Know Before you Go

Brush up on your SB expertise with these quick Santa Barbara travel tips — all of which will help you make the most of your time here.

1. Santa Barbara is easy to get to. Distances to SB from other California destinations include:

Hollywood: 89 mi./142 km
LAX: 92 mi./148 km
San Diego: 228 mi./367 km
San Francisco: 332 mi./534 km

2. The weather is second to none. The weather in Santa Barbara is amazing. All. Year. Long. But, don’t forget the sunscreen—Santa Barbara sees an average of 300+ days of sunshine every year.

3. It’s easy to get around. Leave the car at home and opt for a nearby trolley, water taxi, public bus, pedicab, bike path, or airport shuttle.

4. Travel resources abound. If you need help deciding where to start, pick up a FREE Santa Barbara Visitors Magazine at the Santa Barbara Visitors Center. Or sign up for our free enewsletters or follow us on social media for up-to-date info and inspiration.

5. Santa Barbara’s scenery and location are sensational. The city is perfectly situated at the base of the Santa Ynez Mountains, which uniquely run east-to-west before cascading into the Pacific, hence Santa Barbara’s other name, The American Riviera®.

Transportation: Getting To, and Around, Santa Barbara


Accessible Travel


Pet Friendly Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is as friendly for Fido as it is for you. Don’t hesitate to let your four-legged friends join you on your visit to SB; there’s plenty for them to do here, too.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BRINGING YOUR PET TO SANTA BARBARA

Visiting from far away?


Santa Barbara Visitors Center

Located in a traditional adobe building, the Santa Barbara Visitors Center is your go-to resource to maximize your time here.

Santa Barbara Weather
Current Weather
54°F / 12°C

Packing for a visit to Santa Barbara? Grab your sunscreen and ditch your raincoat! Few destinations can match Santa Barbara's near-perfect weather year-round, thanks to our unique, south-facing orientation, protective Channel Islands and ideal position just on the central coast of California.

Learn More About Our Weather