Santa Barbara's Coastal Charms
With around 300 days of sunshine a year, there's plenty time to enjoy all the outdoor adventures that Santa Barbara has to offer. From challenging hiking and biking trails to to vineyard tours to world-class surf breaks, you'll love spending time outside. Sailing, kayaking and even splashing about in the tidal pools are all on the menu and the area has a number of championship golf courses, but nothing can beat the simple pleasure of a long walk on a wide, uncrowded beach.
With the longest southern-facing coast in California and with the protected Channel Islands offshore, Santa Barbara offers a premier whale-watching environment. Humpbacks, gray and blue whales and other magnificent marine mammals squeeze...
Los Padres National Forest, 1101 Romero Canyon Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93108, USA
Santa Barbara is a hiker's paradise where you can rise above the sea and into the clouds in the Los Padros National Forest, the Santa Ynez Mountain Range and the Channel Islands National Park, just a short boat trip away. There's a trail to suit...
1101-, 1233 Channel Dr, Montecito, CA 93108, USA
It's often a four-way tie when Santa Barbara locals are asked about their favorite beaches. Butterfly Beach is a west-facing golden strip of sand that may be the best place to watch a sunset, but there aren't many amenities besides the surf,...
1212 Mission Canyon Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, USA
For a tranquil city break, visit the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, which displays a thousand different native California plants over 31 hectares (77 acres), through which guests can stroll some eight kilometers (five miles) of trails with mountain...
1122 N Milpas St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, USA
The Santa Barbara Bowl is a 4,562-seat amphitheater built into the hills above Santa Barbara. Originally constructed in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, it operates as a seasonal concert venue (typically April to early...
236 E Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA
Every Sunday on Santa Barbara's beachfront, artists who live in Santa Barbara County display and sell their drawings, paintings, graphic works, sculpture, crafts, and photography. The Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show is...
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
There's a surf break for everyone in Santa Barbara, from the most advanced to extreme beginners. Rincon Point, known as the "Queen of the Coast" features a right hand point break where waves travel up to a half mile. Leadbetter Point is a great...
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
This formerly industrial warehouse district has undergone a drastic transformation over the past few years. Adjacent to the Amtrak station, the Funk Zone sits between the ocean and Highway 101, and colorful murals and street art...
Cold Spring Rd, Montecito, CA 93108, USA
Set on 37 acres, Ganna Walska Lotusland is a botanical wonderland made up of over 20 different gardens. Set in the former estate of Madame Ganna Walska, an oft-married Polish opera singer who purchased the property in 1941,...
2178 Mora Ave, Santa Ynez, CA 93460, USA
Experience a different kind of winery tour—on horseback. Vino Vaqueros, led by former polo player Peter Ganibi and his wife, Jaye, offer 75- to 90-minute group and private horseback rides through the grounds of the Estelle Vineyards. While...
