Attractions & Entertainment

Santa Barbara doesn’t skimp on the fun, especially when it comes to attractions and entertainment. From world-renowned gardens and unforgettable animal encounters to energizing live music and hands-on classes and tours, visitors are quick to discover a bevy of must-visit activities.

Gardens

The allure of Santa Barbara is hard to miss when you’re frolicking through the exotic gardens at Lotusland or discovering the wonder of over 1,000 native plants, trees, and flowers at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Take a step back in time at Casa Del Herrero where the flourishing landscape is just the beginning. And most visitors will agree, no trip to Santa Barbara is complete without smelling the roses at Old Mission Santa Barbara.

Zoo and Aquarium

Only in Santa Barbara do the animals get a sparkling, oceanfront view. With the sea in sight, a walk through the lush grounds of the Santa Barbara Zoo offers wild encounters with endangered species. At the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center on Stearns Wharf, get a peek underwater to see local marine life firsthand. For those brave enough, you can even pet a shark!

Live Music

Whether you enjoy indie bands or musical giants, Santa Barbara’s live music scene is hard to beat. With the ocean in sight of all 4,500 seats surrounded by stately oaks and natural rock formations, Santa Barbara Bowl is an intimate and picturesque amphitheater that hosts everyone from classic artists to current sensations.  For indoor venues, the Granada, Arlington, and Lobero Theatres serve up live music and special performances in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Historic Theatre District.

Classes & Tours

Get to know Santa Barbara from the guidance of local experts. Whether you’re a historian, artist, foodie, or adventurer, there’s a tour and class to match your interests. Want to taste local cuisine? Santa Barbara Tasting Tours and Eat This, Shoot That! take visitors on a culinary expedition through Santa Barbara’s tastiest neighborhoods, while Totally Cali Tours offers walking tours that pair local history with local libations. For visitors looking for unique ways to see the sights, Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure transforms Santa Barbara into one big game board.

Attractions & Entertainment in Santa Barbara


Recommended

Eat This, Shoot That! Food and Drink Tours

Santa Barbara Food Tours in The Funk Zone This food & photo tour starts on lower State Street and will walk you through the Funk Zone neighborhood where you will taste what Santa Barbara is known for from bites of fresh seafood, gastropub…


Recommended

MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation

Ignite your mind at MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, Santa Barbara’s one-of-a-kind destination for hands-on scientific and creative experiences. Located in the flourishing Funk Zone neighborhood, MOXI invites kids, families…


Recommended

Santa Barbara Trapeze Co.

Santa Barbara Trapeze Company is Southern California’s premier flying trapeze school, but it’s not just a circus school - it’s a space where you come and find out who you are, and what you are made of; you will leave feeling…


Stearns Wharf

Enjoy the seaside sights and sounds of Stearns Wharf, one of Santa Barbara’s most iconic landmarks. Named for builder John P. Stearns and located at the end of State Street, it is California’s oldest working wharf and the perfect spot…


Free Santa Barbara Walking Tours

Modeled after the tip-based European tours, Free Walking Tour Santa Barbara has been offering their award winning tours to locals and tourists alike since 2017.  Choose the 90-minute Funk Zone Tour and you'll explore…


El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

Explore an 18th-century historic symbol of Santa Barbara—and the many cultures that intersected here—at the site of the last Spanish fortress in California. Operated by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) for…


Lobero Theatre

The Lobero Theatre has been the heart and rhythm of Santa Barbara for the last 150 years. Originally founded as Jose Lobero’s Opera House in 1873, the Lobero is the oldest continuously operating theatre in California and the fourth oldest…


Additional Experiences


Must Visit Museums & Attractions
Your essential guide to Santa Barbara’s top cultural attractions and iconic landmarks.
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