Experience the best of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is a Spanish-style city on California's central coast, set between the Pacific and the Santa Ynez Mountains.
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Santa Barbara sits on a south-facing shore with the Santa Ynez Mountains rising right behind it. After an earthquake in 1925, the city rebuilt in a uniform Spanish Colonial Revival style, with white walls, red tile roofs and arches, and the County Courthouse, with its clock tower and mural room, is a showpiece of the style. Old Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786 and known as the Queen of the Missions, stands on a hillside above town.
State Street leads from the shops down to Stearns Wharf, a wooden pier dating from 1872, and the Funk Zone beside the waterfront is a district of wine-tasting rooms and studios. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and Lotusland, a garden of rare plants, lie in the hills. The Channel Islands National Park is offshore, and the Santa Ynez Valley wine country and the Danish-style village of Solvang are over the mountains.
Local spot prawns and sea urchin come off the boats at the harbour, and tri-tip steak barbecued over oak is a regional speciality. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Santa Rita Hills are poured in the tasting rooms. Old Spanish Days, a fiesta of parades and dancing, fills the streets in summer, and the climate is mild all year.
- Free cancellation on 88% of experiences
- 4.9 across the top 24
Top 10 attractions in Santa Barbara
Special offers in Santa Barbara
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
Walking and bike tours in Santa Barbara
34
Likely to sell outFree cancellation
Signature experiences in Santa Barbara
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Questions about Santa Barbara
- What is there to do in Santa Barbara?
- We list 153 experiences in Santa Barbara. The largest groups are day trips (19), city tours (5).
- What are the top attractions in Santa Barbara?
- Ranked by the experiences that visit them, the top attractions in Santa Barbara are Santa Barbara Waterfront, Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Stearns Wharf, Old Mission Santa Barbara.
- What is the most popular experience in Santa Barbara?
- By number of traveller reviews it is "Santa Barbara Trolley Tour", rated 4.6 out of 5 from 930 reviews.
- How long do tours and tickets in Santa Barbara take?
- The typical experience in Santa Barbara lasts about 2.5 hours; the middle half run between 1.5 hours and 4.5 hours.
- Can I cancel a booking in Santa Barbara?
- The operator lists free cancellation on 88% of the 153 experiences we hold for Santa Barbara. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.
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