Santa Barbara travel guide
Santa Barbara Tourism | Santa Barbara Guide
You're Going to Love Santa Barbara
With a population of 88,410, Santa Barbara is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Santa Barbara deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Where to Eat in Santa Barbara
If you’re looking for affordable options, The Lark - Santa Barbara (131 Anacapa St. Suite A) and El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel Dining Room (800 Alvarado Place) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Bibi Ji (734 State St) and costa Kitchen & Bar (1111 E Cabrillo Blvd) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Santa Barbara.
When to visit Santa Barbara
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Santa Barbara in July, when the average temperature is 17 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 6 °C, with an average temperature of 11 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 90 mm. In contrast, May is usually the driest month of the year in Santa Barbara, with an average rainfall of 0 mm.
How to Get to Santa Barbara
Plane
When flying to Santa Barbara, you’ll arrive at Santa Barbara (SBA), which is located 13 km from the city centre The shortest flight to Santa Barbara from Canada departs from Vancouver and takes around 2h 55m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Santa Barbara. The train journey from Santa Barbara to Fullerton takes 0h 39m and costs around C$ 19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Anaheim, expect to pay about C$ 22 for a 0h 47m trip. The train station in Santa Barbara is called Santa Barbara, and is located 1.2 km from the city centre.
Car
Another option to get to Santa Barbara is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 134 km from Santa Barbara. You’ll find branches of Thrifty and Ace, among others, in Los Angeles.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santa Barbara, including FlixBus, Busbud and Amtrak. From Santa Barbara, the bus ride to Santa Barbara takes 193 km and will cost you around C$ 87. From Bakersfield, the ticket costs about C$ 22 for a journey of 201 km. Santa Barbara’s bus station is located 13 km from the downtown.
Airlines serving Santa Barbara
Where to stay in Santa Barbara
From 5-star hotels such as the Hotel Californian to great affordable options like the Bath Street Inn, Santa Barbara offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around C$ 622 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 1,014 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Coast Village Inn and Agave Inn.
Where to stay in popular areas of Santa Barbara
Most booked hotels in Santa Barbara
Renting a car in Santa Barbara
Avis, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Santa Barbara is the Hertz branch at 114 Moffett Pl, which is 12 km from the downtown.
Expect to pay C$ 1.41 per litre in Santa Barbara (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 16.90 and C$ 22.53. Compact (Nissan Versa Note or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Santa Barbara, while also 59% cheaper than other types, on average.
Best car rental deals in Santa Barbara
Economy
2 adults, 2 Bags
C$ 42/day
Intermediate
5 adults, 3 Bags
C$ 47/day