California Dreaming: The Best 3-Day Santa Barbara Itinerary

When I think of Santa Barbara, I think of endless sunny days, rows of palm trees, and surfers yelling, “Cowabunga, dude!” While I did not hear any “Hang ten!” or “I’m stoked!”, there were definitely enough surfers and palm trees to satisfy my imagination. But Santa Barbara is more than just a sleepy surf town. It has wine tasting, shopping, fine dining, and famous architecture. Combine this with whale watching and day trips to nearby locales, and you will have a bitchin’ 3-day Santa Barbara itinerary.

Best Time for Your Santa Barbara Itinerary

The best time to visit Santa Barbara for warm weather and water activities is in July and August. However, those months are also the most busy months meaning big crowds and high prices. To avoid these issues, plan your Santa Barbara itinerary for the spring and fall when temperatures are still mild, and there are way fewer crowds. For cheapest and least crowds, visit in the winter.

How to Get to Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara has its own small, regional airport, so you can fly directly into the city. Unless you live in one of the other major California cities, you will likely have layovers when flying into Santa Barbara. If you prefer to not deal with a layover, you could drive from Los Angeles (LAX). It will take a couple hours to drive straight here, but you could also take your time and make a day of it. Driving along the Pacific Coast Highway would have incredible views.

What to Pack for Your Santa Barbara Itinerary

Sunscreen – Protect your skin from the sun, and do not forget to reapply.
Hat – More sun protection to block the sun from your face
Microfiber Beach Towel – I packed my microfiber beach towel to take to the swimming holes. I didn’t want to bring the hotel towels, and the microfiber towels fold up to practically nothing.
Swimsuits – For pool or beach time, you will need a swimsuit. Men’s Women’s
Crochet Beach Bag – This beach bag is great for the beach and also for shopping!
Cute sundress – A cute sundress is just the thing you need for wine tasting, shopping, and getting those perfect Instagram photos. Check out this one here and another one here.
Comfy Sneakers – These Dr. Scholls sneakers are both stylish and comfortable for walking around the town! Men’s
Cell Phone Lanyard – Keep your cell phone safe around your neck!

Day 1 – Santa Barbara Itinerary

Here is some of the things you can do in Santa Barbara for your first day. These will depend on weather and what your cup of tea is. Mix and match these things to do for your perfect day in Santa Barbara. The other two days will be spent day tripping or taking boat tours.

Beach Time

I visited Santa Barbara in January, so I was definitely not putting on a bathing suit and tanning on the beaches. However, if you plan your visit around warmer weather, the beaches here looked really nice. East Beach, Butterfly Beach, Arroyo Burro Beach, and Leadbetter Beach are some of the most popular in the area. You can add chilling with a good book on the sand or getting active in the water with kayaking, surfing, and paddleboarding on your Santa Barbara itinerary.

Stearns Wharf

Stearns Wharf is located on East Beach and is a nice pier to spend a little bit of time at. There are some restaurants, wine tasting and gift shopping. You can also do some aquatic exploration at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center. If you’re looking to catch some fish or crabs, then Stearns Wharf is a great place for that as well.

Try the Wine

You do not need to go all the way to Napa to try some California wine. You don’t even need to leave the urban area of Santa Barbara. There are several wine tasting spots near Stearns Wharf and near City Hall.

Historic Landmarks

Santa Barbara has no shortage of historic landmarks and famous buildings for you to enjoy, especially in the Presidio neighborhood. El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Site (pictured above) is an 18th century Spanish fortress that hosts historical attractions and exhibits. Nearby is the Santa Barbara County Courthouse with Spanish-Moorish style architecture and colorful tiles making it one of the most beautiful buildings in Santa Barbara. You can’t miss Old Mission Santa Barbara, one of the city’s most famous historical landmarks while you are here.

Unique Things to Do in Santa Barbara

Check out at least a few of Jeff Shelton buildings while you are in Santa Barbara. Jeff Shelton is an architect whose designs are a little unorthodox. He loves to incorporate brightly colored accents, asymmetrical features, and curvy lines where most people would design straight. His quirky style is a favorite in Santa Barbara, and you can even do a self-guided walking tour of his works.

The Moreton Bay Fig Tree is over 120 years old and is thought of as the largest of its kind in the United States. The tree’s trunk is 38 feet in circumference! This stop will not take much time, but it is definitely worth seeing it.

Watch a Sunset

What better place to watch a sunset than on the California coast! Grab dinner or ice cream on Stearns Wharf, grab a towel and sit on one of the many beaches, or find an elevated perch like Lizard’s Mouth or Franceschi Park to watch as the first day of your Santa Barbara itinerary comes to an end.

Day 2 – Day Trip to Solvang

Located just 45 minutes from Santa Barbara is the cutest Danish-inspired town of Solvang. You will definitely feel like you have transported to old Europe when you’re walking around. Start your day eating traditional Danish pancakes and sausage at Paula’s Pancake House.

After breakfast, stop next door at Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery for Danishes, cookies, and the famous Kringle! If the line is too long at Olsen’s, which will likely be the case, there are plenty of other bakeries in town you can go to instead.

Spend the rest of your day walking around the town taking in the unique Danish architecture, shopping at the many boutique shops, and wine tasting. Make sure to visit the Solvang Windmill. You can also visit the Hans Christian Andersen Museum and the Hans Christian Andersen Park if you are a fan of the famous Danish author.

Day 3 – Whale Watching or Day Trip to Channel Islands NP

Spend your last day in your Santa Barbara itinerary at sea with either a whale watching tour or a day trip to Channel Islands National Park.

Whale Watching

One of the best things you can do on your Santa Barbara itinerary is whale watching. From February to April, you can see California gray whales during their migration. From May to November, you can see blue whales, minke whales, and humpback whales while they are feeding in the Santa Barbara Channel. I visited in January, and we actually saw a humpback whale! You may see orcas, but they are not nearly as common as the other whales. There are several companies you can book through such as Condor Express or Santa Barbara Whale Watch.

Channel Islands National Park

If you are feeling a little more adventurous, you can take a day trip to one of the islands of the Channel Islands National Park. The great thing about this option is that you still may be able to see whales and other aquatic animals. This is what we chose to do, and we saw a humpback whale and 4 species of dolphins.

Channel Islands National Park consists of 5 islands for you to choose from: Santa Cruz, Anacapa, Santa Rosa, Santa Barbara, and San Miguel. Visit Island Packers to book your trip and check out all your options. You need to book early because the boats do fill up. Note that the Island Packer boats leave from Ventura, which is about a 45 minute drive from Santa Barbara. There are no food services on the islands, so you need to bring enough lunch, snacks, and water to last all day.

Each island offers different adventures, so choose carefully. We opted for a trip to Santa Cruz which included a boat tour of the island and the painted cave (pictured above.) In the warmer summer months, you can even book a kayak tour into the cave or other islands. The possibilities are endless.

After your day trip to Channel Islands, spend the rest of the day exploring Ventura. Head to Main Street for dinner and a couple drinks before heading back to Santa Barbara for the night.