6 Things to Do in Santa Barbara for the Perfect California Weekend
Santa Barbara is what a lot of people picture when they think of California. White stucco buildings with red tile roofs, mountains right behind the beach and palm trees along the shore. It’s only about two hours north of Los Angeles, but it feels a lot slower.
In this guide
It’s also small enough to see the highlights in a weekend without rushing. These are the six things I’d put first, plus a simple plan for fitting them in.
1. Climb the Santa Barbara County Courthouse
This might be the most beautiful government building in the country. The Santa Barbara County Courthouse was finished in 1929 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, with hand-painted ceilings, tiled staircases and a huge sunken garden out front.
The best part is free. Take the elevator or stairs up to the El Mirador clock tower for a 360-degree view of the city’s red roofs, the ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains. Free docent tours run most days, and the Mural Room alone is worth the stop.
2. Visit the Old Mission
Old Mission Santa Barbara was founded in 1786 and is often called the Queen of the Missions. Its pink-and-cream facade with two bell towers is one of the most photographed buildings in California.
You can tour the church, the gardens and the cemetery on a self-guided visit. Afterward, walk across the street to the Mission Rose Garden. It’s free and full of roses for much of the year. Then sit on the lawn for a bit. Nobody’s in a hurry here.
3. Walk Stearns Wharf and the beach
Stearns Wharf has been reaching out into the Pacific since 1872. It’s the oldest working wharf in California, and today it has seafood shacks, a few shops and a small sea center. You can walk the whole thing in 20 minutes.
From there, walk east along the beach path toward East Beach. It’s flat, easy and lined with palms. On Sundays, local artists set up along Cabrillo Boulevard. If you want to get on the water, rent a bike, a kayak or a paddleboard near the harbor.
4. Taste wine in the Funk Zone
The Funk Zone is a few blocks of old warehouses between the beach and downtown, now filled with tasting rooms, breweries, murals and restaurants. It’s part of the Urban Wine Trail, so you can taste wines from Santa Barbara County without driving anywhere.
Most tasting rooms charge a small fee for a flight, sometimes waived if you buy a bottle. Pace yourself, eat something in between, and don’t try to do them all. Two or three is plenty for one afternoon.
5. Tour Lotusland
Lotusland is a 37-acre garden in Montecito, created by opera singer Ganna Walska over four decades. It’s genuinely strange and wonderful: a blue garden, a cactus garden, a topiary zoo, giant aloes and ponds full of lotus flowers.
Visits are by reservation only, usually on guided tours, and the garden closes in the winter months. Book a few weeks ahead if you can. It’s one of those places people talk about for years.
▶ Watch This Before You Go
6. Take a half-day trip to Solvang
Solvang is a small town in the Santa Ynez Valley, about 45 minutes away, founded by Danish settlers in 1911. It has windmills, half-timbered buildings and bakeries selling aebleskiver, a round Danish pancake.
Yes, it’s a little kitschy. That’s half the fun. The drive over San Marcos Pass is beautiful, and the surrounding wine country is full of tasting rooms. If you’ve seen the film Sideways, this is where it was set.
A simple weekend plan
Saturday: Start at the Courthouse in the morning, then walk State Street for lunch and shopping. Head to the Funk Zone in the afternoon and finish with dinner by the harbor.
Sunday: Visit the Old Mission early, then walk Stearns Wharf and the beach. If you’ve booked Lotusland, go in the afternoon. Otherwise, drive to Solvang for a late lunch on the way home.
Where to eat
Santa Barbara punches well above its size for food. For something casual, the fish tacos at La Super-Rica Taqueria were famously Julia Child’s favorite, and the line proves people still agree. It’s cash-friendly, cheap and very simple. Don’t expect much in the way of décor.
On Saturday mornings, the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market sets up downtown and is one of the best in the state. Grab fruit, pastries and a coffee and eat on the go. For a sit-down dinner, the harbor has fresh seafood with boats bobbing right outside, and the Funk Zone has plenty of good small plates to go with all that wine.
Getting there
Most people drive up Highway 101 from Los Angeles, which takes about two hours without traffic. Leave early on a Friday or you’ll sit in it. The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is a relaxing alternative: it runs right along the ocean for long stretches and drops you a few blocks from State Street. Santa Barbara also has a small airport with direct flights from several West Coast cities.
Where to stay
Downtown and the waterfront are the easiest bases, since you can walk to almost everything above. Hotels near the beach are pricey, especially in summer. For better rates, look a little inland, or try Goleta or Carpinteria nearby. Montecito is beautiful but very expensive.
When to go
Santa Barbara’s weather is mild all year. Fall is a great time to visit: the summer crowds are gone, the ocean is at its warmest and harvest season fills the wine country. Late spring can bring a gray marine layer in the mornings, which locals call May Gray and June Gloom.
Common questions
Is a weekend enough for Santa Barbara?
Yes. Two days covers the main sights. Add a third if you want a full day in wine country.
Do I need a car?
Not for downtown, the beach and the Funk Zone. You’ll want one for Lotusland, Solvang and the wine country.
Is Santa Barbara expensive?
Hotels are. Many of the best things, like the Courthouse tower, the beach and the rose garden, are free.
Can I swim at the beaches?
Yes, though the water stays cool. East Beach and Butterfly Beach are popular and easy to reach.
Is Santa Barbara good for couples?
It’s one of the most romantic small cities in California, especially for a wine-and-beach weekend.
