Tourist/Locals Overview

CARPINTERIA

Carpinteria is located about half way between Ventura and Santa Barbara
http://www.ci.carpinteria.ca.us/index.shtml or http://www.carpinteria.com/

 

Carpinteria is a charming little beach town with restaurants, fun stores and and an extensive beach.

 

Linden Avenue: Linden hosts the Christmas Parade of Lights, the Avocado Festival, the Antique Car Show, and the 4th of July festivities. You can catch a movie or play, shop and eat. Enjoy Farmers Market every Thursday afternoon.

Great parks for kids: El Carro Park, Monte Vista Park & Memorial Park have playground facilities. Visit Tar Pits Park and explore the walking trails, numerous birds, vegetation, spectacular views. You may get a chance to see seals and dolphins in the water. The Salt Marsh, also known as El Estuaro, is one of the most important wetlands in Southern California. Home to rare and endangered plants and birds and a haven for migrating birds. Located on Ash Ave. The Carpinteria Bluffs offer you another opportunity to see amazing birds, great views and more. The Skate Park is open from 8am to sunset daily. Rincon Beach is known world wide for its surfing.

Carpinteria City Pool is a community pool with plenty of activities for the kids, seniors and adults. There are after school programs, group and private lessons, aqua aerobics and swim teams.

Other activities: Spend your Sunday afternoons at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquetball Club. You can attend games without being a member of the Club. (Spring, Summer, Fall) Visit the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History Tuesday through Saturday.

Santa Claus Lane is a fun place to stop on your way to Santa Barbara with restaurants, shops and beach access. Eat at the Beach Grill at Padaro if you want great food and a relaxing outdoor atmosphere with the kids. There is even a sandpit with toys for the kids.

 

Summerland has wonderful antique shops, galleries, and hamburgers on Lillie Avenue.

MONTECITO

Montecito is located just a few miles South of Santa Barbara.
http://www.montecitovillage.com/

Find great shopping on Lower Village on Coast Village Rd. and Upper Village on East Valley Rd. Activities include: a library, galleries, great dining and shopping. Farmers Market on Coast Village Rd. every Friday. Manning Park has picnic areas, tennis, volleyball and a baseball diamond.

Make time to see visit Lotusland. A 37-acre garden estate with exotic plants and special gardens. Family tours are on Thursdays and the 2nd Saturday of each month.

SANTA BARBARA

http://www.santabarbara.com/

You can find everything in Santa Barbara including horseback riding, bike riding, boating, fishing, kayaking, tennis, golf, camping, movies, theatre, fun festivals throughout the year, beaches, parks, hiking and pools. Parks you won’t want to miss: La Mesa Park, Kids World, Chase Palm Park, Alice Keck Park

Purchase a One Pass for great discount admissions to Santa Barbara’s museums and attractions. Available at Tixstar in Paseo Nuevo Mall. 800.504.8587 or www.tixstar.com

Have someone else do all the planning. Contact SB Adventure Co. and let them plan ocean kayaking and mountain biking trips, surf lessons, rock climbing, wine tours and more.

The Waterfront:

Start at East Beach or the Harbor and walk or drive along Cabrillo Blvd. Great for biking, walking, rollerblading or running. Shop every Sunday at the Arts & Crafts Show near the Wharf. A fun place for kids to skateboard is Skaters Point, located at the beach, just east of Stearns Wharf.

Take the kids across the street to Chase Palm Park so they can enjoy the amazing playground and a ride on the carousel. Great place to picnic during the summer. Home of fun evening concerts every Thursday during the summer. Pack a picnic dinner and take the kids for a night of dancing under the stars. Stearns Wharf and the newly redone Sea Center are fun to explore with family friendly restaurants, shopping and pelican watching. Ride the downtown shuttle from the wharf up State street for just 25 cents each way. You can also jump on the SB Trolley or the Lil Toot Water Taxi Excursion for a city tour. Make sure to stop by Sweet Alley for a special treat for the kids.  You can rent electric bikes from Coastal Bike Rentals.

The Harbor and Breakwater is home to both yachts and fishing boats. You can rent sail boats and jet skis. You also have the opportunity to go whale watching. Fun area to walk around and great places to eat with the kids. Stop by the Maritime Museum and let your kids view the special discovery section for children.

The Andree Clark Bird Refuge near East Beach is a great starting point for rollerblading. This park is a safe-haven habitat for native and migratory waterfowl. Travel a few minutes up from the beach to the Santa Barbara Zoo. Amazing animals, a carousel, a train, great picnic areas or enjoy their snack bar.

Downtown:

Historical Attractions: Casa de la Guerra is a wonderful museum with some fabulous vignettes located next to de la Guerra Plaza. El Presidio de Santa Barbara on Canon Perdido was the last of four military fortresses built by the Spanish along the wilderness frontier. Santa Barbara Historical Museum: collections of photos, maps, books and manuscripts. 136 E De la Guerra St. Free guided tours Wed., Sat. & Sun. 1:30pm, free admission. Hours: Tues.- Sun., closed Mondays. Go to the top of the SB Courthouse Tower for a great view of the city. Outside the Courthouse is the Sunken Gardens. Fun festivals and concerts are hosted here throughout the year. Santa Barbara Museum of Art open Tuesday through Sunday.

Enjoy a huge Farmers Market every Tuesday afternoon located on lower State St. near Paseo Nuevo. Paseo Nuevo Mall includes Nordstrom, Macy's, and more than 50 specialty shops. Selection of fine restaurants, art galleries and theaters. The kids can run around outside and have fun throwing coins into the fountain. If you don’t want to walk the whole length of State Street with the kids, then hop on the shuttle or one of the pedi-cabs. This is a blast for the kids. Farther up State St. is Victoria Court with some fun shops, kids haircuts, restaurants and more.

You can head up to the Mesa for a visit to the Wilcox property/Douglas family preserve. Another beautiful area to explore. Lazy Acres Market has great take-out from their deli if you want to do a picnic. Henrys Beach (Arroyo Burro Beach-Mesa area) is great for walking dogs and tide pooling.

Mission District:

The Mission is a landmark you will not want to miss. Enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the steps of the Mission. You can start with a picnic at the Rose Gardens across the street.

The SB Botanic Garden features 78 acres of native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, cacti, in natural settings. Great walking trails for kids. The SB Museum of Natural History is a great indoor activity. Exhibits feature mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, plant life and geology of the Pacific Coast and Channel Islands as well as prehistoric Native American life. Great events, camps and kids classes. We have amazing hiking in Santa Barbara. There are moderate ones you can do with the kids or leave them with a sitter and really challenge yourself on the more extreme terrain. (You can find some really simple trails at Tucker’s Grove.)

When planning an adult date night, don’t miss a chance to see a concert at the outdoor County Bowl during the summer.

Uptown:

La Cumbre Plaza is a great shopping mall located on the 3800 block of upper State Street. It includes two department stores, Robinsons-May and Sears, Vons Grocery, and more than 60 shops, restaurants, services and easy parking. There is also a weekly Farmers Market every Wednesday.

GOLETA

Goleta is about 10 miles North of Santa Barbara.

Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce
Call 805.967.4618 or visit Website

 

Print the 2007 Goleta Chamber of Commerce Magazine Article...

From A to Z - Everything you need to know to keep your children entertained

Attractions include the Stow House, one of the oldest Goleta landmarks. The South Coast Railroad Museum is located in a restored train depot. They offer fun miniature train rides for kids.

Parks with fun playgrounds include: Stowe Grove, Goleta Beach Park. Feed the ducks at Los Carneros lake, Los Carneros and Calle Real. Ellwood Butterfly Grove has butterflies in the winter.

Shopping and restaurants can be found on Calle Real off Patterson or the Camino Real Plaza off Glenn Annie. Camino Real Plaza is a great place to go with the kids for a bite to eat or a coffee. The kids can run around in the open area. You can then wander into Borders and look at books or catch a movie at the theatre. Farmers Market every Thursday on Calle Real or at Camino Real on Sunday mornings. You can also find bowling and restaurants. The Library is near here and is great for checking out books, videos and music tapes, or come for the weekly story time.

Isla Vista is our college town located next to UCSB.

Jump on the Amtrak Train in Goleta and take a ride to Carpinteria for the day.

Further up the coast you can find camping sites at El Capitan and Refugio State Beaches. State Park campgrounds are available for reservations 6 months prior. Call ahead to reserve a spot. There are also some fun summer concerts at El Capitan Canyon where you can spend the night in rustic cabins.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

Santa Ynez Valley 30 minutes up highway 154.
http://syvva.com/

You don’t want to come to Santa Barbara and miss driving up highway 154 to visit some amazing wineries and restaurants. Spend the day touring and tasting at over 50 world-class wineries or you can go golfing, hiking, biking, fishing, boating or visit a horse farm. Visit one of the great grocery stores and pick up a picnic lunch to take to one of the vineyards. Shop at the art galleries, clothing boutiques, and antique stores. Do a little gambling at the Chumash Casino Resort and Spa.

Rancho Oso Guest Ranch & Stables has accommodations and horses and offers hundreds of miles of riding trails.

Rancho San Marcos Golf Course offers a spectacular practice facility, trained caddies and exquisite service in a secluded setting. You can also try the ZACA CREEK GOLF COURSE off Highway 246.

Los Olivos: Wildling Art Museum, promotes a greater understanding and appreciation of America's wilderness through education and the collection, preservation, and exhibition of art.

Cachuma Lake Recreation area off highway 154 is home to fish, deer and bobcats as well as 275 species of birds, including migratory bald eagles in the winter. Enjoy wildlife cruises, boat rentals, fishing, plus picnic, camping and play facilities.

The kids will enjoy a visit to Solvang (‘Little Denmark”) with over 300 stores, fun bakeries and restaurants. Visit the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, Hans Christian Andersen Park, Apple and fruit farm stands, Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum, Ostrich Land, and the Quicksilver Miniature Horse Ranch. Don’t miss the Farmers Market every Wednesday afternoon. Try a night at the Solvang Theaterfest. They offer concerts, plays and musicals at a theatre under the stars from June through October.

Short Day Trips

Click on travel resources for some fun day trip ideas.