Los Carneros County Park
Los Carneros Rd. at Calle Real
Goleta CA,
805-568-2461

Santa Barbara County Courthouse
1100 Anacapa St. at Anapamu St.
(805) 962-6464
Mon-Fri 8 AM to 5 PM
Sat & Sun 9 AM to 5 PM
Tours Mon- Sat at 2 PM, & Fri 10:30 AM and 2PM
Free hour-long guided tours are offered.
Free admission.
Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a magnificent Spanish-Moorish structure is one of the most photographed landmarks in the city. Completed in 1929 (fortuitously just before the stock market crash), the ornate structure features hand painted ceilings, a spiral staircase, wrought iron chandeliers, imported tiles, carved doors and beautiful historical murals.

Santa Barbara Harbor and Breakwater
Cabrillo Blvd. west of Castillo St.
7 Days/Week
Admission Free
You'll find everything from rowboats to expensive yachts tied up at the harbor, which is nestled inside a protective breakwater. Watch the boats come in, observe windsurfers offshore, browse the shops or visit one of the harbor's restaurants. The breakwater, constructed in 1924, is paved and wide enough to accommodate a whole family. At the east end of the harbor is Sea Landing, where the seagoing Condor departs for seasonal whale-watching excursions.

Santa Barbara Historical Society/Museum
136 E. De La Guerra
Santa Barbara CA, 93101
805-966-1601
Tues-Sat 10:00am-5:00pm, Sun 12:00pm-4:00pm
Guided tour offered Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 PM.
Admission Free, but a donation is appreciated.
Art, textiles, furniture, clothing and other artifacts from Santa Barbara's rich multicultural past have been preserved in this complex of adobe structures under the auspices of the Santa Barbara Historical Society. Step back in time as you view the collected remnants of the area's Spanish, Mexican and American periods, or stroll the inner courtyard, which seems far removed from the busy streets that surround the museum and adjacent historical adobes The Gledhill Library, on the museum grounds, houses an impressive collection of books, maps and photographs chronicling Santa Barbara's history. 10 - 4 Tues. - Fri.; 10- 1 the first Saturday of the month. An hourly library research fee is charged for persons who are not members of the Historical Society.

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta Del Sol Road
Santa Barbara CA, 93105
805-682-4711
Mon-Sat 9:00am-5:00pm, Sun 10:00am-5:00pm
Admission charged.
Admission is free to all on the first Sunday of each month. nominal charge in addition to the museum admission fee for planetarium shows. Tucked inconspicuously among the oaks in Mission Canyon, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is thought by many to be one of the most beautiful small museums in the country. Founded in 1916 on the banks of Mission Creek, the low-roofed, Spanish-style structure includes several exhibit halls dedicated to the study of California and Santa Barbara County natural history.

Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens
805-962-5339
500 Ninos Drive
Santa Barbara CA, 93103
Open every day (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 10 - 5 ( ticket sales end at 4) Mon-Sun 10-5
Admission charged.
A year's family membership of $45 provides a quarterly newsletter, discounts on education programs and the Gift Shop and free admission to dozens of other zoos across the country (including the Los Angeles Zoo). Over the years the zoo has added an impressive number of new animals and exhibits, and it continues to be dedicated to preserving a quality environment for both visitors and the zoo's permanent residents. More than 700 animals currently reside at the zoo, which hosts more than a half-million visitors every year.

Sea Center
805-963-1067
The Andree Clark Bird Refuge (1400 E. Cabrillo Blvd.) is home to water and land loving birds of all kinds. Especially interesting are the rare species of grackles and wood ducks. Observation platforms and educational signs enhance the bird watching. A walkway and bike path allow exploration. A drive through the exclusive residential neighborhood of Hope Ranch (west of the city) along palm lined Las Palmas Drive passes secluded luxurious homes, miles of bridle paths, a private country club and golf course, and Laguna Blanca, its private lake.

Arlington Center for the Performing Arts
1317 State St.
(805) 963-4408
The Arlington Center is one of Santa Barbara's most beloved performance venues, and both its name and its location speak volumes about Santa Barbara history. In 1875 the site was occupied by the tony Arlington Hotel, a magnet for the rich and famous of the day, including several presidents, movie stars, military heroes and foreign guests. In 1909, however, a fire of undetermined origin burned the hotel to the ground. A "new" Arlington was built on the site, but it never quite lived up to the original and was razed in 1925.

El Paseo
15 E. De la Guerra St.
(805) 965-0093
Browsing is free anytime at El Paseo, but most shops and galleries don't open until 10 AM. Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture is shown off beautifully in El Paseo, a small shopping complex (reportedly America's first "shopping center") built in the 1920s around the historic De la Guerra adobe. The adobe was built between 1819 and 1826 by Jose de la Guerra y Noriega, who was at the time commander of El Presidio de Santa Barbara. De la Guerra and his wife, Doņa Maria Antonia, raised 12 children here, and the house was the social center of Santa Barbara for years.-includes shops, galleries and restaurants. The main entrance is on the 800 block of State Street, but access is also available on De la Guerra and Anacapa streets.

El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
123 E. Canon Perdido St.
(805) 966-9719
Daily 10:30 - 4:30
Admission free.
In the middle of bustling downtown Santa Barbara is a nearly block-long complex of stark buildings that represent the city's beginnings. Founded in 1782 by Lieutenant Jose Francisco de Ortega, the Royal Presidio was the last military outpost of the Spanish Empire in the New World. Visits to the site are self-guided, although groups may call to arrange a docent led tour. A 15 minute slide show is well worth seeing, and a scale model of the Presidio offers a detailed look at life in Spanish California.

Fernald Mansion
414 W. Montecito St.
(805) 966-1601
Open on the first Sunday of the month from 2 - 4
Admission Free
Situated next door to the Trussell-Winchester Adobe, the 14 room Fernald Mansion is one of the few Victorian style homes preserved in Santa Barbara. An example of the traditional "gingerbread" Victorian, the gabled mansion was built in 1826 by local lawman Charles Fernald for his wife, Hannah.
The mansion was originally located on lower Santa Barbara Street, but was moved to the Montecito Street address, where it is now operated as a museum by the Santa Barbara Historical Society. The Fernald family's furnishings and personal effects are of interest, as are the hand carved ornamentation, staircase and wainscoting.

Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum
21 W. Anapamu St.
(805) 962-5322
Daily 10 - 4
Admission Free
A small museum dedicated to the showing of historical documents, the Karpeles has a significant collection of rare manuscripts from such authors as H.G. Wells, Mark Twain, Sir Author Conan Doyle and John Steinbeck. Exhibits revolve periodically, so you may see new documents each time you visit. Occasionally, the museum hosts special events such as the recent exhibition on Anne Frank and the rise of Hitler.

Lobero Theatre Foundation
33 E. Canon Perdido Street
Santa Barbara CA, 93101
805-966-4946
M-F 9:00am-5:00pm
Admission charged. Please call for prices.
When Jose Lobero set out to build his dream opera house in Santa Barbara, he had the financial backing and the necessary artistic flair, but he made a mistake when he chose the neighborhood. The opera house opened on February 22, 1873 (with the premiere performance of an opera written by Lobero), and Santa Barbarans came in droves, but soon business declined. The theater had been built in what was then (not now) the site of Chinese opium dens. Eventually, Lobero lost the theater and committed suicide, and the building was razed in 1923. The elaborate Spanish-style theater that occupies the site today was built in 1924 and named in Lobero's honor. It currently serves as home to the Lobero Stage Company, the Santa Barbara Grand Opera and the venue for countless other community events and performances. The neighborhood is charming and the theater is extremely popular. Tours are available by appointment only.

Mission Santa Barbara
2201 Laguna St.
(805) 682-4713
Open seven days a week 9 - 5
Admission charged. Adults $3 Children 16 and younger, Free.
Known as the "Queen of the Missions" for its beauty and hilltop setting, Mission Santa Barbara was the 10th of California's 21 missions founded by Franciscan friars and is the only one that has been continuously occupied by the Franciscan order since its founding.
It was dedicated in 1820. The second bell tower was added more than a decade later. Reportedly inspired by a drawing of a church designed by the Roman architect M. Vitruvius Polion in the first century B.C., Mission Santa Barbara has strongly influenced the architectural style of the city, with its thick adobe walls, tiled roof and floors, and open courtyards. Inside, rooms are preserved in the style of the 1700s, with artifacts and displays relating to early mission life. The self-guided tour includes eight rooms, the cloister gardens, the chapel, the cemetery and the beautiful Moorish fountain and courtyard. A gift shop near the entrance sells religious items and educational materials on Santa Barbara and the California missions.

Moreton Bay Fig Tree
Chapala St. at U.S. Hwy. 101
The Moreton Bay Fig Tree is always open, and there is no admission fee.
The Moreton Bay Fig Tree was planted on July 4, 1876, by a young girl who had been given the seedling by a sailor fresh off the boat from Australia. A year later, when the girl moved away, she gave the little tree to a friend, who transplanted it to its current location. In 1961 the Parks Department measured the tree and announced that more than 16,000 people could stand in the shade beneath the 21,000 square feet covered by its outstretched branches.

Old Spanish Days Carriage Museum
129 Castillo St.
(805) 962-2353
Mon-Fri 9 AM to 3 PM
Sun 2-4
Admission Free, but a donation to the nonprofit museum is appreciated.
When Santa Barbara's historic carriages and stagecoaches are not making their annual appearance in the Old Spanish Days parade they're housed at this museum, which contains one of the most extensive collections of antique carriages in the country. You'll see a variety of horse drawn carriages, many owned by early Santa Barbara families and restored by the museum. There's also an impressive collection of saddles, a horse drawn fire truck, an antique hearse and an old wine cask cart.

Painted Cave
About 12 miles northwest of downtown.
painted Cave road goes north from Highway 154
A dirt path leads to the cave; watch for the sign on Painted Cave Road off E. Camino Cielo Road A peek into the culture of the Chumash Indians, Santa Barbara's first residents, has been preserved in this ancient 22 foot deep cave, which contains brightly colored pictographs from pre-Columbian times. Unfortunately, the other Stone Age artifacts found in the cave including arrowheads, axes and baskets were removed by vandals in the 1870s. The rock paintings remain intact, now protected by a locked metal screen. take a flashlight in order to see the pictures clearly, as it is dark in the cave.

Contemporary Arts Forum (Paseo Nuevo)
2nd floor, 805-966-5373),
founded in 1976, hosts innovative modern art exhibits and performances. Local, national, and international artists display their work in several shows throughout the year. Chase Palm Park is a favorite of visitors, who come for the beautiful palm trees, the ideal picnic setting, and the The three-gallery space also offers classes, lectures, readings, and discussions.

Red Tile Walking Tour
Downtown
(805) 965-3021
Called the "Red Tile Tour" because of the red tiled roofs on Santa Barbara's oldest buildings, this 12 block, self-guided tour provides an insight into local history. Pick up a map at the Beachfront Information Center (1 Santa Barbara Street at Cabrillo Boulevard), then go to the Santa Barbara County Courthouse downtown to start the walking tour. The route passes some of the oldest adobes in Santa Barbara and also the Historical Museum, El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, and the architecturally interesting Public Library, Main Post Office, Museum of Art and Lobero Theatre. It concludes back at the courthouse.Walk anytime, but check the hours of the historic parks and museums to make sure they'll be open.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
1212 Mission Canyon Rd.
(805) 682-4726
Mon-Fri 9 AM to 4 PM
Sat & Sun 9 AM to 5 PM
Admission charged. Children younger than 5 are admitted free.
The 65 acres that make up the Botanic Garden provide the perfect setting for the study of native California flora. More than 5 miles of trails stretch along the banks of upper Mission Creek and through the garden's meadows and canyons, which are planted with wildflowers, cacti, oak, sycamore trees and more than 1,000 species of rare and indigenous plants. There's an entire section is devoted to flora found on the Santa Barbara Channel Islands as well as a forest of redwood trees and display areas on the California desert and mountains.

Sea Center
211 Stearns Wharf
(805) 962-0885
12 to 5 PM Mon-Fri from September through May
10 AM to 5 PM Mon-Fri June through Labor Day
Admission charged. Children 2 and younger are admitted free
Members of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History also enjoy free admission, and museum memberships can be purchased at the Sea Center Operated by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Sea Center is the city's "window on the Santa Barbara Channel." Especially popular with children is the outside Touch Tank filled with saltwater creatures such as starfish and sea urchins just waiting to be examined close-up by curious eyes and hands. There are also exhibits with adult appeal, including life-size models of California gray whales, a diving marine birds exhibit and other displays on the Channel's ecology.

Stearns Wharf
State St. and Cabrillo Blvd.
When Santa Barbara lumberman John Stearns completed his namesake pier in 1872, he could hardly have imagined that more than 100 years later it would be the most visited landmark in town. For decades after its completion (it was then the longest deep water pier between Los Angeles and San Francisco) the wharf was used for loading and unloading freight and passengers, but in 1941 the Harbor Restaurant was built, marking the beginning of the wharf's transition into a tourist attraction.
Today its seaside location, restaurants, shops and festive atmosphere draw visitors by the thousands. There is limited parking on the wharf itself but there are nearby public lots on Cabrillo Boulevard one half mile from the end of the pier.

Stow House
304 N. Los Carneros Rd.
(805) 964-4407
Open for 30 minute guided tours 2 to 4 PM Sat & Sun except during January
A $2 donation is requested.
The Stow House, a restored Victorian home built in the 1870s, is the oldest frame home in Goleta and is filled with furniture, clothing, kitchenware and other items from the period. Special period decorations are added at Christmas. A blacksmith's shop and other small outbuildings have also been preserved.
The grounds are lovely, with various exotic plantings (many labeled) and a wide expanse of shaded lawn that is often used for special events such as weddings, an annual Fourth of July celebration and other community events. Lake Los Carneros, a small artificial lake located east of the house, is a popular site for walking or birding.

Trussell-Winchester Adobe
412 W. Montecito St.
(805) 966-1601
Open first Sunday of each month 2 and 4 pm
Free, but donations are appreciated.
In 1853 the sidewheel steamer Winfield Scott sank off Anacapa Island. Her captain, Horatio Trussell, salvaged a ridge pole from her mast as well as other useful timber and brass and used the objects along with adobe bricks in the construction of this home, built in 1854.

Whale Watching
Whale watching in the Santa Barbara Channel is one of the most popular family recreational activities in town. Several local companies offer trips from December to April, when California gray whales migrate along the coast.

Andree Clark Bird Refuge
1400 E. Cabrillo Blvd.
Free.
This peaceful lagoon and garden sits north of East Beach. Bike trails and footpaths, marked by signs identifying native and migratory birds, skirt the lagoon.

East Beach
1118 Cabrillo Blvd
805/965-0509
The wide band of sand at the east end of Cabrillo Boulevard has sand volleyball courts, summertime lifeguard and sports competitions, and arts and crafts shows on Sunday and holidays. Showers (bring your own towels), lockers, and beach rentals and even a weight room are provided at the Cabrillo Pavilion Bathhouse. Next to the boathouse, there's an elaborate jungle-gym play area for children.

South Coast Railroad Museum
300 N. Los Carneros Rd.
(805) 964-3540
1 - 4 PM Wed - Sunday.
Admission is by donation.
The Old Goleta Depot, built in 1901, has been restored on this site, adjacent to the Stow House. The museum is very small, but includes railroad memorabilia, photos and a 300 foot model railroad. Films are shown in the theater room. You can send a telegram or climb aboard the real caboose displayed on tracks outside. A display loved by children is the miniature train that circles the depot and offers rides Wednesday and Friday 2- 3:30 and Saturday and Sunday 1:15 - 3:45. A small museum shop sells gifts and educational materials with a railroad theme.

Sightseeing Tours

Personal Tours Ltd.
(805) 685-0552
well established Santa Barbara company that offers in depth public and private tours Three-hour public tours are offered Saturday and Sunday, June through October. Call for rates. Limited to 14 passengers in an air-conditioned van, the tour combines a look at Santa Barbara's history, architecture, gardens, tourist attractions and waterfront and Local specialty tours include a wine tasting tour to the Santa Ynez Valley, a Montecito estates and gardens tour, a Santa Barbara gardens tour, a Santa Barbara fine arts tour and a waterfront wine tasting and dinner tour that ends with a gourmet meal at the Wine Cask restaurant. All tours require reservations in advance.

Santa Barbara Trolley Company
120 State St.
(805) 965-0353
The trolley operates seven days a week, with tours departing from Stearns Wharf at 10 and 11:30 AM and 1, 2:30 and 4 PM.
Call for rates
The 30-passenger Santa Barbara Trolley takes a 90-minute narrated tour of the city, with a 15-minute stop at Mission Santa Barbara This is the only scheduled stop, but there are five tours daily, and you can get off and explore on your own anytime you want, then get back aboard when another trolley comes by.

The Osprey
Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, Santa Barbara County Park Department
(Star Route, Santa Barbara 93105
805/688-4658
Eagle and wildlife watching excursions take place on the Osprey, a 48-ft cruiser that cruises on Cachuma Lake, a 20-minute drive from Solvang and a 40-minute drive from Santa Barbara. Call for further information.