What a fantastic museum!…read more First of all very informative, clean, and taken care of with pride. This is perfect to learn about Santa Barbara history, the maritime history, and cultural history too (ie: surfing!). It's really curated with immense care and has numerous interactive elements that are perfect for kids. All in all can't say more great things about this place and highly recommend going here and getting a bite to eat nearby after. As a complete side note you can buy art there as well with proceeds going to the museum. If I had a bit more cheddar I'd buy it all! Really fantastic art work in there. We walked here so I can't comment on parking but there are lots all around the marina! It's probably only a half mile from downtown so definitely walkable with a nice pathway to the harbor! (Just go to the water by heading west on State Street. Once you hit the pier take the walkway on the beach to your right)

Very underrated museum, in my opinion. We used a Groupon and paid $10 for two adult tickets, but…read moreeven at full price ($12 for adults, $6 for kids ages 6-17, and free for 5 and under), it would still be worth it. The museum is really beautiful and interactive, with a few activities that are great for little kids, and it takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to go through. I learned a lot about Santa Barbara's history, and my 5-year-old really enjoyed it. The virtual fishing experience was especially fun and actually feels like you're trying to catch a real fish. The harbor views from the 4th floor are amazing too, and that area is free to the public. Parking is free for 90 minutes, but depending on the time of day, you may need a little patience to find a spot since it can get crowded. Staff and volunteers were also very friendly and welcoming.

What a fun little add on to a trip with kiddos to Santa Barbara. Enough places for learning but…read morealso for the kiddos to get some play in the day as well. I have a 4.5 yo and 22 month old and they both had lots of fun. Random but I do wish the gift shop was a bit more stroller friendly.

History Machine A…read moremuseum that traces its origins back to 1916 when a group of people got together to try and preserve some of the history of the area. They've been in their current location since 1923, and the location itself, to me anyway, is part of the draw. Not only is it a museum, but it's also a nature preserve, rescue aviary, and dinosaur theme park. :) The Good: * Fairly inexpensive to visit at $20/adult and $15/child * If you buy a membership ($115-450) to the museum, it also includes a membership to their sister aquarium (also in Santa Barbara), the Sea Center. * Wonderful little area in the back with some short trails, a creek, and dinosaurs for kids to explore. * If you love geology, then you'll love their geology exhibit; they have so many amazing rocks and gems on display. * Aviary with injured and rehabbing raptors * Nature art gallery was beautiful * Friendly staff * Tours available * Lots of info on animals and insects of the area The Meh: * Some of the exhibit rooms are a bit cramped, so they can get full fast even without many visitors. The Ugly: * They have a butterfly garden, but it's closed during the winter months, which just happened to coincide with our visit. :( Conclusion: Terrific museum for both young and old.

Love love love! Easy to spend the day here and I recommend…read moreit. But also fairly easy to get to, so it's perfect for a meditative reset time in the middle of a busy day. This space is so special. Lots to explore. Lots to learn. Lots of care and love here. Don't want to say too much. Just go and see and be surrounded by the trees, flowers, rocks, peace, and magic. Fantastic gift shop too!

My son and I have been here to this Botanic Garden twice before about 10 years ago and decided to…read morerevisit it this morning on our trip to Santa Barbara. We headed over around 11:30AM, right after checking out from our hotel. They are celebrating their 100th Anniversary. WOW!! Admission is $25 for adults and a bit pricey for what you get, in my opinion. It's definitely a beautiful place full of nature, greenery, fresh air, peace and zen. I was a little disappointed at the lack of flowers in the whole property. There were only some poppies on the meadow where you walk in and that was it. I also didn't like how there are literally no rangers or anyone to help you around the trails. I understand you are just on your own, but it's dangerous that there's no one to help you if something goes wrong. No First Aid Kit, either. I also remember them having a big, beautiful waterfall on the trail and it wasn't there this time. Why? They have free parking and there are some restrooms at the entrance and we saw one on the trail. They have a very nice gift shop with some snacks/refreshments, books, magnets, shirts, candles, artificially looking flowers, etc... We bought few gifts that my son and I liked. Got a nice fresh, clean scented Mango/Pineapple candle, ($25), an organic rose water spray to splash all over your body ($17), an interesting cooler can with crystal water that keeps your water cold in the fridge ($8). A 16 oz. can & a tiny white heart shaped magnet ($5.20), insanely expansive! I may or may not revisit in the future.

Lush. Beautiful. Eclectic. Elegant. Overwhelming. The minute I finally set foot on the self guided…read morepath, I knew that I must commit to many more visits. Yes, it is pricey and acquiring tickets takes planing and patience, but so worth it. Lotus land can be life altering. Transporting Asian Garden, surreal cacti garden, French feeling flower garden, something for everyone. Go. Just go. And see for yourself. Wonderful gift shop. Exuberant helpful staff. Can't wait until the next time.....

After enjoying the garden, we took advantage of the location and drove around the area where…read morecelebrities and the wealthy live.

Had such a fun time at the aquarium! The staff were super nice and welcoming from the moment we…read morewalked in. Everyone was helpful, answering questions and explaining things without making it feel rushed. You can tell they actually enjoy what they do. It's also really affordable, which makes it such a good activity whether you're with friends, family, or on a date. For the price, you honestly get a lot out of it. The best part was definitely the touch tanks. We got to touch sharks, starfish, and sea anemones, which was such a cool experience. Feeling the smooth skin of the sharks and the slightly sticky texture of the anemones was actually so interesting. The staff guide you on how to gently interact with them, so it feels safe for both you and the animals. The whole place has a chill, coastal vibe that makes it really enjoyable to walk through. It's not overwhelmingly big, so you can take your time at each exhibit and actually read about the sea life. There's such a variety of colorful fish and marine animals, and it's fun seeing everything up close. Overall, such a wholesome and interactive experience. Cheap, hands-on, and run by genuinely kind people. Definitely worth visiting if you're in the area.

Very underwhelming and much smaller than expected. My 5-year-old got bored quickly and we were in…read moreand out in about 20 minutes. On the positive side, the staff was friendly and the blue whale replica hanging from the ceiling is pretty cool. We happened to go on a free day, which was great, because in my opinion it wouldn't have been worth paying $17 per adult. Tips for parking: 90 minutes free and $4 per hour thereafter. You can also find parking on the street, but it's a bit tough (typically 90 minutes). Overall, 3 stars. Not terrible, but not something I'd recommend unless it's a free day and you're already in the area.

A memorable experience seeing a danish home and see how Solvang was built. The family that lived…read morethere had a lot of traditional exterior and interior and items which was cool to experience for a low price of $5/person. The employee was super awesome explaining the history of the home. In the outside shed, it contained the solvang in the early days of 1920s or 1940s. Look for the little danish rubber ducky throughout the rooms. I really enjoyed the historical items in the home and architecture style

Great little museum with so much history! The Elverhøj Museum & Art Gallery offers a fascinating…read morelook into Danish immigrant history. Walking through the rooms and seeing how people lived back then was incredibly interesting and well done. We also played the Hidden Gems Garden & Patio game, which made the visit even more fun we found all the gems and even got a prize! Such a nice interactive touch, especially if you're visiting with family. Admission is only $5 per person, parking is free, and the experience is totally worth it. We learned a lot and truly enjoyed our time here. Highly recommend if you love history, culture, and charming local museums. Great customer service.

A tiny rose garden in front of the Old Mission of Santa Barbara. Great place for picnic or just…read morelaying down to enjoy the sun. Not many types of rose trees, but it's worth a visit. There's limited space for parking, we have to park on the street at the neighborhood.

What a great deal--absolutely free tour, no reservations necessary, led by a very knowledgeable,…read moretrained local volunteer docent. The 1929 Moorish/Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse is both a state & national landmark, said by some to be the most beautiful government building in the U.S! Every day at 2pm, and some days at 10:30am too. Starts in the "mural room" on the 2nd floor. Takes about 1 hour, and you can join or leave at any time. Gives you a good feel for the history of the building, the town and the region, going back to the first European landing by Cabrillo in 1542. Really stunning tile work, ceiling and wall paintings, adobe, beams and arches. Still houses 6 county courtrooms, hall of records etc. The 'sunken' garden on the east side of the main archway is gorgeously landscaped with dozens of different palm varieties; you can often see weddings going on both there and in the mural room. Booth from which you can buy postcards, brochures etc (or make a donation to their Foundation, which supports the ongoing renovations). Don't forget to go up to the top of the famous tower at the end of the tour for a 360-degree view of the entire city and bay!

Just took the tour yesterday-the docent was knowledgable, personable and provided interesting…read moredetail on the history and architectural details of this stunning treasure. The Tunisian tiles, the Spanish Mudahar influence throughout, and even a "Bridge of Sighs' from the courthouse to the old jail! The Italian rosette stained glass window, conch shell archway pattern in one area and Masonic cornerstone (with a Masonic date convention!) are some of the treasures within. We lucked out, the Law Library was opened to us during the tour by someone using the library; one wall had a painted "California Island" map-I've seen some of these maps at Stanford, it was a treat to see one as part of the design here! Absolutely worth the time, this a active, historical treasure not to be missed.