For the American traveler, Santa Barbara CA is rife with exciting activities! From catching breathtaking views of local landmarks to savoring traditional cuisine and world-renowned hospitality, there are plenty of amazing experiences not to be missed out on. Here’s a list of 10 must-see attractions guaranteed to make your trip unforgettable!
Best Thing to Do in Santa Barbara CA
Stearns Wharf
- Address: 217 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.5 (9682)
- Phone: +1 805-698-5600
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: Open 24 hoursTuesday: Open 24 hoursWednesday: Open 24 hoursThursday: Open 24 hoursFriday: Open 24 hoursSaturday: Open 24 hoursSunday: Open 24 hours
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TOP 10 Fun Things to Do in Santa Barbara CA
Santa Barbara Zoo
- Address: 500 Ninos Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (5277)
- Phone: +1 805-962-5339
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMTuesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMWednesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMThursday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMFriday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMSaturday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PMSunday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Reviews:
Beautiful Zoo! Our hotel was 5min away so of course we had to make a visit. They had a lot of animals and quiet a few exhibits closed. We read it was a small zoo but it was white bit! Not LA Zoo big lol but lots of walking and sightseeing. Good prices and awesome play area for the kids to run around. We also loved the train ride! The conductors commentary was pleasant 😊By Amber M.A (5 months ago)We love this zoo! We visit from Corona, CA, just about every year as we stay in Ventura at our family’s timeshare. It’s small enough not to be tiring and take all day, but has a great variety of animals and exhibits. You currently need to make reservations ahead of time, but it’s super easy to do online and you can just show the codes on your phone- no need for a printer. We haven’t had any issues buying tickets the last 2 times we’ve visited under these new terms.
They’ve opened an Australian Walkabout encounter where you get to walk into an open animal exhibit with kangaroo, wallaby & emu. You can’t touch them, obviously, but it’s neat to be at their level walking around them.
There’s a kid play zone to let the kids burn off some energy while the adults relax a bit. Equipped with sandbox, egg features to play/climb on, musical instrument installations, sliding/sledding hill, and cargo net spider web.
Something new they’ve added is a trading card feature inside the gorilla observation post. You go here to pick an animal to learn more about. Grab a sheet and pencil, find the animal on your sheet at the zoo & answer some questions about it. Once it’s filled in, take it to the front gate and you get a trading card of that animal.
By Lauren Rios (9 months ago)Beautiful zoo. Not huge, but compared to other zoos it was extremely scenic and detailed. A very enjoyable day. The food we had was very good. We got some very good carnitas tacos from the restaurant in the courtyard for a surprisingly good price. The train ride was extra but worth it. Overall, our favorite zoo nearby, compared to the LA and Fresno Zoos.By Mr. Grant (9 months ago)First time visiting this zoo for my daughters second birthday and to be honest it has to be my favorite zoo so far. It’s not very big, but it is very beautiful and well kept. The plus side is it’s right by the beach so it’s very fresh. They have a really cool section where you can walk in and see emu and kangaroos up close and personal. My daughter also loved the train ride, it’s $7 per person for a 15 min ride through the back of the zoo & the conductor provides you with a lot of information the whole ride. I would love to visit again. Very toddler friendly.By Valerie R (2 months ago)Great excursion… Strolled the park in 75 minutes, stopped to enjoy each exhibit. Got up close to Lion, Giraffe, Gorilla, Leopard, Kangaroo, beautiful tropical birds… $20.00 was worth it. Now I get why they limit capacity for 2hour time slots. We went from 3-5pm andBy derek swales (9 months ago)
Arroyo Burro Beach County Park
- Address: 2981 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (2627)
- Phone: +1 805-687-3714
- Website: Link
- Reviews:
Beautiful! Small sandy public beach framed by rocky bluffs with facilities, free parking, off-leash dog area and excellent restaurant/bar right on the beach all located adjacent to affluent community. Water is clean. Surf is gentle. Breeze is light. Plan ahead, as one can imagine, these wonderful features draw a crowd.By Stacy VanAbrahams (6 months ago)Great place to take your dog off leash to the beach in Santa Barbara Ca. One side is for dogs off leash and the other is on leash. Restaurant and bathrooms, feet washing station and down the parking lot from the beach is a self pay dog washing station…brilliant! It got pretty crowded so go early if you want to find parking. Have fun.By Rita Figueroa (6 months ago)Public beach with parking, though a little hike down to beach. Dogs are allowed.
Perfect place to watch the sunset three months of the year for sunsets over the water instead of land.
You can walk for a long ways on the water’s edge.
By Kathy Condon (a month ago)Fantastic small local Beach also known as Hendry’s Beach. Parking can be tight on beautiful days. It is dog friendly going to the left, not dog friendly going to the right. Make sure if you bring a dog ,that it’s well socialized off leash. And don’t forget to visit the doggie bath wash so that you can get the sand off of your dog when you’re done enjoying the day.
It is also home to The Boathouse restaurant which has great food but they’re always seems to be an hour long wait.By * dnainsb (7 months ago)Took my baby girl Cleo here for her last trip and she seemingly enjoyed it. She made plenty of friends, enjoyed the open area with all the smells. It’s a really great place to bring your fur babiesBy Superfly Juggalo (9 months ago)
Shoreline Park
- Address: Shoreline Dr & Santa Rosa Place, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (2024)
Leadbetter Beach
- Address: 801 Shoreline Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (1553)
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
- Address: 2559 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (1158)
MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
- Address: 125 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (1104)
Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden
- Address: 1500 Santa Barbara St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (930)
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center
- Address: 211 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.5 (674)
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
- Address: 1212 Mission Canyon Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (639)
1000 Steps Beach
- Address: 1429 Shoreline Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93109, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.5 (510)
That’s it for our list of the best things to do in Santa Barbara CA! If you have any arguments or additional information, please leave a comment. We love to hear from our readers. And don’t forget to check out some of the other posts on our blog for more travel inspiration. Happy traveling!
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Very relaxed and clean compared to many other beaches here in California! Great atmosphere and very nice ocean views from the pier. Great getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. You will most likely see some birds up close if walking the pier. Good amount of parking so it should not be a problem at least when I went in the morning. Coffee and food options all within walking distance as well.
This is the third time I have been to Santa Barbara. It is absolutely gorgeous by the water! My wife, my mother, and I walked back and forth on Stearns Wharf. The views of the mountains and palm trees in the distance are so beautiful that no photo can really do it justice.
You can park on the pier, but you have to pay for it after a certain amount of time. There are some great restaurants there in case you get hungry. It is best to just take a seat and take in the view.
Magnificent place in Santa Barbara, got to spent the evening here watching the mesmerizing sunset with the backdrop of the palm trees. The boardwalk has a parking area with many shops and restaurants.There are also paid parking lots in the hotels nearby. The town is very well maintained.
As a Santa Barbara local, we like to take our visitors to the wharf. It can get very crowded and not always a good idea to drive if you’re in a hurry. Walking is an option. There are some reasonably priced souvenir shops and some decent restaurants. If you drive the first 90 minutes are free. You can also rent fishing equipment at the end. Great place to catch a sunset as well!
I live in the mountains, so it’s exciting for me to be near an ocean. I enjoyed a sunburned afternoon at Stearn’s Wharf. I was on my own so I could take my time and enjoy the wharf and Santa Barbara.
I did not know where to park when I arrived, so I was pleasantly surprised to see parking is available on the wharf. The first spots I eventually determined (from vendor websites) are for businesses, not sure that is still the case (it’s labeled valet parking on a wharf map). So I moved my car to a spot further along the wharf. Parking was plentiful Saturday morning, but quickly filled up by late morning. I was worried about expensive parking, but after seeing the parking prices in town, it turned out to work for me so I didn’t have to move the car throughout the day.
There are a variety of restaurants and at least one dessert vendor. There are also museums and boat tours. I took advantage of a boat tour (again, I’m not a water person) and enjoyed the laid back hour on the water.
It’s a bit rough if you are in a wheelchair, but doable. I didn’t plan ahead with sunscreen. This is little shade during the day.