California, United States

Santa Barbara

Stay a day and a night: mission and courthouse by day, Funk Zone tasting rooms and tacos at night. Spanish Revival city between the mountains and the sea; 2 nights for the mission, harbor and beaches. Below: 5 sights, 1 activity and 2 outdoor spots, plus how Santa Barbara fits into a longer trip.

Plan Santa Barbara with friends Browse 15 places

Santa Barbara, California, United States

Places: 15
Curated routes: 2
Best season: Apr – Oct
Warmest month: August
Coolest month: February
Wettest month: January

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Santa Barbara

15 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

5 sights worth building a day around across Upper East, Downtown and Waterfront. 2 of them are free.

Photo: Niranjan Arminius · CC BY-SA 4.0
See
Old Mission Santa Barbara
1786 mission called the Queen of the Missions, with a museum and rose garden.
- Upper East
- $
- 60 min
- Morning
Photo: Konrad Summers from Santa Clarita (Valencia), California, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
See
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
Spanish-Moorish courthouse with a free clock tower lookout over red roofs.
Tip Free docent tours daily; climb the El Mirador tower.
- Downtown
- Free
- 60 min
- Midday
Photo: Joseph Dandona Jr. · Google
See
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Compact downtown museum with strong Asian, American and photography collections.
- Downtown
- $$
- 75 min
- Afternoon
Photo: Don Ramey Logan · CC BY-SA 4.0
See
Stearns Wharf
California's oldest working wharf with views back to the mountains.
- Waterfront
- Free
- 45 min
- Sunset
Photo: Warren LeMay · CC BY-SA 2.0
See
El Presidio de Santa Barbara
Reconstructed Spanish fort from 1782, with adobe quarters and a chapel, two blocks from State Street.
- Downtown
- $
- 45 min

Do

1 activity for when the group wants to do more than look in Waterfront.

Do
Santa Barbara Harbor Parade of Lights
Boats strung with Christmas lights circle the harbor after dark, followed by fireworks over the water.
Tip Watch from Stearns Wharf or the breakwater and arrive early for a spot.
- Waterfront
- Free
- 1.5 hr
- Mid-December evening

Outdoors

2 outdoor spots for fresh air across Waterfront and Montecito.

Photo: Niranjan Arminius · CC BY-SA 4.0
Outdoors
East Beach
Wide sandy beach with volleyball courts and a palm-lined bike path.
- Waterfront
- Free
- 1.5 hr
- Afternoon
Photo: Chuck Tipton · Google
Outdoors
Ganna Walska Lotusland
Eccentric Montecito garden of cycads, cacti and themed garden rooms.
Tip Visits by advance reservation only, mid-Feb to mid-Nov.
- Montecito
- $$$
- 2 hr
- Spring

Eat

Where we would book a table in Santa Barbara across Milpas and Waterfront.

Photo: Joseph Dandona Jr. · Google
Eat
La Super-Rica Taqueria
Tiny taqueria praised by Julia Child for its handmade tortillas.
Tip Order the #16 Super-Rica Especial; expect a line.
- Milpas
- $
- 45 min
- Lunch
Photo: Santa Barbara Shellfish Company · Google
Eat
Santa Barbara Shellfish Company
Counter seafood shack at the end of Stearns Wharf; lobster and crab.
- Waterfront
- $$
- 60 min
- Lunch
Eat
Brophy Bros
Seafood restaurant upstairs on the harbor, known for clam chowder and views over the boats.
Tip No reservations; put your name in and walk the breakwater while you wait.
- Waterfront
- $$
- 75 min
- Lunch

Drink

Our picks for a drink in Santa Barbara across Downtown / The Mill and Funk Zone.

Photo: Potek Winery · Google
Drink
Potek Winery
Single-vineyard Santa Barbara County wines in a lounge at The Mill, with a patio shared with Third Window Brewery.
Tip Reserve the lounge for a seated tasting; walk-ins fine on the patio.
- Downtown / The Mill
- $$
- 75 min
- Late afternoon
Photo: Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. Santa Barbara · Google
Drink
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.
Funk Zone taproom of a Santa Ynez Valley brewery with a patio.
- Funk Zone
- $
- 60 min
- Evening
Drink
Funk Zone
Former warehouse blocks near the beach, now full of wine tasting rooms, breweries and murals.
- Funk Zone
- $$
- 2 hr
- Afternoon

Stay

1 place to stay we would book in Riviera.

Stay
El Encanto
Hillside hotel on the Riviera above the mission, with garden bungalows and a terrace looking to the sea.
Tip Even if staying elsewhere, book a drink on the terrace at sunset.
- Riviera
- $$$$

How to fit Santa Barbara into a trip

Santa Barbara shows up on 2 of our curated routes, so you can work it into more than one kind of trip.

Stop 5 of 6
Pacific Coast Highway
San Francisco to Los Angeles
Trip length
6 days
Best season
Apr – Oct
Pace
easy
- Before: San Simeon
- Next: Los Angeles
See the full itinerary
Stop 2 of 2
Solvang & Santa Barbara
Danish Julefest and a Spanish mission Christmas
Trip length
4 days
Best season
Early Dec – early Jan
Pace
easy
- Before: Solvang
See the full itinerary

Getting here and onward

Solvang to Santa BarbaraSolvang is about 45 km / 28 mi away in a straight line
Santa Barbara to Los AngelesLos Angeles is about 140 km / 87 mi away in a straight line
San Simeon to Santa BarbaraSan Simeon is about 194 km / 121 mi away in a straight line

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Santa Barbara month by month

Average daily highs run from 17°C / 63°F in February to 28°C / 82°F in August. January is the wettest month, with about 90 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Santa Barbara weather and the best time to visit →

Near Santa Barbara

8 other destinations from our guides within about 200 km (124 mi), measured in a straight line.

Santa Barbara questions, answered

How many days do you need in Santa Barbara?

Our route notes suggest 2 nights in Santa Barbara. On our Pacific Coast Highway route it is stop 5 of 6 in a 6-day trip. The listed visit times for our 15 places add up to roughly 17 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Santa Barbara best known for?

Stay a day and a night: mission and courthouse by day, Funk Zone tasting rooms and tacos at night. Standouts on our list: Old Mission Santa Barbara (1786 mission called the Queen of the Missions, with a museum and rose garden); Santa Barbara County Courthouse (Spanish-Moorish courthouse with a free clock tower lookout over red roofs); Santa Barbara Museum of Art (Compact downtown museum with strong Asian, American and photography collections).

When is the best time to visit Santa Barbara?

Our routes through Santa Barbara are best Apr – Oct or Early Dec – early Jan. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in August (28°C / 82°F), the coolest in February (17°C / 63°F) and the most rain in January (about 90 mm).

What are the best things to do in Santa Barbara?

Start with Old Mission Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Stearns Wharf and East Beach. Our guide lists 15 places in all, from 5 sights, 1 activity, 2 outdoor spots, 3 places to eat, 3 bars & cafés and 1 place to stay.

Where should a group eat in Santa Barbara?

Our picks: La Super-Rica Taqueria (Milpas); Santa Barbara Shellfish Company (Waterfront); Brophy Bros (Waterfront). Order the #16 Super-Rica Especial; expect a line (La Super-Rica Taqueria).

What is near Santa Barbara?

The closest destinations in our guides are Solvang (about 45 km / 28 mi), West Hollywood (about 128 km / 80 mi) and Hollywood (about 131 km / 81 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Santa Barbara with your crew

Open the Pacific Coast Highway route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 15 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

Get TripsCircle

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