Santa Barbara – Travel Guide | Things To Do

Santa Barbara is a city on the central California coast, with the Santa Ynez Mountains as dramatic backdrop. Downtown, Mediterranean-style white stucco buildings with red-tile roofs reflect the city’s Spanish colonial heritage. Upscale boutiques and restaurants offering local wines and seasonal fare line State Street. On a nearby hill, Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786, houses Franciscan friars and a museum.

It’s one of Santa Barbara’s best summer traditions… come find out first-hand what brings up to 5,000 people down to Chase Palm Park on Thursday nights during the months of June, July and August:

• July 14 = Blue Breeze Band, providing the best of Motown R&B, Soul, Funk and Jazz & Blues
• July 21 = Captain Cardiac & The Coronaries, a high voltage party rock and roll show band
• July 28 = Pepe Marquez Band, a Santa Barbara-based Latin R&B Soul band. Get cruizin’ and turn it up!

Whether you enjoy hiking, fine-dining, water sports, lazing on the beach, culture, or a great night-life, Santa Barbara has something for you.

Santa Barbara is sometimes referred to as the American Riviera®️️. Its beautiful beaches, majestic mountains, and colorful culture make Santa Barbara a premier resort destination. World-class accommodations and dining await its many visitors.

Santa Barbara is a 2-hour drive north from Los Angeles or a short hop from any corner of the world via the Santa Barbara airport. Santa Barbara’s harbor is home to the world famous Stearns Wharf, a great destination for the entire family. Visiting the zoological gardens makes for a great family day-trip.

From the City, you are just minutes away from the Santa Barbara wine country. The gorgeous Santa Ynez Valley, with its breath-taking vistas, is home to such notable attractions as Solvang and the Chumash Reservation.

Historic Stearns Wharf is California’s oldest working wharf dating back to 1872. The famous Dolphin Fountain, sculpted by local artist Bud Bottoms, marks the start of the wharf and welcomes visitors from around the globe. Steadfast wooden timbers support the wharf above the blue Pacific Ocean

There is something for everyone at the Santa Barbara Waterfront: biking, diving, fishing, fortune telling, kayaking, parasailing, in-line skating, sailing, skating, surfing, swimming, volleyball, walking, whale watching, windsurfing, & more.