Location: Santa Barbara
Top Things to do in Santa Barbara
10 Things to do Good for a Rainy Day in Santa Barbara That You Shouldn't Miss
Nestled between the shrub-covered slopes of the Santa Ynez Mountains and the clear blue shores of the Pacific Ocean, Santa Barbara is California at its best. Mission Santa Barbara is an example of 18th-century religious architecture, boasting beautiful grounds and a wonderfully detailed interior. Work up an appetite with a walk through Shoreline Park, then dine above the water on Stearns Wharf. Fig trees, parks, waterfalls, and botanical gardens round out Santa Barbara’s natural beauty.
Restaurants in Santa Barbara
1. Chaucer's Bookstore
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 173 reviews
Reviewed By gaylem113 - Chicago, United States
Best thing for me was the extensive collection of cook books...crowded, cozy independent book store with something for everyone.
2. Cebada Wine
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 13 reviews
Cebada Wine is one of Santa Barbara's newest wine tasting rooms! Our award winning, Estate Grown, Old World Burgundian Style Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are sure to impress. Find us Downtown on the Urban Wine Trail Map.
3. MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 68 reviews
MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, is a one-of-a-kind museum for all ages designed to ignite learning through interactive experiences in science and creativity. The museum's three floors are filled with 17,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits that encourage open-ended discovery, analytical assessment, experimentation, play and just plain fun.
Reviewed By TERR23
I was one of two grandmas who took our granddaughters, ages 10 and 14, to the MOXI. We all had a great time for a couple of hours. There were lots of hands on activities. One of the highlights were the sound booths where we all experimented with making different sounds to correspond with a film clip. We were there on President's Day, but it wasn't too crowded.
4. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 298 reviews
Founded in 1916 as the Museum of Comparative Oology, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has evolved to include more than 3.5 million specimens covering every aspect of natural history—from mammals, birds, and marine life to geology, astronomy, paleontology, and anthropology. Newly renovated in 2018, the Museum boasts state-of-the-art interactive exhibits for all ages, paired with the Central Coast’s only planetarium, on 17 acres of oak woodland along Mission Creek. Guests learn about the Santa Barbara region’s unique and diverse natural history and then go outside to explore nature in the Museum Backyard. Museum education programs serve all ages to promote scientific literacy and instill a passion for nature and learning. Visit the website for current daily admission prices and hours. Parking is free.
Reviewed By hapsterpolly
The Museum hosted an event in the evening. The displays were available and outstanding. The catered food was perfect. and the entertainment--a trio-- was excellent. The museum is a true treasure in Santa Barbara.
5. Santa Barbara County Courthouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,969 reviews
Visit the Santa Barbara Courthouse to enjoy a free Self-Guided Exterior Tour and a virtual tour of the Mural Room interior. Use your cell phone or tablet to explore Santa Barbara’s iconic Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse. The web-based tours can be found at sbcourthouse.org. The Courthouse is closed to visitors during Covid.
Reviewed By cresapsd - San Diego, United States
Coincidentally our stay in Santa Barbara was during the annual Fiesta Days and we enjoyed free concerts in the courthouse sunken garden as well as a docent led tour. The tour was very interesting and entertaining. The courthouse is not to be missed and don’t forget to check out the breathtaking view from the courthouse clock tower
6. Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 370 reviews
This museum, founded in 1941, houses a prestigious and varied collection of modern and ancient art plus a special gallery for children.
Reviewed By drjlever - Los Angeles, United States
This small museum in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara is offering half price admissions during their major reconstruction. The entry fee for two seniors was a remarkable $6. A bargain and we spent a lovely two hours seeing some of the oldest photographs in the world (until Dec.8) and the wonderful modernism art of Mexican great Alfredo Ramos Martinez. We also enjoyed the array of art from the museum's permanent collection that were on display. Taking on a huge museum is tiring; this partial peek was the perfect amount of art to enjoy leisurely after a great lunch. What a value!
7. Old Mission Santa Barbara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,679 reviews
Visitors can tour this historic Franciscan mission that features twin bell towers and lovely gardens.
Reviewed By PetriHat - Los Angeles, United States
The historic mission is both working monestary and historic landmark. Take a self guided tour for $9 and experience the inner gardens, cemetery, and church before entering the museum to see the history of the missions and how they interacted with and impacted the native Chumash culture.
8. Karpeles Manuscript Library
9. Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 250 reviews
Located on the water's edge of the Santa Barbara Harbor, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum contains exciting & educational exhibits set inside of nearly 8,000 square feet of Museum space. The Maritime Museum also offers a wide range of educational programs including docent tours, and Tall Ship tours. Admission also includes a series of films shown daily in our large screen, high-definition Munger Theater. Fun for the whole family!
Reviewed By GilB867 - Memphis, United States
This is a great little museum depicting many aspects of the local seafaring culture. It is located on the west end of the marina in a very picturesque area. This area offers a lot of local culture centered around a WWII pier built by the U.S. Navy and still in use today. We were there on a Saturday morning and were able to enjoy the Santa Barbara Saturday Morning Fish Market viewing what the local fishermen were selling, brown crab, rock fish, squid, and others. Quiet interesting and a nice photo opportunity. This area also many local restaurants, shops, and other attractions on that end of the marina. We ended up spending the entire morning there. And on the fourth floor of the Maritime Museum is a small exhibit by the National Park Service of the Channel Islands National Park. They do offer Channel Islands cancellation stamps here.
10. Santa Barbara Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 124 reviews
Reviewed By 936kurtg - Los Angeles, United States
My wife and I enjoyed our wine tasting experience. We interacted with three staff members and all were so pleasant and helpful. Our favorite wine was the Pinot Noir and the cheese plate is a must. I noticed they were pet friendly and bought out water for pets and made sure they stayed filled. Masks need to be kept on until wine is served which shows they are taking care of their customers. Thank you!
