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SANTA BARBARA VACATION RENTALS, CALIFORNIA |
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Sights and Attractions in Santa Barbara |
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| Santa Barbara astounds you with the wealth of its parks and museums. Delve into the rich history of the city as you visit its various museums, and of course, don't forget to visit the historic Santa Barbara Mission. |
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The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens
Moreton Bay Fig Tree
The Waterfront
Museum of Natural History
The Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center
The Ty Warner Sea Center
Santa Barbara Mission
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Historical Society Museum
El Presidio de Santa Barbara
Casa de La Guerra
The Maritime Museum
Wine Tours and Tasting
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| The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden |
| Treat your eyes to 65 acres of native regional plants at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. The park features indigenous trees, shrubs, wildflowers and cacti in their natural settings. The park looks spectacular during spring, with its 1806 historic dam and a 5.5-mile nature-walking trail. The park and the garden shop are open daily. Hours vary by season: November - February (9 AM to 4 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 5 PM on weekends) and March - October (9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM on weekends.) Guided tours are available Monday - Friday at 2 PM and on Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 AM and 2 PM. Admission for adults is $5 and teens are $3. Admission for children 5-12 is $1, while children under 5 years are admitted free. |
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| Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens |
| One of America's best small zoos, the Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens warrants a visit from the entire family. There are plenty of open spaces with over 600 animals, including elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, gibbons, sea lions, exotic birds and farm animals. There is a miniature train ride, a children's playground, a snack bar and a spacious picnic area. Enjoy the sight of the animals being fed around 4 PM each day. The zoo is open daily from 10 AM – 5 PM, year-round, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. Tickets are sold daily until 4 PM. Admission costs adults (13 - 59) $10, children (2 - 12) $8, seniors (60+) $8 and children (under 2) are allowed free.
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| Moreton Bay Fig Tree |
| This tree’s branch span is 170 feet and it is claimed that 16,000 people could stand under the tree at a given time. Just off Highway 101 in Santa Barbara, the giant fig tree, whose seed was given to a little girl who planted it in 1874, has proven a haven for many a homeless wanderer. Pictures of the tree do not do justice to its enormity --- you have to see it to believe it!
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| The Waterfront |
The Waterfront is comprised of Leadbetter Beach, the Harbor, West Beach, Stearns Wharf, Chase Palm Park, the Zoological Gardens and East Beach. This stretch of incredible coastline happens to be the hotspot for all the activities with its range of restaurants, shops, artists and a bike trail too. It is an important meeting place for locals during the Forth of July and First Night celebrations.
Stearns Wharf is an important part of Santa Barbara's character and history. It is located at the bottom of State Street and an historic 3-dolphin fountain marks its entrance. Stearns Wharf is California's oldest working wharf. Shopping and dining opportunities abound here along with panoramic views of the mountains and the coastline. The wharf has shops and restaurants and is one of Santa Barbara's largest tourist attractions. |
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| Museum of Natural History |
| The Museum of Natural History features an extensive section on prehistoric Native American life. There are exhibits that feature mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, plant life and the geology of the Pacific Coast and the Channel Islands. Many special exhibits and programs are also conducted. Open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, the museum remains closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Days. Admission charges are $6 for adults, $5 for teens and seniors, $4 for children and museum members, while children under 2 are free. In addition, there is free admission on the last Sunday of each month.
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| The Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center |
| The Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center shares information with its visitors about the Channel Islands National Park, the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, the Los Padres National Forest and the city of Santa Barbara. Interpretive displays about Chumash culture, Spanish explorers, missionaries and American ranchers are available. A spectacular mosaic tiled floor depicts the Channel Islands, the Marine Sanctuary, the Rainbow Bridge legend and flowers that are native to the islands.
Located in the bustling Waterfront of Santa Barbara's working harbor, the visitor center offers one of the best views of the city, beaches, harbor, mountains, wharf and islands. The center is open 7 days a week from 11 AM to 5 PM.
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| The Ty Warner Sea Center |
| The Ty Warner Sea Center is an interactive marine education center located on Stearns Wharf. Owned and operated by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Sea Center connects people to the marine environment through interactive exhibits and programs.
At the sea center, you can enjoy a living beach, a bio lab, a submerged science lab, a marine mammal mezzanine, live tide pool animal encounters and much more. The center is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM and closed on major holidays. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for teens and seniors and $4 for children. |
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| Santa Barbara Mission |
| At Santa Barbara Mission, you get a look at the evolution of this city. Founded in 1786, it was the tenth of 21 Franciscan missions in California. This is where it all began for Santa Barbara and it continues to be a focal point of cultural and religious activity. Called the “Queen of the Missions” for its graceful beauty, the mission is one of the most beautiful in the state and offers real historic insight. Still functioning as a church, its building is neoclassical in style, utilizing decorative devices and features from the times of the Roman Empire, resembling the ones in Mexican countryside.
The museum is home to a wealth of a varied collection of colonial art. Most of these works belong to the baroque or neoclassical eras, and a majority of these was imported from Mexico and South America. Many events are scheduled at the Mission itself. Self-guided tours are held daily from 9 AM – 5 PM. Docent tours can be arranged on request for schools and other groups. The tours cost $4 for adults and begin from the gift shop. |
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| Santa Barbara Museum of Art |
| The museum houses the permanent collections of 19th century French, British and American art, 20th century and contemporary European, North American and Latin American Art, Asian Art, classical antiquities, photography, prints and drawings. Established in 1941, one of the nation's outstanding regional museums, Santa Barbara Museum of Art features a combination of special and permanent exhibits.
Children can enjoy at their interactive gallery. Daily tours are also held at 12 noon and 1 PM. The museum also houses cafe and museum store. The museum remains closed on Mondays and is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 AM to 5 PM. Admission for adults is $9, seniors $7, students with ID $6, youth (6-17) $6 and children under 6 for free.
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| Historical Society Museum |
| Unravel Santa Barbara’s colorful past right from the Native American age to the modern times, depicted through permanent and changing exhibits. The Historical Society also has 2 historic homes tours - Fernald Mansion (tours every Saturday at 1 PM and 2 PM) and Trussell-Winchester Adobe (tours every Saturday from 1 PM - 3 PM and Sunday 12 noon - 5 PM). Charges for adults are $5 and children (under 17) $1. Free guided tours are held on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 PM, while donations are expected. Open from Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM and on Sunday from 12 noon – 5 PM and is closed on Mondays. |
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| El Presidio de Santa Barbara |
| One of the most interesting and significant places of Santa Barbara, El Presidio de Santa Barbara, is an epitome of unprecedented beauty and intricacy. Founded in 1782, Santa Barbara Royal Presidio was the last of the 4 military fortresses, built by the Spanish along the wilderness boundary. The sites of an active archeological dig, most of the buildings present today are thoroughly researched reconstructions. Guided tours can be arranged by contacting the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation. The site is open daily from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. A $4 donation is requested as an entry fee. |
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| Casa de La Guerra |
| Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Casa de La Guerra is a city landmark. Built in 1817, it was a center of civic, political and even social affairs. Take a glimpse of the early Santa Barbara life, as you check out the various exhibits. It opens Thursday through Sunday from Noon to 4 PM. Entrance is free with paid admission to the El Presidio de Santa Barbara. Children 16 and under are free. |
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| The Maritime Museum |
| Filled with artifacts, displays and history of the impact of the sea on local inhabitants, the maritime museum is located right on the waterfront. Even a look through the periscope is worth the admission charge to the museum. Opening hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day are 11 AM to 6 PM and from Labor Day to Memorial Day are 11 AM to 5 PM. Admission charges are: adults - $6, youth (6 – 17) - $3, children (1 – 5) - $1, infants (under 12 months) - free, seniors (62+) - $3, students (with ID) - $3 and families (up to 5 persons) - $15. The 3rd Thursday of every month entry is free to the public. |
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| Wine Tours and Tasting |
| Currently there are almost 200 wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms in the county and the number grows each month. Tasting rooms are located in Stearns Wharf, Grand Avenue and Alamo Pintado Avenue. Professionally guided tours are available through the wineries of Santa Ynez Mountains and Foxen Trail. Enjoy the Vintner’s Festival held on the third weekend of April each year in the Santa Ynez Valley. |
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