total... well, let's just say him and I don't get along too well.
They recently added some new rules to prevent people from selling their spots (people were basically selling their spot, extending their reservation and adding another family as their second car, then switching themselves to the second car and leaving, basically just no good dirty dealing)... and the rules are supposed to help, but really it is just delaying the inevitable. This place needs to start taking reservations. I know a lot of die-hard Jalama fanatics who would rather die than see Jalama take reservations, but as it is now, all the shit it takes to get a spot really does take away from the fun.
Last, that's another thing I don't like about Jalama. People get this attitude. I've said, in passing, not boasting mind you, "Yeah, I used to come here as a kid." They suddenly get all like, "Oh, well, I've been coming here for 30 years and I arranged a marriage between my daughter and the ranger and I bought a house on that hill over there cause I'm a TRUE Jalama fan."
Yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that. I think I may go quietly into oblivion like the Chumash who used to have a village there.
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I consider Jalama Beach to be a haven. If you're trying to get a group of city slickers out into nature, Jalama beach is a nice way to break them in slowly. The amenities at this place are enough to make camping feel less like camping and more like partying (to a certain extent) outdoors.
Some of the more notable amenities: Hot water showers; multiple bathrooms cleaned nightly; playground for the kids; basketball court; general store and grill; reservable campsites that are larger with electrical hookups, sink running water, picnic tables, large grill and bigger firepit.
Bring your surfboards, bodyboards and skimboards as this seems to be a spot to catch some waves, but I haven't seen any decent waves.
Tip: Bring a phone card because there is no cell phone reception in the immediate area.
In regards to the tent camping, I actually prefer the larger ones and/or campsites that are more enclosed. It gets windy there and it makes it quite cumbersome trying to do the day-to-day camp activities.
The mornings/nights are cold and the afternoons have the potential to be hot and sunny so prepare accordingly. Pack some ice with the Newcastles in the cooler to beat sun's heat. And bring a couple bottles of Jameson to keep warm in the nights.
Since you're at the beach, you won't have to worry about mosquitoes like heading to the lake or river to camp. However, you do have to worry about the gophers. Those little devils will always find a way to get into your food so store them adequately overnight.
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Went here often as a wee lass. I highly recommend!
If you're from LA, it's just a couple hours' drive away. Not a boring drive either -- you'll embark on 14 miles of winding road before the coast is upon you. If you're planning on pitching a tent, try to reserve one of the beachfront rows if you can. If you're bringing your RV, there's electrical hookups.
The beach itself has a bit of a rip tide and pebbles on the sea floor, so wear some water sandals and bring your swimming skills. It's also *cold*, so I hope you're a West Coast native accustomed to that sort of thing.
Great place to stroll along by day, and relax by campfire at night.
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at first i wasn't so thrilled about the place because they didn't take reservations and that it took 20 minutes to get there when we exited the fwy. we had to travel down a long road and it felt like it took forever. but once we got there and picked out a site it was awesome. the facilities were clean. the customer service was great and there were hot running water and a general store for everything you could think of. I'm a fan of beach camping and this is definitely the place to go when you need to get out of Los Angeles without breaking a budget. very much like paradise. highly recommended.
The road is windy to get here and there are a lot of surfers who covet this place so take it easy on the drive.
Once there you are in for a treat. It's a small campground but well maintained and there's a great store that serves the awesome Jalama Beach Burger. After being in the sun and sand all day it really hits the spot.
First of all, this is a bit of an interesting drive getting to this place. But it is so worth it. I believe it is 13 miles from the highway through some really pretty hills, farmalnd, and little canyons on some less than decent roads. Don't go too fast. I would imagine more than one bad auto accident has happened. This is an awesome place to camp once you get out there. Very friendly park rangers and a somewhat isolated location run by Santa Barbara County.
breathtaking views of the ocean and Lompoc valley +
shades of waves, both green and blue +
warm weather and an equally warm, though sometimes vicious breeze +
a loved one holding your hand for a peachy, beachy stroll
.....pretty much won over the moments of....
my head's near miss of seagull poop (i heard the plop next to me) +
sand flies exploring any exposed skin +
freezing water and seaweed-laden sand.
how often do you have those priceless Mastercard moments anyways?
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i packed 2 digi cams for our camping trip.
one of the camera's had its battery on a death bed & the other one my sis just gave to me so i couldnt figure out how to use it.. (im techy illiterate... i barely figured out how to use a kodak funsaver cam, ok!)
so i have to live w/myself that i failed to capture my FIRST camping trip! all i have are sweet tender memories....
i had never heard of jalama (dont pronounce it w/a J.. its pronounced w/a an H, you non spanish speaking gringos)
so when me & the old man were looking at dog friendly beach campgrounds online, Jalama stuck out like a shiny prop on the set of "Blood Diamond"
the drive from northeast LA is 3 hours, even w/ horrendous 101 north Valley traffic.
when you exit "Lompoc/ Vandenberg" off PCH 1 , make sure you fuel up, cuz the campsite is still around 30 miles away, and Lompoc's gas stations will be your only chance to fuel up.. keep in mind, when you leave your sandy vacation headed home, you will need gas for 30 miles to get back on the 101..
and the road from Jalama Road to the beach campsites is one road, & since theres construction going on, the road turns into a one lane (scary & dangerous at night) at times..
so fuel up, as soon as you get to the civilization of lompoc.. (oh, and theres a walmart in Lompoc also.. a mile or 2 from the gas stations off the the pch1...
no reservations.
the rangers here in charge of the booking are nice, and helpful
the white trash family that runs the store/ restaurant are disgustingly trashy & never smile & are not friendly..
they sell shit i've seen at the 99 cents store for $3 but you have no choice so you buy it!
oh, and they round off. so if the items tagged at $3.78 & you give dog the bounty hunters cousin a $5, guess whos getting a single back as change?!?!
i packed a can opener of course, but it broke ( i bought it at the 99 cents store during my "shopping-for-camping-supplies-trip so i understand this situation could have been prevented had i forked over $4 at target for a good solid thick reliable can opener but i didnt!)
so i bought one at the "Gummo" store and guess what!! i paid $3.78 (in jalama beach currency, that means $4) and as soon as i started opening my can of beans, the peice of shit broke!
the bathrooms/showers here are IMPECCABLY clean.. the toilet papers 1ply so if you're going on a poop fest, pack the charmin
the showers are a quarter a minute, the water gets scalding hot.. and w/my waist length rapunzel, i only needed 2 quarters!! plus i shaved my legs!
around 6pm to 7 pm, the shower lines get annoyingly long w/kids & fat soccer moms, so bring your plastic cup filled w/booze & even your ipod (just make sure you ziplock it in your bag of stuff once you enter the shower stalls)
theres tons of dogs here.. at times, i felt like we were at a dog park!!
theres "keep dogs leashed" sign everywhere, but while my 3 canines were running free unleashed, no official ever said anything..
and it seems like on the beach, is where its mandatory for dogs to run free, so leave the leashes on the beach towels!
the signing in process to get a spot is annoying..
my bf left our house tues at 3 am, got there before the assigned time of 6 am & he said there were 20 or so parties ahead of him.. he was told to return at 3 pm that same day..
so my poor love bug had nowhere to go except lay on the beach in a flimsy shirt (no sunblock) for 9 hours!
and from 9 pm to 7 am, the beach here gets FREEZING cold.. pack your long johns, your hoodies, your socks, your beanies, your gloves.. TRUST ME!
so my love bug returns to the kiosk where the sites are assigned & he is advised to return the next day & he will get a spot of his choice..
so my bf goes to the dreary town of lompoc & drives around aimlessly wondering what hes gonna do, & he finds a wal mart, then a pizza place, then a $30 a night motel ( no phones in the room, no curtains,but rather sheets are tacked to the windows) and he smokes blunts all night watching tv & eating pizza..
(yes, the next day, he got us a spot)
ive never been camping before (i also dont know how to swim & i saw snow for the first time this year) but jalama beach is so dope, i did not wanna leave..
this place is wonderful to camp at..
oh yeah, around sunset, it gets really windy so make sure your camping stoves have those walls on the side to shield your frijoles & arroz from the wind
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Okay, here's the dealio. The only reason I'm giving this beach a four star rating is for the Jalama Beach Cafe and a really calm day last year. Most of the time out at Jalama Beach it is windy and you would be pelted with sand pebbles flying in the wind. I will say that the cafe has the best cheeseburger EVER, and that they have great sunsets, but please, check the wind for cast before you go.
