Things To Do
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
A beautiful place to see all sorts of native plants ~ the bride and groom frequently visited here with their little pooch, Boots, in 2022 when they had a seasons pass. Reservations are required for the summertime, but can often be made at the entrance of the garden. Parking can be challenging on the weekend.
State Street
State Street in Santa Barbara hosts countless shops, restaurants, microbreweries, and wine tasting rooms. The most popular stretch of State Street, spanning from Victoria Street to Haley Street is primarily blocked off for pedestrians and bikes, making it a nice place to walk around and explore what downtown Santa Barbara has to offer.
Superior Court Of California County Of Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara Courthouse showcases classic Spanish Colonial architecture while having beautiful surrounding vegetation including the Sunken Gardens. With close proximity to downtown Santa Barbara and State Street, it is certainly worth a visit! Consider checking out the interior and even going up the clock tower where you can see panoramic views of the city.
Goleta Monarch Butterfly Grove at Ellwood Mesa
This grove of Eucalyptus trees offers habitat for wildlife including monarch butterflies! Although the monarch butterflies may not always be active in the grove, we consider Ellwood Mesa and the Butterfly Grove as top-tier, off-the-beaten-path places to visit. Other nearby attractions to look into include: Coal Oil Point Reserve, North Campus Open Space, and Sands Beach. Since these spots were in close proximity to the university and Isla Vista (the college town that Ariana and Joe called home from 2020-2022), we visited them many times in the past!
Santa Barbara Farmers Market // Saturday
Occurring at 8a-1pm on Saturdays, the local Farmer's Market is one of Ariana and Joe's favorite locations to visit and buy all sorts of fresh produce grown nearby. Santa Barbara locals frequently go to the Farmer's Market to buy fruits, vegetables, flowers, mushrooms, plants, and more! There is also a smaller Farmer's Market on Sunday morning in Goleta at the Camino Real Marketplace.
Lizards Mouth Rock
With a trailhead about thirty minutes away from Santa Barbara, in the Santa Ynez Mountains with stunning views of the Santa Barbara Channel and the cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta, this short hike is more of a scramble over various large rocks. Along with the hike, the drive up through the San Marcos Pass and onto West Camino Cielo to reach the trailhead boasts breathtaking vistas. We highly recommend this location to those seeking a bit of an adventure when they visit Santa Barbara and as an ideal location to watch the sunset!
Stearns Wharf
Stearn's Wharf is a popular tourist destination in Santa Barbara where you can drive onto the pier; grab seafood, saltwater taffy, or souvenirs; check out the charming Sea Center; and look out for sea lions, harbor seals, dolphins, sail boats, and even whales (in the distance, migrating through the Santa Barbara Channel). The two beaches on either side of the pier, aptly named West Beach and East Beach, are rather popular destinations that offer soft white sand and good swimming. Otherwise, check out the Sunday art walk which starts at the entrance to the pier at Stearn's Wharf and proceeds down Cabrillo Boulevard!
Old Mission Santa Barbara 1786
The Old Mission in Santa Barbara hosts a lovely rose garden, green lawns, and Spanish architecture.