San Francisco to Los Angeles
This is leg 4 of 5.
Travel leg · Pacific Coast Highway
San Simeon to Santa Barbara
San Simeon and Santa Barbara sit about 194 km (121 mi) apart in a straight line, with Santa Barbara to the south-east. It is leg 4 of 5 on our Pacific Coast Highway itinerary, a 6-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 194 km · 121 mi
- Est. road distance
- 233–272 km
- Est. drive time
- 2 h 30 min – 4 h 15 min
- Direction
- Heading south-east
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Pacific Coast Highway itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 233–272 km (145–169 mi) of road and 2 h 30 min – 4 h 15 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
By train
Our Pacific Coast Highway guide also mentions trains for parts of the trip. Whether a direct train links San Simeon and Santa Barbara depends on the line — check timetables.
A car is the whole point here, and one shared vehicle keeps the group together. Plan to drive south to north or north to south and pick up or drop off a rental in the two big cities. Train and bus options exist for some legs but skip the scenic parts.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends, plus 9 places near the straight-line path.
When you arrive in Santa Barbara
Stay a day and a night: mission and courthouse by day, Funk Zone tasting rooms and tacos at night.
Old Mission Santa Barbara
1786 mission called the Queen of the Missions, with a museum and rose garden.
La Super-Rica Taqueria
Tiny taqueria praised by Julia Child for its handmade tortillas.
Potek Winery
Single-vineyard Santa Barbara County wines in a lounge at The Mill, with a patio shared with Third Window Brewery.
East Beach
Wide sandy beach with volleyball courts and a palm-lined bike path.
Santa Barbara Harbor Parade of Lights
Boats strung with Christmas lights circle the harbor after dark, followed by fireworks over the water.
El Encanto
Hillside hotel on the Riviera above the mission, with garden bungalows and a terrace looking to the sea.
Near the way
These places from our other itineraries sit within about 25 km of the straight line between San Simeon and Santa Barbara. The road may not pass them directly, so check how far off your route they are.
Los Olivos tasting rooms
Small ranch town ten minutes north whose main street is lined with tasting rooms for Santa Ynez Valley wineries.
Wildling Museum
Small art museum on Mission Drive with rotating shows of paintings and photographs of California's wild places.
Solvang Julefest
The village's month-long Christmas festival, with lights on the half-timbered shops, a parade and a Nisse hunt.
Solvang Park
Small park at the center of the village with a bust of Hans Christian Andersen on a fieldstone base.
Elverhøj Museum of History and Art
Museum of Solvang's Danish heritage, set in a hand-built home in the style of an 18th-century Danish farmhouse.
Birkholm's Bakery
Danish bakery on Alisal Road for kringle, butter cookies and pastries to eat on the bench outside.
Mission Santa Inés
Spanish mission founded in 1804 at the east end of town, with a museum, gardens and views across the valley.
Alisal Guest Ranch
Working cattle ranch and resort just south of the village, with trail rides, a golf course and cottage rooms.
Nojoqui Falls
Seasonal waterfall over a mossy limestone face, reached by a short shaded trail in a county park south of town.
Before you leave San Simeon
Plan half a day for Hearst Castle plus the seal rookery, then overnight in nearby Cambria.
On this curated route
Where San Simeon → Santa Barbara sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Santa Barbara to San Simeon is the same 194 km in a straight line, heading north-west. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
The biggest gap comes in July, when Santa Barbara averages highs 11°C warmer than San Simeon.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Simeon high | 12° | 12° | 13° | 13° | 14° | 16° | 17° | 17° | 18° | 17° | 14° | 12° |
| Santa Barbara high | 18° | 17° | 19° | 20° | 23° | 26° | 28° | 28° | 27° | 25° | 21° | 17° |
| San Simeon rain | 73 | 72 | 57 | 25 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 34 | 80 |
| Santa Barbara rain | 90 | 78 | 63 | 27 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 32 | 72 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Santa Barbara month guides.
San Simeon to Santa Barbara: questions travelers ask
How far is San Simeon from Santa Barbara?
San Simeon is about 194 km (121 mi) from Santa Barbara in a straight line, with Santa Barbara to the south-east. By road, we estimate 233–272 km (145–169 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from San Simeon to Santa Barbara?
An estimated 2 h 30 min – 4 h 15 min, assuming 233–272 km of road at average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
What is there to see between San Simeon and Santa Barbara?
Near the straight-line path we have 9 places from our curated guides, including Los Olivos tasting rooms (Solvang), Wildling Museum (Solvang), Solvang Julefest (Solvang), Solvang Park (Solvang). The road may not pass them directly, so check the detour.
Which itineraries include the trip from San Simeon to Santa Barbara?
Our Pacific Coast Highway itinerary includes this leg. Pacific Coast Highway runs about 6 days across 6 stops, best in Apr – Oct.
Onward from Santa Barbara
- Solvang to Santa Barbara 45 km
- Santa Barbara to Los Angeles 140 km
Getting to San Simeon
- Big Sur to San Simeon 87 km
Guides for both ends
- San Simeon travel guide
- San Simeon weather best time to visit
- Santa Barbara travel guide
- Santa Barbara weather best time to visit
Santa Barbara by month
Plan San Simeon → Santa Barbara with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.