Things To Do
Douglas Family Preserve
Douglas Family Preserve is our favorite place in Santa Barbara. It’s where we got engaged! The preserve is located on bluffs overlooking the ocean and, in May, is filled with colorful wildflowers and greenery.
Butterfly Beach
Along the cliffs of Montecito, Butterfly beach is one of Olivia's favorite beaches. Make sure you go at low tide, otherwise there will be no place to sit.
East Beach
At the end of the Lower State Street promenade and adjacent to the pier, East Beach is Santa Barbara's most famous beach. You can walk on a sidewalk along the palm trees, play beach volleyball, or just sit and enjoy the sound of the waves.
Shoreline Park
Shoreline Park is a great place to walk or picnic while overlooking the ocean. There are playgrounds, picnic tables, and sidewalks.
Old Mission Santa Barbara 1786
The Old Santa Barbara Mission is one of Santa Barbara's most well-known attractions. In front of the Mission is a large lawn area and historic rose garden. It's great for picnics, throwing a frisbee, playing spikeball, or simply enjoying the scenery.
Lower State Street Promenade
Lower State Street is the main downtown area of Santa Barbara. Much of the street is closed off to traffic and is lined with shops and restaurants. A couple of our favorite places here are: Tondi Gelato, Sama Sama, Bibi Ji, The Blue Owl, Santa Barbara Public Market, Los Arroyos, and Savoy Cafe.
Santa Barbara Farmers Market
Saturday 8 AM - 1 PM (other times in other locations) Olivia visited this market almost every Saturday while she lived in Santa Barbara. Peruse the stands to find amazing fresh produce, nut butters, meats, and more! There’s also a Tuesday afternoon market in a similar area and others in different locations around the region if Saturday morning before the wedding isn’t convenient.
La Cumbre Peak Day Use Area
30-45 Minute Drive We went here on a date. It’s a windy, steep drive up but, at the top there's a beautiful view looking down on Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean from 4,000 feet. In July there was a lot of flies but if there aren't any in May this is a great spot for an evening picnic or even a short walk. We highly recommend taking the drive up, blasting some tunes on the way.
Los Olivos
45 Minute Drive This is a quaint city near Santa Barbara. We went here with Zig and Kathryn to rent electric bikes, bike around the countryside (Pedego Electric Bikes Los Olivos), and do an olive oil tasting. There are also many area vineyard wine tasting locations.
Malibu
1.5 to 2 Hour Drive Between LAX and Santa Barbara take Highway 1 by Malibu. Point Dume, Sandy Dune, and the Getty Villa are all great stops along the way.
Los Angeles
1.5 to 3 Hour Drive Kyle spent a summer here and enjoyed: the Getty Museum, Pasadena, Rodeo Blvd, and other LA LA Land activities like sitting in traffic. Disneyland and Hollywood Studios are close.
Big Sur
3-4 Hour Drive Drive up Highway 1 and take in the beautiful California coast. Many spots to stop along the way including elephant seals, a waterfall falling into the ocean (McWay Falls), and many more vistas.
Joshua Tree National Park
4-5 Hour Drive Cool trees, big rocks and hot dessert. Camp and you'll have amazing views of the stars.
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
5-6 Hour Drive Huge trees and big mountains, what else could you ask for? It's well worth the drive over if you have some extra days.
Yosemite National Park
5-6 Hour Drive You've heard of it. We don't need to explain how cool it is. The only thing we need to say here is that it's just 5-6 hours from Santa Barbara!