Getting to Santa Barbara
Easy Access
Come by plane, train or automobile-Santa Barbara is easy to get to, and as you'll soon discover, not so easy to leave!
Road-trippers will arrive via Highway 101. This stretch of the 101 (aka Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway) passes right through Santa Barbara and dishes out plenty of views to thrill.
Another thrilling view: an aerial of the exquisite Santa Barbara coastline. Our easy-going Spanish-style airport welcomes jet-setters. Flights from Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix and other major hubs land here daily. Or you can fly into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), just 90 miles away, and catch a ride on an Airbus shuttle or rent a car to drive up the coast.
Prefer to travel by rail? No problem. Amtrak trains stop here several times a day, just a few blocks from the beach and downtown.
No worries if you don't have a car. It's super-easy to get around. Hop on a battery-electric shuttle or MTD bus, rent a bike or teeny electric car, or just tour on foot. We're one of the nation's green transportation leaders-visit www.SantaBarbaraCarFree.org to find out more.
Be forewarned-however you arrive, you might drag your feet when it comes time to go home. So keep your return tickets safe. Or maybe you can change the date...
Transportation Details
By Car
From the south or north, follow U.S. Highway 101 and the Pacific Coast Highway, which become the same road at various stages. Santa Barbara is just a 90-mile drive (144 km) from Los Angeles; we recommend taking the scenic route along Highway 1 via Malibu. From San Francisco, we're just 325 miles (523 km) down the road. Again, if you have time, take the slower route along two-lane Highway One through Big Sur and Cambria to gaze at stunning views along the way-this section of the PCH is one of the nation's most famous drives. But those views are just a prelude of what lies ahead. Santa Barbara's scenery rivals the best on the planet.
By Rail
Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner travels 12 times daily between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. The Coast Starlight journeys daily between Los Angeles and Seattle, with stops in Oakland/San Francisco, Sacramento and Portland. Both trains stop at the Amtrak station in downtown Santa Barbara at 209 State Street. The Pacific Surfliner also stops in Carpinteria, Goleta, Guadalupe, Santa Maria and Surf/Lompoc.
By Air
Fly nonstop to the Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) from Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, OR (seasonally), San Francisco, and Seattle via five commercial airlines. It's just 10 miles north of downtown. Connect through Los Angeles International Airport or San Francisco International Airport for one-stop international access.
Commercial Airlines
Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air 800.252.7522, alaskaair.com
American Airlines 800.433.7300, aa.com
United Airlines 800.241.6522, united.com
US Airways 800.428.4322, usairways.com
Frontier Airlines 800.432.1359, frontierairlines.com
Air Charters
Santa Barbara Executive Jet 877.359.7235, flysbej.com
Sun West Charter 800.293.2437, flysunwest.com
Airport Shuttles
American International Transportation Services
Chauffeured transportation from Santa Barbara Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport, plus six other airports and ports in California.
Roadrunner Shuttle and Limousine Service
This service travels from Santa Barbara Airport to Carpinteria, Goleta, Montecito and Santa Barbara. It also travels from Los Angeles International Airport to Carpinteria, Goleta, Montecito and Santa Barbara. Other cities available; reservations required. 800.247.7919, rrshuttle.com
The airbus shuttles between Los Angeles International Airport and Carpinteria, Goleta and Santa Barbara 14 times a day. The bus also partners with Coast Flyer to provide service to Buellton, Santa Maria, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo.
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