Entire home

Just steps from the beach

Cottage with kitchen, 9-minute walk to Santa Barbara Zoo

Photo gallery for Just steps from the beach

Open concept floor plan
Large sectional in Living Room
Front Entry & TV in Living Room
Steps to the ocean
Bright & airy Living Room

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 483.6 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Air conditioning
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

View map
  • Place, Santa Barbara Zoo
  • Place, West Beach
  • Place, Stearns Wharf
  • Airport, Santa Barbara, CA (SBA-Santa Barbara Municipal)

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Dining area

About this property

Just steps from the beach

NOTICE: Effective July 1, 2024 - California Senate Bill 478 (SB478) eliminates hidden fees. The nightly rate quoted for this property includes the rental rate, host fee (cleaning fee) and 14% local taxes and VRBO service fee. SB478 applies to all hotel & vacation rentals throughout the state of California.

Cleaning Protocol:

As one of the few vacation rentals licensed for short term occupancy, we are dedicated to providing a clean and safe environment for our guests.

Welcome to coastal living at Costa Vida Cottage. We are less than 500 steps to the ocean in “East Beach”. This renovated cottage, complete with all new furnishings, beds and luxury linens offers two bedrooms (2 queens) each with flat screen tvs. The generously sized living room has a great room effect, including the dining area complete with mountain views and an adorable updated kitchen and vintage charm. Enjoy the front courtyard with gas BBQ and dining for 4 guests from this front unit of a cozy duplex. Four sand chairs, umbrellas and a cooler are provided for beach activities! We offer a Kryptonite Evolution Ground Anchor set in concrete for securing bikes in the driveway. Please provide your own bike lock and/or cable.

East Beach offers bike rentals as well as kayak, beach chair & umbrella rentals during the summer season. There are many places to enjoy in the Santa Barbara area including the Zoo which is about a five minute walk from the cottage. Stroll the boardwalk to enjoy miles of coastline. The Funk Zone (revitalized industrial area repurposed with trendy wineries, brew haus and shops) is a 5 minute ride for wine & beer tasting. Just steps away is Convivo Restaurant — fine dining on an ocean front patio. There is plenty of on-street parking in front of the cottage as well as a driveway. NOTE: Street cleaning Mon/Tues 1-3 p.m. Take a sunset cruise from the Harbor. BCycle offers electric/assist bike rentals around the corner from the cottage on both Milpas and Cabrillo.

Local Artisans display their wares on Sunday along the coastline. Loads of shopping & dining can be found along State Street. There are concerts at the Santa Barbara Bowl under the stars. The Waterfront Shuttle departs in front of The Santa Barbara Inn taking you along Cabrillo for under a buck while the Downtown Shuttle takes you up State Street. The Botanical Gardens are something to see in Santa Barbara and Montecito.

Montecito is a 3-4 minute drive south for some nice restaurants and shopping, also home to Butterfly Beach across from the Four Seasons hotel.

Located steps from the cottage is Tri-County Produce (local produce) offering an array of goodies to prepare your homecooked fixings.

Enjoy a softball game or a workout at Cabrillo Park around the corner from the cottage. The choices are endless at this East Beach location. Craft the vacation you need as you choose. You’ll find the cottage to be open and comfortable with everything you need to enjoy a memorable stay year after year. Reserve your “go to” vacation spot today.

We hope you enjoy your stay!

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Turn off the lights and lock the doors
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
We have staff with severe pet allergies so PLEASE DO NOT ASK OR SHOW UP WITH A PET as we can not accommodate this request.
No more than 4 people sleeping or visiting the house. Please be respectful of our neighbors - quiet hours 9 pm to 8 am.
Candle lighting and incense burning is prohibited.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
A car is not required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Santa Barbara

Located in Santa Barbara Beach, a neighbourhood in Santa Barbara, this cottage is in the mountains and near the beach. Rafael Gonzalez House and El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Santa Barbara Harbor and Cabrillo Bike Path. Check out an event or a game at Santa Barbara Bowl, and consider making time for Santa Barbara Zoo, a top attraction not to be missed. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Santa Barbara, CA

What's nearby

  • Santa Barbara Zoo - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • West Beach - 3 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Stearns Wharf - 4 min drive - 2.6 km
  • Santa Barbara Bowl - 5 min drive - 3.3 km
  • Santa Barbara Harbor - 8 min drive - 3.3 km

Getting around

  • Santa Barbara Station - 8 min drive
  • Santa Barbara, CA (SBA-Santa Barbara Municipal) - 13 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪El Sitio - ‬14 min walk
  • ‪East Beach Tacos - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Reunion Kitchen + Drink - ‬6 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Just steps from the beach pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Just steps from the beach ?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Just steps from the beach ?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Just steps from the beach located?

Located in Santa Barbara Beach, this cottage is within a 10-minute walk of East Beach and Santa Barbara Zoo. Chase Palm Park and Cabrillo Pavillion are also within 5 minutes. Santa Barbara Station is 30 minutes by foot.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 263 out of 265 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 265 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 265 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 265 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 265 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Henry S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Super clean and cozy beach cottage. We really enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Patricia C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Place was great. Charming, clean, kitchen and baths well appointed. Extra touches like a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for us after a long travel day.Proximity to beach was great.Us ladiesCould not get over how cute and cozyIt was. Perfect trip.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ed G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a great cottage in a perfect location! Everything in this well/appointed home was ready for us.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Hannah K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We enjoyed the location, cleanliness, & comfort of "Just Steps From The Beach"! The kitchen was well stocked, the beds were comfortable, the front porch was enjoyable, and the family room was cozy. We had a fabulous time in this area of Santa Barbara. It was so nice to have everything within walking distance. and to know there was a clean, comfortable place waiting for us when we were ready to head inside.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jan L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location!

Beautiful home in a great location!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marcy C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely cottage and very well appointed with every thought given to any little thing that one might need during the stay. Only suggestion is better mattresses on the beds.Thank you so much - beautiful little cottage and lovely thoughtful extras
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Karen M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Cottage

A wonderful stay in a beautiful cottage that was clean, centrally located and love the decor and special touch to details..
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Julie E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet Escape

Excellent location and great home!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kim H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

Adorable and quiet neighborhood
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

rick m.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The cottage was amazing. So well appointed, comfortable, everything you could need was there for you. And location….awesome! Didn’t need the car for beach, dinning or shopping. Loved grilling and or just relaxing on the patio. Can’t wait to return to the cottage again!!!! Thanks for a wonderful stay. And of yeah…no long list of rules and check out chores to be done. Makes you want to keep it tidy right off the bat. LOL
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Joey S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Gorgeous house - lots of little touches that really made it feel like home. Fully stocked kitchen, laundry, and hummingbirds outside on the beautiful plants over the front door. Very comfortable, modern, spotlessly clean, and fast friendly communication from Lee. The house is very close to the beach as advertised, and around 25 minute easy walk along the sea front to all that's going on on state st/funk zone. An excellent grocery store just around the corner. Highly recommend this property for your visit to santa Barbara!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marissa L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

LOVED IT!!!

We were in Santa Barbara for my niece's wedding and could not have chosen a better property. Location was prime and everything we needed was provided PLUS there was a surprise in the fridge...so appropriate for the occasion. No question: If you need a place in Santa Barbara, look no further. Definitely five stars, 100% recommend!!!
Front View
Neighborhood
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sonya J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A Lovely Bungalow

A lovely bungalow, well appointed and quiet. We visited in Feb and found easy parking. Beds were awesome and this home is very comfortable.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Amy B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cutest Cottage

Loved our stay! Neighborhood is so safe and walking distance to the beach. Listing justice describe. Beds are so comfortable! Would definitely recommend and rent again. Thank you!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Bonnie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Cottage

We enjoyed our stay. The cottage was clean, very cute, and had everything we needed.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jen W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect spot

We were visiting for our son’s bday. Perfect little cottage, nice amenities and walkable to everything!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kelly K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great spot!

We really enjoyed our stay! The location was perfect. The kitchen and home in general were well stocked with everything we’d need.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Patty R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

College Visit and Birthday Gift

Great place that was cute and close to beach, bikes, and restaurants.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amy M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect getaway

Everything is so well appointed, Lee thought about everything. Location is great.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joan C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Like a 5 star hotel!

The cottage was furnished with everything you could possibly want and it felt like a 5 star hotel. The location was perfect as well
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Margaret A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved this property!

The property was clean, comfortable, and well-stocked. It had a really cozy feeling, and we enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving there with family. It was within easy walking distance to the beach and walking paths.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Shelley N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous Stay

Highly recommend this house. We had a wonderful stay. The location is perfect and it had absolutely everything we needed. Thank you so much!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Abra ..

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful!

This was a spectacular rental! The cottage was immaculate and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anjali P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Exactly like the listing!

Cute cottage in Santa Barbara steps away from East Beach, a short walk to Stearn’s wharf and 1 min drive to get onto 101. Clean, and exactly as pictured with comfortable rooms and lots of items in kitchen and towels in the bathroom. Also great as it has free parking, both with a small driveway and plenty of street parking in front of the house. Would stay here again!
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

denise h.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect

We enjoyed every minute of our stay. Everything was perfect with some special touches to welcome us. First time I have rented a Vrbo that had fresh flowers on the table! Location was also perfect for us.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

About the host

Hosted by Lee

Host profile image
Enjoys gardening, cooking and peaceful walks on the beach.

Why they chose this property

As frequent guests to the Santa Barbara area ourselves, we happened upon this adorable cottage and couldn’t pass it up! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

What makes this property unique

Walking distance to just about everything!

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests