20+ BEST things to do in Santa Barbara

Best things to do in Santa Barbara

One of my favorite drives is from L.A. to the coastal town of Santa Barbara, along the Pacific Highway. Santa Barbara was built in a mediterranean style after the 1925 earthquake, and its architecture and beaches look like something straight out of the European Riviera.

I love that Santa Barbara is so walkable, with downtown restaurants and shops along State Street, leading all the way to Stearns Wharf.  My other favorite commercial area is the super trendy Funk District near downtown, where old warehouses are now used for cool places to eat and shop.

The real highlight for me is visiting all the attractions from the Spanish and later Mexican occupation of Santa Barbara. These include the magnificent El Presidio fortress (1782), Santa Barbara Mission (1786), and two adobes known as Casa Covarrubias (1817), and Casa de la Guerra (1828). 

However, before visiting any of these attractions, I'd highly recommend a trip to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum to get an overview of the history, including a great exhibition on the 1925 earthquake.

For the best views, climb to the top of the tower at the stunning Santa Barbara Courthouse (1928). It's recognized as the most beautiful government building in America.

There's also an abundance of cultural attractions here, like the exceptional Santa Barbara Art Museum with works from Renoir, Monet and Matisse. Kids will love the MOXI museum with hands-on STEM exhibits, the aquarium on the wharf, and excellent Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

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Downtown Santa Barbara  

I always start my exploration of Santa Barbara along State Street in Downtown Santa Barbara. I think it's one of America's prettiest downtown areas, and was rebuilt after the earthquake in 1925 in an attractive, Spanish Colonial style. There's so much to admire here, including enchanting courtyards and lush landscaping. One of my favorite places is the open air Paseo Nuevo Mall, with dozens of restaurants, shops and a movie theater.

Funk Zone

I find the Funk Zone is so completely different from the rest of Santa Barbara. It's adjacent to downtown, but may as well be a different city. This former warehouse district is the coolest part of Santa Barbara, and has 10 blocks full of rustic warehouses converted to restaurants, cafes, wine tasting, galleries and boutiques. 

Santa Barbara Courthouse

I'm very impressed that Santa Barbara has the most beautiful government building in America, known as the Santa Barbara Courthouse. It was so much fun to walk to the top of the clock tower, and enjoy incredible views from the Observation Deck. I was awestruck by the stunning interior of the Courthouse, and especially the ornate Mural Room depicting Santa Barbara's history. It's almost hard to believe that this is a fully functioning Courthouse, because it looks more like a museum.

Santa Barbara Museum of Art

I was surprised by just how impressive the art collection is at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in downtown. This is definitely one of the best things to do in Santa Barbara, and features works by Renoir, Dali and Monet. It took me about 4 hours to see everything! There are also rotating exhibitions, so check the website first.

Stearns Wharf

A visit to Santa Barbara isn't complete without walking along historic Stearns Wharf. I'm not alone, because 5 million people visit this wharf each year. Nothing beats the fresh ocean breezes, and the views for miles. I always enjoy treating myself to an ice-cream or some taffy, and there's also some waterfront restaurants with gorgeous views. It's also fun to sit in the wine tasting room out on the deck, and take it all in. Stearns Wharf is one of the most popular things to do in Santa Barbara!

Santa Barbara Sea Center

I was excited to visit the Santa Barbara Sea Center with a fabulous location on Stearns Wharf. The biggest attractions are the touchpools full of sea stars and stingrays, and the aquariums full of ethereal jellyfish. The most novel attraction is lowering a basket into the ocean to catch crabs.  

Lotusland

I had the opportunity to visit one of California's best botanic gardens at Lotusland, just a 5 minute drive from Santa Barbara. I was fascinated to learn that these beautiful gardens were created by an opera singer, who once owned the Le Theater des Champs Elysees in Paris. There are so many different types of gardens to explore here, ranging from formal to tropical and arid. 

Santa Barbara Mission

The Santa Barbara Mission was once part of the chain of 21 California Missions established by the Spanish.  It's known as the "Queen of the Missions" because of it's dramatic facade with double bell towers.  Tour the church, exhibit rooms and tranquil gardens of the Santa Barbara Mission.  

Santa Barbara Historical Museum

One of the first things you should do when visiting Santa Barbara, is to stop by the Santa Barbara Historical Museum near downtown. It helped me understand a lot about Santa Barbara, including the Spanish and Mexican occupations, and the devastating 1925 earthquake that leveled 400 buildings. As an added bonus, I walked across the enchanting courtyard to explore a historic four room adobe, known as the Casa Covarrubias (1817).

El Presidio

I also really enjoyed exploring the El Presidio military fortress is in the heart of Santa Barbara, and was fascinated to learn it was the last fortress built by the Spanish in Alta California. It was amazing seeing intact buildings from the 1780s, like the El Cuartel Adobe (1782) and El Canedo Adobe (1782).

Casa de la Guerra

It took me about an hour to walk through the beautiful Casa de la Guerra in downtown Santa Barbara. This u-shaped home was built in 1828 for a prominent Santa Barbara family. 

Moxi 

I think MOXI is a great option for kids up to age 12, and is basically a hands-on STEM museum, with loads of music and art activities. 

Santa Barbara Harbor

One of my favorite dinner spots is at Brophy Bros on the Santa Barbara Harbor. The views across the marina and harbor are incredible! There's also a fun cafe at the harbor, and an excellent maritime museum. Another highlight is walking along the path towards the breakwater that protects the harbor.

Santa Barbara beaches

I was dazzled by miles of golden sand at Santa Barbara's three city beaches. The busiest are East Beach and West Beach on each side of Stearns Wharf. I also discovered a fun shipwreck playground at Chase Palm Park at East Beach. Another highlight is Leadbetter Beach, much further west of the Santa Barbara Harbor. This has the casual Shoreline Beach Cafe right on the beach.

Santa Barbara parks and gardens

One of the best walks in Santa Barbara is along the blufftop at Shoreline Park, where the coastal views are incredible!  It's then just a short drive to pretty Alice Keck Park which is ideal for a picnic.

For more amazing views all the way out to the Channel Islands, I love driving up to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. It's a wild garden with lots of native Californian plants.

Things to do in Santa Barbara with kids

Santa Barbara is full of things to do with kids. One of the best activities is the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. I think the highlight is the dinosaur animatronics and butterfly pavilion. There's also a creek out the back that's perfect for floating boats or exploring. Adults will enjoy the ten different exhibit halls with dioramas of mammals and birds, gem and mineral specimens, and pre-historic fossils. 

Best beaches near Santa Barbara

One of my favorite beaches near Santa Barbara is Hendrys Beach, which has a gorgeous cafe on the beach. Another of my favorites is  Butterfly Beach east of town. This is the place to go to watch the sunset, and has a picturesque, garden-like setting in an affluent neighborhood. 

State Parks near Santa Barbara

Some other top picks further west of Santa Barbara, are Gaviota State Park and El Capitan State Beach, both with campsites available.