Carpinteria (/kɑːrpɪntəˈriːə/; Spanish: Carpintería, meaning "Carpentry") is a small seaside city in southeastern Santa Barbara County, California.

Carpinteria is a popular surf destination; the city embraced the slogan "World's Safest Beach" in 1912, which it still uses today.

The explorers found a large native village on the point of land where Carpinteria Pier is today.

Fray Juan Crespí, a Franciscan missionary travelling with the expedition, noted that "Not far from the town we saw some springs of pitch.

The Indians have many canoes, and at the time were building one, for which reason the soldiers named this town La Carpinteria" (the carpentry shop).

The city is located almost entirely on a coastal plain in between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

The mountains provide a scenic backdrop to town, covered in chaparral and displaying prominent sandstone outcrops.

Seals and sea lions can be seen in the area December through May at the rookery[14] in the nearby Carpinteria Bluffs,[15] as well as an occasional gray whale.

[18] This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F.

This graduate school offers master's and PhD programs in depth psychology and mythology.

[33] U.S. Route 101 passes through Carpinteria, connecting the city to major destinations such as Los Angeles as well as Santa Barbara and points further north such as San Francisco.

State Route 150 passes through a portion of Carpinteria, providing connections to Ojai and Santa Paula.

State Route 192 also has a short segment in Carpinteria, providing a westward connection to Santa Barbara.

MTD provides local bus service in Carpinteria, along with connections to Montecito and Santa Barbara.

VCTC Intercity provides commuter bus service to Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles.