Santa Barbara
is natural and manmade beauty
Welcome to Santa Barbara
Perfect weather, beautiful buildings, excellent bars and restaurants, and activities for all tastes and budgets make Santa Barbara a great place to live (as the locals will proudly tell you) and a must-see place for visitors to Southern California. Check out the Spanish Mission church first, then just see where the day takes you.
Top experiences in Santa Barbara
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We've pre-picked the best hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.
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Santa Barbara activities
Santa Barbara, Solvang, Hearst Castle Tour from Los Angeles
Step outside the greater Los Angeles area and visit three of Southern California’s most celebrated places! You’ll leave LA in the morning, heading north along the Pacific Coast to your first stop, Solvang, a quaint Danish town in the middle of the Santa Ynes Valley, featured prominently in the acclaimed movie Sideways. You’ll be delighted by Solvang's Danish architecture and the Little Mermaid statue, based on the tale by Hans Christian Andersen. This is a replica of the iconic statue in Copenhagen. Finally, browse the Danish bakeries and shops before returning to your coach.Next, you’ll drive to Hearst Castle. This unforgettable tour takes you through William Randolph Hearst’s notoriously opulent estate, famous as much for its guests as its décor. A favorite of the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Hearst Castle is filled with art treasures and architecture from around the world – you’ll see Greek vases from 800 BC next to rare oriental carpets and magnificent statuary. Invitations to Hearst Castle were highly coveted in the 20s and 30s, so be sure to take pictures of the castle and its riches to prove you were there. From there, your road trip travels to Santa Barbara. Here, you’ll tour Old Mission Santa Barbara, the Spanish Mission that gives the town its name, and learn how these Spanish religious centers were essential to settling the entire state of California. You’ll see the Santa Barbara harbor and have the opportunity to take photos of the beautiful beaches before continuing on your tour.Following your time in Santa Barbara, you’ll board the coach for the scenic drive back to Los Angeles. It will be the perfect relaxing end to your full-day trip along the California coast.
Santa Barbara Wine Tasting Tour, Picnic Lunch with Small Group
With breathtaking coastal mountains to the east and sublime beaches to the west, Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and wine country is no exception. The ebb and flow of ocean breezes makes the Santa Barbara Wine Country region a jewel in the crown of California viticulture. Your guided tour of the area’s boutique wineries will begin with pickup from your accommodations. Travel in the comfort of a fully air conditioned Mercedes Benz Sprinter van, with large windows offering fantastic views of the local vineyards and wineries. This experience in the Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez wine country includes a variety of estate wineries, unique tasting room experiences, and an artisan picnic lunch. We begin at your hotel or residence in the morning and finish in the afternoon, usually lasting about six hours. Join your guides for a day exploring all that Santa Barbara wine country has to offer!
California Coast 3-Day Tour: Santa Barbara, Carmel, Yosemite
Take this 3-day tour from Los Angeles to see some of the top attractions in central and northern California! Travel in a comfortable van or motorcoach, and enjoy the spectacular coastline as you make stops in Santa Barbara, Solvang and Carmel. You'll then head to San Francisco for an overnight stay and a comprehensive tour of the beautiful City by the Bay.In San Francisco, take a bay cruise past Alcatraz Island and under the Golden Gate Bridge, and the enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city’s top attractions, including Union square, Chinatown and Nob Hill! Your next stop depends on the season. In the summer, you’ll head to Yosemite National Park; in the winter, when mountain roads are closed, you’ll visit Hearst Castle (beginning November 1). Both places offer plenty to see — in Yosemite, gaze in awe at the 1,200 square miles (3,100 sq km) of forests, lakes and waterfalls protected in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, or at Hearst Castle, be amazed by the majestic former residence of William Randolph Hearst. See the Itinerary field below for details on each day of the tour.
Santa Barbara Downtown Food Walking Tour with Wine Tasting
Meet up with your guide a few minutes before noon for a leisurely stroll through downtown Santa Barbara. Have fun with local guides who will share the inside scoop on just about everything Santa Barbara. There are a variety of flavors, from Parisian macarons to delicious tacos and local wines. We want our guests to be pleasantly full NOT overly stuffed at the end of the tour.Most of the tasting locations offer additional discounts for participants and you are definitely encouraged to go back and try all of the restaurant menus. For those with dietary restrictions, this tour is gluten-free (not celiac) and vegetarian friendly, but we need to know about any and all food allergies (especially major ones) ahead of time. Please list your needs at the time of booking and you will be accommodated as much as possible. The tour is suitable for adults, teens, and kids who enjoy food and can hang.
Santa Barbara Self-Guided Anacapa Wine Walk
This innovative self-guided tour let's you sample the region's best wines and hippest tasting rooms in the picturesque city of Santa Barbara, California. Enjoy the cool artsy atmosphere of the Funk Zone while you delight in the quality of your wine. The quantity of wine is geared towards an afternoon of wine tasting. By purchasing the pack, you’re not only getting wine at a great price, you’re getting an insider’s view of the area. All locations on the tour are within walking distance of each other, and are bordering the Pacific Ocean and State Street - Santa Barbara's most popular destination for shopping, restaurants, and sightseeing. All items in the pack are redeemed using your personal smartphone or mobile device and the tour company’s app or web app. Use the map feature to guide you along your way and choose your own order of destinations. Show the tasting room associate what featured item you want and have them tap the "redeem" button to complete the transaction. It's really that simple! All items are valid for a year from purchase, so you can thoroughly take your time enjoying the benefits of your wine pack. This is the best deal for wine tasting in the area and unlike any other local tour. You do not need to make a reservation at the tasting rooms unless you are traveling with a large group. Must be 21 or older to drink. Please drink responsibly.
Santa Barbara Electric Bike History and Sightseeing Tour
Meet your guide at the local bike shop at your selected departure time. After a brief safety orientation from your guide, hop on your easy-to-use electric bike, strap on your provided helmet, and begin your tour of beautiful Santa Barbara. Follow your guide around the Santa Barbara Mission, down State Street and out to the Pacific Ocean, where you’ll enjoy amazing views of the world-renowned Santa Barbara coastline. On your electric beach cruiser – a bike with wide tires and upright seating – you have the option of pedaling, using the electric motor or a mixture of both. You can cruise at speeds of up to 20 mph (32 kph)!Stop at a few historical sites to learn a bit about Santa Barbara’s history. Don’t forget your camera, as there will be plenty of photo opportunities. You’ll return back to the original departure point after your 2.5-hour tour.