Things to Do in Santa Barbara and Solvang
Red tile roofs, a mission on the hill and wine country just over the mountains.
See top-rated activities »Santa Barbara, the Northern End of a Southern California Road Trip
Santa Barbara is often the last stop heading north on a Southern California road trip, about 95 miles up Highway 101 from downtown Los Angeles, and many travelers wish they had saved more time for it. The city faces south onto the Santa Barbara Channel, with the Santa Ynez Mountains rising right behind it, and after an earthquake in 1925 it rebuilt its downtown in a consistent Spanish Colonial style. White stucco walls, red tile roofs and shaded courtyards now line State Street and the blocks around it.
The Santa Barbara County Courthouse, finished in 1929, is the finest example; you can walk through its tiled halls and climb the clock tower for a free view over the rooftops to the sea. Up the hill, Old Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786, has a twin-towered church, a museum and a rose garden in front. On the waterfront, Stearns Wharf reaches into the harbor with shops, seafood counters and a small sea center, and a beachfront path runs past palm-lined lawns. Between the beach and the freeway, the Funk Zone has turned old warehouses into tasting rooms, breweries and galleries.
Over the San Marcos Pass, the Santa Ynez Valley is a wine region of its own, with tasting rooms in Los Olivos and Los Alamos and pinot noir and chardonnay vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills. Solvang, founded by Danish immigrants in 1911, keeps windmills, half-timbered buildings and bakeries selling aebleskiver. If you are driving the coast, a Southern California road trip can end here or continue north on Highway 1 toward Big Sur. Whale watching boats leave from the Santa Barbara harbor, and Channel Islands National Park, offshore, is reached by boat from Ventura, about 30 miles south.
Don’t Miss
A 1929 Spanish Colonial Revival courthouse with painted ceilings, sunken gardens and a clock tower lookout.
A mission founded in 1786, with a museum, cemetery and self-guided tours of the church and grounds.
A long wooden wharf from 1872 with shops, seafood and the Sea Center, at the foot of State Street.
Warehouse blocks near the beach turned into wine tasting rooms, breweries, galleries and restaurants.
Trails through native California plants in Mission Canyon, including a historic dam and meadow.
A Danish-style village of windmills, bakeries and tasting rooms, about 45 minutes from Santa Barbara.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Santa Barbara
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ViatorTours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 31, 2026. Best in SoCal may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
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Get free trip quotes »Santa Barbara — FAQ
Is Santa Barbara worth a day trip from Los Angeles?
Yes, though it is better as an overnight. In one day you can see the Courthouse, the Mission, State Street and the waterfront; stay longer to add the Funk Zone, wine country or Solvang.
How do you get to Channel Islands National Park?
Park concession boats leave mainly from Ventura Harbor, about 30 miles south of Santa Barbara, with some trips from Oxnard. Book ahead, since crossings are weather dependent and fill up.
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