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SightseeingLocal Gem

Downtown Santa Barbara

State Street · Santa Barbara, CA

Why you should go…

Downtown Santa Barbara is managed by a business improvement district dedicated to promoting and revitalizing the city's historic downtown core. The district runs roughly from Micheltorena to Gutierrez Streets and Anacapa to Chapala Streets, with the State Street corridor as its central focus. It funds cleanliness, safety, beautification and destination marketing for the area's shops, restaurants and historic paseos.

  • #shopping
  • #downtown
  • #dining
  • #walking

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Downtown Santa Barbara, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

    Under $25

    Natural history museum on a wooded Santa Barbara campus with fossils, wildlife, Chumash culture and a planetarium.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Quirky Fun

    Cat Therapy

    Under $25

    Santa Barbara's only cat cafe, where visitors socialize with adoptable rescue cats in a cage-free lounge.

    1.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    Date Night

    Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail

    Free

    Self-guided trail linking over 20 walkable wine tasting rooms across downtown Santa Barbara neighborhoods.

    1.7 mi awayMore like this

  • Eat & Drink
    Local Gem

    Rusty's Pizza

    Under $25

    Family owned Santa Barbara pizza parlor making handmade pizza since 1969.

    1.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Ventura

    Free

    Official visitors bureau for Ventura, California, with guides to beaches, Channel Islands access, dining and downtown culture.

    27 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Oxnard

    Free

    Ventura County beach town with seven miles of coastline and the gateway harbor to Channel Islands National Park.

    35 mi awayMore like this