THE most beautiful spot for a wedding!! Not easy to book (as many have the same idea) but we were…read moreflexible with our dates & I think that helped.

Cool free activity to do in Santa Barbara. This place is huge and you can wander around the…read morecourthouse for as long as you like. The place is beautiful and a great part of Santa Barbara. A must if you're in the area!

I'm happy we were able to come to this mission. The self guided tour was very informational. I…read morerecommend anyone who cares about history to come and visit

Mission Santa Barbara is a historic California landmark that also doubles as a museum. They even…read morehave actual mass in the mission, as well as Sunday service. It is a beautiful space filled with so much historic value. It was founded in 1786!! We got there around 3pm and purchased the Self Guided tour for $17 per person, which was a little high in my opinion. You walk through the museum and Mission grounds at your own pace and enjoy it on your own time. There are QR Codes that provide information to go along with your tour. We checked out the museum, garden, mausoleum, and even sat in the church for about 30 minutes just enjoying the beauty and peace. There is a gift shop you exit through that sells some lovely items such as shirts, sweaters, magnets, artwork, sculptures, candles and so much more. We bought a nice sweater with Santa Barbara written on it, a beautiful candle in a glass, and a small bookmark with a prayer symbol on it. They even have snacks/refreshments. They close at 5pm but sell their last ticket at 4pm. Parking is also free, which is always a plus. This was our third time here over the last 2 decades, and I'm not sure it's necessary to come back again. Once you've seen it, you've seen it.

Was a fun roadtrip got there a bit late and it was cloudy unfortunately but it was still a…read morebeautiful sight and relaxing to sit and view with your significant other

Given it being Valentine's Day Eve, it seems quite appropriate to review a Santa Barbara gem. The…read morelocals--particularly UCSB students--know it as "Kissing Point." You don't need to use your imagination why: Simply venture here at sunrise/sunset and you'll be macking with whomever is closest to you due to the natural romance in the Californian air. It also helps that the temperature is sometimes +10* warmer since it is in the mountains. ;) History: Kissing Point is about a third of the way up (or three-quarters of the way down depending on your route) Old San Marcos Road. This was the original stagecoach route to cross over the mountains prior to the current San Marcos Pass/Route 154 between 1861 and 1901. There are a few weathered historical markers along the way but anyone will easily be impressed by the hard work put into carving out the road. How to get here?: The easiest route to reach Kissing Point is by exiting off the 101 Freeway at Patterson Rd and going toward the mountains, turn right on Cathedral Oaks, then turn left when you've reached San Marcos Rd. Kissing Point consists of only two unmarked dirt pull-offs (one now with bollards due to erosion). There is also a third and fourth pull-off much further up hill but with very limited space. What do I see?: The views are from the Santa Ynez Foothills down into Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley with easy landmarks being the Santa Barbara Airport, University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), Old Town Goleta, the Pacific Ocean's Santa Barbara Channel, and almost all of the Channel Islands in the distance on a clear day (from north to south: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz--the most obviously, and Anacapa Islands). I am spoiled to have this scenic drive only minutes from my house since it offers not only some of the best aerial views (ie particularly from Kissing Point) but also a backroad option to access Route 154 that goes over the Santa Ynez Mountains toward popular destinations including Lake Cachuma, Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country, and Solvang. A few tips: - I have included the precise location on the Yelp map, in addition to GPS coordinates, in the Quick Tips. - Check out my video of the drive down this twisty road with views for days: https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select_video=OgU4LsTKlJ7Eqyh60KKdcA&userid=4DyMRBKrokax6d8LCI3GAw. - People love to drive extremely fast up and down (including myself). Be cautious of mountain bikers and motorcycles, particularly around the two hairpin U-turns toward the top. - As the signs heed, put on your headlights during the night AND day. - Please clean up after yourself. Unfortunately there is plenty of trash and glass bottles left behind. Don't be this person.

Beautiful sculpture called Chromatic Gate by Herbert Bauer in Santa Barbara. The Austrian-born…read moreartist studied at the Bauhaus under Wassily Kandinsky. Walk around the sculpture from all angles, frame yourself in a photo. This was in a park by the water. I do remember a man made fun of my polka dot dress.

I'm all for Public Art especially because it is free for everyone! I usually stop and check out…read morethe meaning of why and by whom it was created. I was checking out "Local Flavor" on Yelp and this was the first place listed. I had to go see it. It is located at the corner of Calle Puerto Vallarta & E. Cabrillo Blvd. in Cabrillo Park. At 21 feet tall, you can spot it from down the street. Plus it does stand out with it's blue, purple, red, mauve, orange and yellow colors! This gate was installed in 1991 and it had become faded and easy to miss, so it was restored! The restoration was completed in 2013. The new paint is highly durable aircraft specialty paint. Hopefully, it will last longer than the initial paint! Herbert Bayer is the man behind this art. He designed it but passed away in 1985 before it was built. This Gate is a Memorial to Herbert and his wife, Joella. You may recognize Herbert Bayer's other works. For example, Arco's red diamond shape called the ARCO "Spark" logo. And for Angelenos, we have a sculpture in Downtown Los Angeles called the Double Ascension. It is located in front of the City National Plaza (previously known as Arco Plaza) surrounded by a pool of water. He also designed the Articulated Wall which looks like a stack of French Fries, located in Denver, CO. I've seen these three in real life and with research, realized each one was created by Bayer! As stated in other reviews, this makes for a nice Photo Op and is Instagram worthy! If neither of these is your thing, then just come see it as an Art Installation. The next time I come back to Santa Barbara, I would love to see this lit at night!

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.....

Ganna Walska Lotusland is a fascinating place full of history, rare plants, and a reflection of a…read moreremarkable woman who had a vision for her garden. She had quite a life! 6 husbands! Because of the residential neighborhood it is tucked away but just past Cold water Elementary School, the gate is on the right. The city put a lot of restrictions on the property which is the reason for limited hours and reservations needed. There is a formal garden with roses and fountains near the house, a beautiful Japanese garden, Australia garden, cactus, fern and begonia gardens and much more. I highly recommend the docent tour since I would not have learned much or known what to see otherwise. 2 hours doesn't cover everything but we saw a lot. The place is set up as a foundation unlike other gardens so entry fees are higher. Still quite worth the visit.

There is a humongous tree in Santa Barbara that you need to see ... IRL (in real life)! It's the…read moreMoreton Bay Fig Tree originally from Australia. It was from a cutting given to a girl who and planted it on 201 State St. in 1876. She moved a year later and her friend dug up and transplanted it here. It's been here at Chapala St. & Montecito St. ever since. In 1970, this tree was designated a California Historical Landmark (No. 837) & later was listed on the California Register of Big Trees. I heard it is the largest Moreton Bay Fig Tree in the Continental U.S.! "Ficus macrophylla, commonly known as the Moreton Bay Fig or Australian Banyan, is a large evergreen banyan tree of the mulberry and fig family Moraceae. It is native to eastern Australia." - Wikipedia Fun Fact: In 1984-85, the homeless people who were registered to vote had attempted to establish this tree as their mailing address. They even put up a mailbox near the tree, but the Post Office refused to deliver mail to a tree. (This was from a Huell Howser interview with Dan Condon, City Arborist for Santa Barbara in 2001) The circumference of the tree was 42 feet around its base, 80 feet tall and had a branch spread of 176 feet in 2001. I wonder what the statistics are today! I saw it in 2020 when it was not as overgrown as it is today. There was no chain link fence, just the smaller black one that is still there. However, there is now a tall chain link fence around the perimeter. It is very overgrown and in serious need of a trimming. A lot of the branches have grown to the ground. This tree is now around 150 years old. I hope it continues to endure and remain healthy for years to come!

How could a tree possibly have so many five star reviews?? Well it is a very beautiful tree…read more Historic and stately. Took away a star for the location, it's in the middle of busy roads. But that's not the trees fault :(

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.

We love visiting here since it's so close to the Mission also. The entire museum is beautiful with…read moreSpanish tile, arches, with a Prehistoric Forest for big and little kids to enjoy. The Prehistoric Forest is a must-see- the life-sized, animatronic dinosaurs are hidden in the woods and were a massive hit with the kids. It feels like a mini Jurassic Park but perfectly toddler-friendly. The Best Parts: - Chad the Whale: The massive skeleton at the entrance is breathtaking. - Nature Backyard: Great hands-on outdoor play area for kids to explore. - Atmosphere: Beautiful, shaded grounds that are easy to navigate with or without a stroller. Don't really need a stroller here :) - Membership here gets you reciprocal membership to La Habra Children's Museum if you live in LA. There's a reciprocity list with the ASTC Travel Passport Program. Free parking and a great mix of science and outdoor fun. If you're in SB with a family, don't skip the dino trail.

What a great place to come and visit. You get a glimpse of how it used to be back in the day during…read morein Spanish times in this country. Bring the kids, it is fascinating.

Charming, Detailed, and Perfect for Families…read more I absolutely adored my visit to El Presidio! While the big picture history of the last Spanish fortress is fascinating, it's the meticulous, small-scale details of daily life that truly make this place shine. It's an incredibly peaceful and beautifully maintained urban park. The walk through the reconstructed barracks and the Padre's Quarters offers a tangible sense of what colonial life was like, it's sparse, but authentic. My favorite stops were the Cocina (Kitchen), which is filled with period cutlery and traditional tools, and the lovely heritage gardens. Taking a quiet moment in the courtyard, surrounded by the adobe walls and a few citrus trees, felt like a genuine step back in time. The staff at the Visitor Center were so knowledgeable, and the exhibits on the Chumash people and the later Mexican and American periods gave a well-rounded view of Santa Barbara's complex history. It's a short, affordable, and incredibly rewarding stop. Kid-Friendly Note: The scale of the Presidio is perfect for little legs, and the sight of the historic cannons and the big courtyard kept my children engaged without feeling overwhelmed by a massive museum. Highly recommend this historical gem!