Carpinteria is a small oceanside city located southeast of Santa Barbara, CA. Carpinteria has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate with warm and dry summers cooled by the nearby ocean breeze. The city of Carpinteria got its name from Spanish explorers that were part of the Spanish Portola Expedition. In the year 1769 the expedition made its way west along the coast and, as it passed what is now Carpinteria, the explorers noticed the Chumash people building new canoes and using natural occurring surface asphalt/tar to seal old canoes. Having seen the master woodwork as they passed, the Spanish explorers named the area “La Carpinteria” or “the carpentry shop” in other words. The name stuck and is now home to around 14,000 people.

The people of Carpinteria, or “Carp” as the locals call it, enjoy a special place along the California cost. There are wonderful beaches perfect for swimming and surfing, like the Carpinteria State Beach, as well as many coastal activities including Los Padres Outfitters where one can go on a coastal horse ride or the Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve where seals can be observed in their natural habitat. The downtown area spanning along Linden Ave. and its many cross streets is pedestrian-friendly and home to a plethora of mom-and-pop shops, gourmet cafes, antique shops, and souvenir shops that have a wide selection for any traveling visitor to choose from.  After a day of shopping don’t forget to catch the sunset as the sun slips behind the Channel Islands just off the Carpinteria Coast.

Although neighboring Santa Barbara is a hub of entertainment, music, and sporting events, Carpinteria keeps busy in its own. Carpinteria hosts weekly farmer’s markets and merchant events on the First Friday of every month along with countless holiday celebrations. Not to mention the Orchard to Ocean Run, a sanctioned Triathlon, and the famous California Avocado Festival. Make sure to catch one of these amazing events, a meal at one of the local eateries, or a sunset on the beach if ever in the area. Brighten Solar is dedicated to the preservation of this community and its efforts to go solar!