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.

This place is easily one of the best university gyms I've been to! It's got everything you need -…read moregreat equipment, plenty of space, and a really motivating atmosphere. Plus, the recent renovations have made it 10x better. Props to whoever designed the setup - they really thought it through! There are actually two gym buildings, so you've got options depending on what you're looking to do. There's also a pool if you're into swimming, and if you need a run, there's a track nearby. They covered all the bases when putting this place together. One thing I really appreciate is that they let the students run the music - and they crank it. It definitely adds to the vibe, and it's nice to hear that the younger generation appreciates some good old '90s and 2000s music. I just hope no one complains one day and gets it shut down because that would totally kill the atmosphere. Most of the gym-goers here are polite and respectful, which makes working out a lot more enjoyable. It's also kind of fun to see all the gym rats checking themselves out in the mirror - definitely adds some character to the place! Like any gym, it definitely has its peak times when it gets pretty packed. But if you go during the quieter hours, it's an absolute oasis for gym rats. The students using this gym are seriously going to miss it when they move on to chain gyms - they don't know how good they have it! Whether you're lifting, doing cardio, swimming, or just trying to stay active, this gym has you covered. Just plan your visit right, and you'll love it!

I spent many nights with my roomie at the Rec Cen. At UCSB we abbreviate like every program,…read morebuilding, person, lol. My roommate would always workout in the hall adjacent to the massive windows. I'd chill more because I had Ballet daily. The pool is fun bc there are fitness classes in the water, joined in on a handful with my former boss. Guys, the gym membership is a mandatory portion of your tuition, so it's totes worth it to participate. Park off-campus, ride yr bike in orrrrr rollerblade. Makes life simple.

Called the day before and got here when they opened. Seamless, perfect experience!…read more Stuart and his staff are welcoming and professional. It was overcast but it was super calm and we had a blast on the jet ski excursion They provide everything you need: Life jacket Storage compartment Wetsuit (if needed) Gas included Definitely worth a try!!!

Very straightforward rental process. The staff were super friendly and very helpful. The jet ski…read morewas a blast!

Wow! This is a park with a capitol P! Amenities galore for your $5 parking fee…read more We came here for a 4 mile hiking loop that spits you off along the ocean which is awesome. As we were heading to park we discovered a 9 hole disc golf course is also on property. I'm telling you this park packs a punch. Disc golf, hiking trails, baseball fields, mountain biking wonderland, Remote Control tracks, landing zone for drones/radio planes, so much to explore! We hiked then did the 9 hole course for disc golf and it was awesome! What a gem to have for those who are local. The hiking trails take you over the road to Douglas Family Preserve which was beautifully maintained and allowed doggies to be off leash living their best life. Such a great local resource to take advantage of all that sculpted nature! Beautiful effort from the community.

Great park! I attended a festival here. Love the sunset here. Not a huge park but big enough :)…read more There are a few festivals held here . We took an uber to and back from our hotel in Santa Barbara.

This is a perfect park for families. I like that all the features are close to one another so it is…read moreeasier to keep eyes on multiple kids. Accessible courts for pickle ball including a multi-tiered basketball hoop which I've never seen. The playground looks new and is adjacent to a skatepark that's for kids 12 and under (for skating and skateboard only but there are plenty of littles who ride their bikes). Lots of shade with tables. A walking and bike path. What a cool find! We did come early on a Sunday morning - 945am - because I read that parking can be difficult. There were 2 spots left in the lot and street parking, because it is shared with apartments, was non existent.

This a small very clean park with brand new equipment. They are still building the other parts of…read morethe park. Looks like there are multiple basketball options, ping pong table, skate park, tennis court, handball court, and splash pad area. Restroom nearby

We stopped by for my bday last year and it was such a charming experience. It's one I recommend…read moreduring these gorgeous spring months for plant lovers and nature seekers. Despite growing up around here, I somehow never stumbled through these grand entrance gates until recently. This gem of a garden isn't just my butt's savior now on long drives up from LA, but it's a sliver of paradise found--and sanity regained. Just walking around here for 15-20 mins. and you'll feel your blood pressure drop a few notches to a pleasant state of calm. You can explore the themed areas, take in the vegetation around you, and get landscaping tips just from strolling around their property. The plant things are grouped in various climate/hemispheres and it's nice to see them taking root and being incorporated in a seamless design (and it's nice shopping experience too). I was impressed with the selection and bought a few small air plants and succulents that are still thriving with offshoots. Prices are reasonable. For pros looking for inspo, I think this place that can offer Interior Designers & Landscapers creativity with plants. Or even the DIY Weekend Warrior looking to revamp their current landscaping or add a little something new to it. They have a wide variety of exotics, California natives to indigenous to Australia, and every other tree, shrub, and greenery in between. Since it's the year of the (hobby) horse, I'll be sure to get my butt up here more often in 2026.

As a store there's all sorts of different plants and gardening items that you'd need. I like to…read morestop by solely for the botanical gardens in back. It's a nice small excursion if traveling to LA. What a wonderful concept to put a botanical garden on the property, it could show what you could do with the plants that they sold. It's tranquil to walk around and explore yet it is right next to the 101 so the freeway was loud. They really packed a lot of diversity into this small area. There were plaques for each different garden. Plaques I noticed (though there might be more) were South African Garden, Mediterranean Garden, Grassland, Cottage Garden, Native Garden, Succulent Garden, Central/South American garden, Australian garden, and Asian garden. My favorite was the Asian garden because it had a pond with koi fish.

If you have the time and get lucky with parking, then stop by for a carefree stroll along the…read morecoastline. The stairway heading down from the neighborhood to the beach gives you the chance to carefully soak in the beauty of the landscape. As others have mentioned, no there aren't a thousand steps. Whoever named this place as such sure liked rounding up, like way up. We came by around low tide which washed up a lot of unique shellfish as well as the world's debris. This meant on a sunny day you may very be greeted with the pleasant aroma of the sea's breeze and the very next moment a waft of sundried plastic. That's the reality of the ocean's health. Still, it's a peaceful slice of nature worth visiting.

About two miles from Stearns Wharf, we headed over in hopes that it would be low tide. We were…read morelucky to find a parking spot on a tiny dead end residential street where the steps start. Not quite one thousand steps, but still a good workout with 157 steps. We headed down the steps, some were covered in water and mud. It was pretty much low tide when we arrived at 1pm, which made for a beautiful walk. I thought this beach was secluded. However, a half mile into our walk, we came across another set of stairs, Shoreline Steps. These steps will take you from Shoreline park to the beach. There was a good amount of people walking and we saw a few dogs as well. If you're looking for a walk along the shore, this is a great spot. Just remember parking near One Thousand Steps can be very limited.

One of the most important things for me when deciding on a beach, is how close parking is to the…read moreshoreline. With kids, there's a fair amount of beach gear to carry and the closer the car, the better. Not only was the parking close, there were plenty for both compact and large vehicles. As for the beach itself, the waves are pretty low and kid friendly. I did see a harbor seal swim parallel with someone, popping his head up every now and then. My kids found a loveliness of ladybugs on the beach. Unfortunately most didn't make it. We were however, able to save one. The restrooms were well maintained with showers outside. There is also a restaurant nearby if any snacks you packed weren't enough. I highly recommend this beach for the convenience of parking and kid approved sand quality.

This is a very nice beach with plenty of parking spaces in the paid parking lot. I walked along the…read moreedges and sand of the beach with my friend. Then, we walked to the harbor to the restaurants to get some dinner. It was very convenient rather than looking for parking elsewhere.