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Santa Barbara Attractions

Santa Barbara County

General Location

Santa Barbara lies 92mi/148km north of Los Angeles (about two hours traveling time) and 330mi/530km south of San Francisco (seven hours traveling). The U.S. 101 passes through the town.
Picture of Mission Santa Barbara
Read More Mission Santa Barbara
The church at Mission Santa Barbara was built in 1829 and has been well preserved. Also on site is a museum located in one of the other buildings, gardens, and cemetery.
Read More Santa Barbara County Courthouse
The Santa Barbara County Courthouse resembles a palace with a Spanish-Moorish design.
Read More Santa Barbara Museum of Art
The museum displays a collection of North American, European, Asian, and Latin American Art. Highlights include works by Claude Monet.
Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden
The Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens contains a pond and a 4.5-acre botanical garden landscaped with native ground covers, trees, shrubs and flowers.
Address
Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens
1500 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
United States
Phone 1 (805) 564-5418
Fax 1 (805) 564-5480
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenSunriseSunriseSunriseSunriseSunriseSunriseSunrise
Close22:0022:0022:0022:0022:0022:0022:00
Andree Clark Bird Refuge
The Andree Clark Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara is a great place to observe gulls, ducks and geese. This 42-acre saltwater marsh is one of the largest wildlife refuges in the area.
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenSunriseSunriseSunriseSunriseSunriseSunriseSunrise
Close22:0022:0022:0022:0022:0022:0022:00
Cachuma Lake Recreation Area
The Cachuma Lake Recreation Area is located 25 miles north of Santa Barbara. There are hiking trails, campgrounds and water activities here.
Address
Cachuma Lake Recreation Area
HC 58, Highway 154
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
United States
Phone 1 (805) 686-5054
Fax 1 (805) 686-5075
Carriage and Western Art Museum of Santa Barbara
The Carriage and Western Art Museum displays saddles, carriages and other equipment used by pioneer Santa Barbara families.
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open9:009:009:009:009:00ClosedClosed
Close15:0015:0015:0015:0015:00
Always closed on:
Columbus Day - USA (2nd Monday, October )
Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November )
Easter - Christian (Apr 08)
Tips
Donations accepted. Open 3rd Sunday of each month from 1-4pm.
El Capitán State Beach
There is a stairway which leads to the sandy beach and rocky tidepools of the El Capitán State Beach. The beach is located off Highway 101, 17 miles west of Santa Barbara.
El Encanto Hotel
The El Encanto is a historic landmark hotel in Santa Barbara, built in 1915 near Mission Santa Barbara. The architecture is both Craftsman-Cottage style and Spanish Colonial Revival.
Address
El Encanto Hotel
1900 Lasuen Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93103-1711
United States
Phone 1 (805) 687-5000
Fax 1 (805) 687-3903
Facilities
On-site accomodations
El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
The Presidio (fortress), founded by the Spaniards in 1782, was badly damaged in the earthquakes of 1806 and 1812 and became of no importance at all after the American troops entered in 1846. Of the original buildings only El Cuartel, the soldiers' quarters, and the front rooms of the Canedo Adobe remain. The padre's house and the chapel have been restored.
El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park is located in modern downtown Santa Barbara at the intersection of Santa Barbara and East Canon Perdido Streets.
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open10:3010:3010:3010:3010:3010:3010:30
Close16:3016:3016:3016:3016:3016:3016:30
Always closed on:
New Year's Day (January 1)
Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November )
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Easter - Christian (Apr 08)
Cost
Adult$ 5.00
Senior over 62$ 4.00
Child 16 & underFREE
All values are in United States Dollars
Fernald Mansion (Trussell-Winchester Adobe)
The Fernald Mansion is a 14 room Queen Anne style Victorian mansion from 1862. Next door is the Trussel-Winchester Adobe, a typical adobe from 1854.
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenClosedClosedClosedClosedClosedClosed14:00
Close 16:00
Tips
Donations are accepted.
Gaviota State Park (Refugio Beach State Park)
Gaviota State Park got its name from the soldiers of the Portola Expedition of 1769. The park is located 33 miles west of Santa Barbara on U.S. Highway 101. It offers visitors swimming and surf fishing.
Tips
Call for hours.
Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum
The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Santa Barbara is considered the world's largest private holding of important original documents. There are letters by Charles Darwin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Washington, Albert Einstein and others. The museum has exhibits covering history, science, art, music and exploration.
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open10:0010:0010:0010:0010:0010:0010:00
Close16:0016:0016:0016:0016:0016:0016:00
Always closed on:
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum
The Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum supports a variety of visual, media, and performing arts, highlighting the work of local, regional, national, and international artists.
Address
Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum
653 Paseo Nuevo
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
United States
Phone 1 (805) 966-5373
Fax 1 (805) 962-1421
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenClosed11:0011:0011:0011:0011:0012:00
Close 17:0017:0017:0017:0017:0017:00
Santa Barbara Historical Museum
The Santa Barbara Historical Museum is housed in three adobe houses and displays material relating to Santa Barbara's Spanish, Mexican and early American history (including documents and paintings).
Address
Santa Barbara Historical Museum
136 East de la Guerra Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2205
United States
Phone 1 (805) 966-1601
Fax 1 (805) 966-1603
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
OpenClosed10:0010:0010:0010:0010:0012:00
Close 17:0017:0017:0017:0017:0017:00
Always closed on:
New Year's Day (January 1)
Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November )
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Tips
Donations are appreciated. Guided tours are offered at 2pm on Saturdays.
Guides
Guided tour included with admission.
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
On display at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History are mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, the skeleton of a blue whale, exhibits of plant life and the geology of the Pacific coast and the Channel Islands, as well as a diorama of prehistoric Indian life. There is also a planetarium with varying displays.
Address
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta Del Sol Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93015-2936
United States
Phone 1 (805) 682-4711
Fax 1 (805) 569-3170
Hours
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Open10:0010:0010:0010:0010:0010:0010:00
Close17:0017:0017:0017:0017:0017:0017:00
Always closed on:
New Year's Day (January 1)
Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November )
Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Cost
Adult$ 10.00
Child 13-17$ 7.00
Senior over 65$ 7.00
Child 3-12$ 6.00
Child 3 & underFREE
All values are in United States Dollars
Tips
Closed last Saturday in June for the Santa Barbara Wine Festival.
Facilities
Gift shop
Stearns Wharf
At the bottom of State Street in Santa Barbara is the Stearns Wharf, built in 1872 it became the longest deep-water pier between Los Angeles and San Francisco. This city landmark now features shops and restaurants, a lovely view of the harbor, an aquarium, and the mountains behind Santa Barbara.

It is relatively low key, with a few shops. It can be a nice place to have a leisurely lunch while enjoying the view out over the ocean and surrounding beaches. Most visitors simply come here to walk and have a look around. Also located here is the Ty Warner Sea Center.
Parking
Pay

Santa Barbara Surroundings

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