Santa Barbara Zoo

A truly beautiful location, The Santa Barbara Zoo is home to 160 species of mammals, reptiles, birds and insects. More than 500 animals are exhibited in open, naturalistic habitats. An average Zoo visit lasts 2.5 hours; but many guests spend a half day meandering the grounds, taking in the Pacific Ocean views, and enjoying a picnic lunch or dinner after visiting the animals.

Stearns Wharf

Stearns Wharf is a pier in the harbor at Santa Barbara, California. When completed In 1872, it became the longest deep-water pier between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Named for its builder, local lumberman John P. Stearns, the wharf served the passenger and freight shipping needs of California's South Coast for over a quarter century.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is a 65 acre garden, containing over 1,000 species of rare and indigenous plants. It is located in Mission Canyon. The garden displays California native plants in natural settings. There are approximately 5.5 miles of hiking trails within the garden. Mission Creek flows through the premises, and includes a rock dam which was constructed in 1806 by Native Americans (mainly Canaliños) under the direction of the Spanish padres of the adjacent Mission Santa Barbara. From now until 2007, the Garden is home to Patrick Dougherty's latest sculpture, Toad Hall, a two-story tower and a maze of pathways and chambers made of twisted and woven willows.

Rattlesnake Canyon

Enjoy the outdoors with a hike in Rattlesnake Canyon which stretches from Skofield Park into the Santa Ynez mountains.

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

Painted Cave State Historic Park is a small sandstone cave adorned with rock art attributed to the Chumash people, adjoining the small community of Painted Cave on Painted Cave Road about 2 miles north of State Route 154 and 11 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, California.

Shoreline Park

A long, narrow ocean-side strip of land, Shoreline Park, is located in Santa Barbara, California. Facing the Pacific Ocean, Shoreline Park is one of Santa Barbara's most popular parks.The park features a playground, a whale watching area situated next to a statue of a large bronze whale tail, as well as a sister city Japanese garden. This park also provides a clear view of the Channel Islands on a good day.