While group gatherings can be productive, boardrooms and banquet halls can stifle the fun and creativity right out of any meeting. To make them more interesting, Santa Barbara has paired up the latest emerging meeting trends with unique experiences found only in The American Riviera®. Complemented by an ideal, year-round Mediterranean climate, unending outdoor adventure opportunities, and inclusive lodging options that range from affordable to luxury resort, these ideas will have you looking to Santa Barbara for your next off-site meeting or event for groups ranging in size from 10 – 1,200 people:
Non-Traditional Spaces
Infuse Santa Barbara’s history into your programming with an event at the Santa Barbara Courthouse Mural Room or the Adobe Courtyard at the Santa Barbara Historical Society Museum. Or, emerge your meeting in the natural world by gathering at the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens, Santa Barbara Zoo, or Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center. Add a touch of elegance with an evening at the Santa Barbara Polo Club or Music Academy of the West. For a true Santa Barbara signature event, many of our 200+ wineries have charming and unique event spaces customizable to your specific needs.
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The fantastic Spanish-Moorish style mural room in the Santa Barbara Courthouse delights the eye with exuberant displays of brilliant colored tiles and cinematic murals in some of its historic rooms.
Photo Credit: Mark Weber
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The endless ocean views at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center will wow your guests.
Photo Credit: Blake Bronstad, Courtesy of Stearns Wharf Merchants Association
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Frolic through the trees at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
Photo Credit: Cecilia Rosell
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In addition to spa experiences, Salt Cave Santa Barbara offers unique classes to benefit the mind and body.
Photo Credit: Salt Cave Santa Barbara
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Wander the unique and majestic gardens of Ganna Walska Lotusland.
Hands-on Experiences
Today’s attendees don’t just want to be at an event, they want to be part of the event itself. Consider olive oil blending, creating a signature fragrance at a scent bar, painting in a vineyard, or learning about beekeeping at an apiary. Mixology classes with trendy bartenders or farmer’s market forays culminating in cooking classes will excite the foodies in your group. For the more adventurous, sailing regattas, golf cart polo, or sea cave kayaking at the Channel Islands National Park all promise an experience not soon forgotten.
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Group surfing along Santa Barbara's pristine coastline.
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Set sail in Santa Barbara with your next group gathering.
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Hands on mixology and cooking classes are a Santa Barbara specialty.
Health and Wellness
Wellness isn’t a trend in Santa Barbara—it’s a way of life. It’s regionally-sourced cuisine, inspiring outdoor landscapes and abundant purveyors of all things wellness. One can go from yoga on the beach to hiking in the mountains in less than 20 minutes. For group wellness programming beyond the traditional spa experience, Santa Barbara offers a Himalayan salt cave, cat therapy interacting with friendly felines, or Shinrin-Yoku (“Forest Bathing”) in a variety of tranquil gardens and natural spaces.
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Yoga alfresco.
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Make the most of your time in Santa Barbara with ocean-side massages.
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Meet in Santa Barbara
Extraordinary moments call for spectacular settings.
Looking to host a meeting in Santa Barbara? Our Sales Department is your one-stop shop when it comes to planning a memorable meeting or gathering in Santa Barbara.
