The City of Santa Barbara has launched a beach club, where people can enjoy lounge areas with seating, shade, coolers, “paradise tunes” and attendants on East Beach.

The prices and packages vary, but they start at $15 per person for two hours. The Barbara, as it is called, is a partnership with Brian Jones, who used to work in the travel industry and provide safari experiences.

“We do all the work, so you don’t have to,” Jones said. “You don’t have to haul it out. Also, it’s the community aspect. There’s a community dining table for people to sit and have a meal. There are games everyone can play. There’s a kids area. The whole idea is to get people mingling and meeting each other and hanging out.”

People can book for as little as two hours, or a half-day or a full day. Eventually, the club will offer a season pass.

The Barbara will be open on weekends in May from 10 a.m. to sunset. Starting in June, it will be open seven days a week through summer.

“Our idea was, how do we do something that feels like an extension of Santa Barbara?” Jones said. “The colors we chose, the different package sizes to service a couple to a small family to larger areas that are more for a celebration — just ways to make going to the beach easy.”

Jones held a grand opening on Thursday with about 30 people in attendance.

“I think it is fantastic,” Suzy Cawthon said. “It makes it easy if you are going to throw an event or a party or just have a small group of friends, and, obviously, look at the view.”

Cawthon, a Summerland resident, said she will go to the club for a birthday or special occasion or to enjoy a picnic.

“I think a lot of people at the hotels will just think this is a phenomenal thing,” she said. “It’s very classy.”

Her daughter, Caroline Cawthon, said the beach club is “awesome.”

“Especially with young kids to be able to come to the beach without having to carry any of your chairs or any of your toys, it’s fully set up and makes it more convenient,” said Cawthon, who has an 8-year-old son.

The beach club offers snacks and drinks, but no alcohol.

“This kind of mimics south of France, south of Italy,” said Gaspar Obando, a Montecito resident. “People really enjoy the beach with beach clubs. It reminds me of that. The whole style, the setup. It’s something that we don’t have here in Santa Barbara. It is nice that this is getting started.”

Obando said the setup was “cozy and beautiful.”

“As people start coming here, it’s going to become a bigger place,” Obando said.

His wife, Vanessa Ringle, said, “Who doesn’t want to hang out with their friends at the beach, especially with kids? Kids love coming to the beach.

“This is such a great place for families to unite and be on the beach and spend quality time together in a comfortable environment. I am very grateful that this is coming here.”

The setup can be for two people or up to 40 with the Anacapa Cabana. Amenities include a front desk, a communal dining table, beach games and a kids play area. Beach attendants are on hand to adjust gear, and bring added rentals such as extra chairs, phone chargers and snacks. People can bring their own food and drink or pre-order charcuterie and sandwiches.

Reservations are highly encouraged for weekends and larger parties to ensure
availability. Beach attendant services are complimentary. People can find all of the packages by clicking here.

Jones said even people who are not paying for the beach club can buy snacks and drinks at the snack bar and can sit wherever they want on the sand at the beach.

“People can still sit anywhere,” Jones said. “It’s not like privatizing public space. It really is just about adding a convenience to the beautiful, open public space that we are all lucky to have here.”

The beach gets packed, he said, and they are just there to help people have a better beach experience.

Jones said he’s always been interested in “pop-ups” in nature that bring people together. He’s originally from Washington but started doing setups on the beach originally in Los Angeles. He founded an events company called Bliss Beach, and started doing events in Santa Barbara in 2021.

“It’s trying to do something that is as much Santa Barbara as it does feel like a beach club you might visit in Europe or somewhere,” Jones said. “It feels like a little bit of a getaway from a city that is only a block behind you.”