Santa Barbara family guide
Things to Do in Santa Barbara with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Santa Barbara on the map
📍 Where Santa Barbara is
Santa Barbara sits in Santa Barbara, Southern California. Nearest major airport: Hollywood Burbank (~78 mi / 126 km). It's roughly 87 mi (140 km) from Downtown LA and 188 mi (302 km) from San Diego — SoCal traffic can make a drive take far longer than the distance suggests, so plan around it.
Visiting? See SoCal at a glance, getting around and which airport.
🏡 New to Santa Barbara? Start hereRec classes, library cards, school lookup, alerts and getting around.OpenClose
- Rec classes & camps: Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation runs classes, Junior Lifeguards, swim lessons and Thanksgiving, winter and spring break camps.
- Library card: Santa Barbara Public Library has Central, Eastside and Montecito branches; a Welcome card works even before you have a permanent address.
- Storytime: Early-childhood programs include Baby & Me at Central, bilingual Songs & Stories at Eastside and Wiggly Storytime in parks.
- Find your school: Santa Barbara Unified runs the city's public schools; check its school and district boundary maps for your address.
- ReadySBC Alerts: ReadySBC Alerts by text, email and phone are Santa Barbara County's primary emergency alert system; you must register to receive them.
- Evacuation zones: Look up your address on the county's Genasys-powered Emergency Zones Map, or follow your zone in the Genasys Protect app.
- Wildfire: The city fire department's Wildland Fire program offers defensible-space evaluations and chipping for homes in the city's high fire hazard areas.
- Bus fares: Santa Barbara MTD charges K-12 youth $1.25 a ride or $30 for 30 days; kids under 45 inches ride free.
- Train: Santa Barbara is a Pacific Surfliner stop; kids 2-12 get 50% off the lowest adult rail fare.
Things to do in Santa Barbara
Parks & Hiking
Bohnett Park
A shady neighborhood park on Mission Creek with a playground for ages 5–12, room for pickup soccer and restrooms. Across the creek, facing San Andres St, is a storybook pocket park with a house theme and hidden artwork that little kids love to explore.
FreeChase Palm Park & Shipwreck Playground
The mountain side of Cabrillo Blvd has the shipwreck-themed playground (ages 2–12), fountains, a lagoon and restrooms. The ocean side is a palm-lined lawn and bike path running to East Beach. The old Carousel House is now an event venue, so there is no carousel.
Free; paid city lots nearby (Palm Park lot)Eastside Neighborhood Park
A neighborhood park at 118 N. Soledad St with a 2–5 playground that has Santa Barbara's first public nest swing, plus an obstacle-course play area for ages 5–12. It has mature oak shade and restrooms, and the Eastside Library is a short walk away.
FreeEgg Hunt Extravaganza
The city's free spring egg hunt at the Santa Barbara Golf Club, with separate hunts for ages 0–2, 3–5 and 6–12. There's also a bounce house, snag golf and face painting. Register ahead, because walk-ups aren't guaranteed.
Free; pre-registration requiredFranceschi Park
A Riviera hillside park with sweeping city and ocean views, short paths and botanist Francesco Franceschi's rare plant collection. The road up is narrow and winding. The lot is locked at night, and cars left inside stay locked in until morning.
Free; free on-site lot (locked nightly)Los Baños del Mar Pool
The city's historic 50-meter beachside pool by West Beach, heated to 80° and open year-round with lifeguards. Its fall schedule is lap swim and city swim lessons, not open play. For splashy kid swims, use the summer-only Ortega Park pool.
$10 residents / $11 non-residents per visit; 10-visit and monthly passesOak Park & Wading Pool
A shady midtown park with a playground for ages 2–12, creek trails and a free lifeguarded wading pool for kids 7 and under in summer. The library's free Wiggly Storytime for ages 0–5 meets here most Fridays at 10:30am.
FreeOrtega Park & Pool
A free, heated (84°), four-foot-deep summer pool for kids 13 and under with their caregivers, staffed by lifeguards, with swim lessons on weekdays. The park also has a playground for ages 5–12, basketball courts and a softball field. A revitalization project is planned for the park.
Free (pool and park)Parma Park
Nearly 200 acres of foothill chaparral, oak woodland and grassland off Stanwood Dr, with more than 7 miles of trails upgraded in 2024. Bikes are not allowed, so it's calmer for young hikers. Leash dogs and yield to horses.
FreeParque de los Niños
A tiny westside park at 520 Wentworth Ave with tiles hand-painted by local children and a playground for ages 2–12. An outdoor multigym sits right beside it so parents can exercise while they watch.
FreeRocky Nook Park
A 19-acre county park under oaks and sycamores along Mission Creek, between the Mission and the Natural History Museum. It has a playground, short trails, BBQs and restrooms, and big sandstone boulders kids love to climb.
FreeShoreline Park
A blufftop lawn above Leadbetter Beach with a playground for ages 2–5, restrooms, a whale-watching lookout, Channel Islands views and stairs down to the beach. The library's free Music & Movement class for ages 2–5 meets here Thursdays at 10:30am (weather permitting). Dogs are allowed on leash.
Free; street parking along Shoreline DrSkater's Point Skatepark
A free 14,600 sq ft waterfront skatepark on Cabrillo Blvd by Stearns Wharf, with a half-pipe, rails and fun boxes. Helmets plus elbow and knee pads are required at all times, and the rule is enforced.
FreeSkofield Park
A 29-acre foothill park on Las Canoas Rd with grassy meadows, native shade trees, walking trails, horseshoe pits and restrooms. It feels away from it all yet is 10 minutes from downtown, which makes it good for a group picnic (four reservable BBQ sites).
Free; free on-site parkingStevens Park & Jesusita Trail (to Inspiration Point)
Stevens Park has a 2–5 playground, restrooms and an easy creekside trail up San Roque Canyon. Older kids can continue on the moderately strenuous Jesusita Trail to Inspiration Point (1,800 ft) for city and Channel Islands views. Watch for poison oak; dogs on leash.
Free; free on-site parkingKid's World Playground
An 8,000-square-foot wooden castle of slides, swings, and climbing structures at Alameda Park, sized for ages 2 to 12 and long considered the city's flagship playground. Volunteer-built in the 1990s in the community-playground style, it's the kind of sprawling wooden fort kids can disappear into for hours.
FreeRattlesnake Canyon Trail
A popular, easy-to-moderate roughly 2-mile family hike along a creek to a shaded meadow — a gentler, more forested alternative to the bouldering-and-scrambling terrain at Lizard's Mouth.
FreeElings Park
A 230-acre hilltop park with playgrounds, a free 9-hole disc golf course, and BMX and RC-car tracks — a bigger, more varied outdoor option than the standard beach or garden visit.
Free; disc golf $6 weekendsBeaches & Coast
East Beach & Cabrillo Pavilion
The wide city beach east of the wharf, with a playground, more than a dozen volleyball courts and picnic areas at East Beach Park. Dogs are not allowed on the sand. Free beach wheelchairs (one manual, one motorized) can be reserved at the Cabrillo Pavilion, which also has showers and lockers.
Free; paid Cabrillo East/West city lots and angled street parkingLeadbetter Beach
A popular beginner surf and windsurf beach between the harbor and Shoreline Park, with a grassy lawn, restrooms, outdoor showers and a beach café. Dogs are not allowed on the sand. Picnic spots are first-come, first-served except the large reservable BBQ area.
Free; paid city lot (268 spaces) next to the parkOutdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center
A free top-floor lookout in the harbor's Waterfront Center with one of the best views in town: the harbor, wharf, beaches, mountains and the Channel Islands. It takes about 15 minutes and makes an easy add-on to the Maritime Museum downstairs.
FreeStearns Wharf
A free stroll out over the water from the foot of State Street, with snack shops, the Sea Center and views back to the mountains. Driving onto the wharf is allowed, and the first 90 minutes of parking are free for everyone.
Free to walk; wharf parking free first 90 min, then $3/hr ($20/day max); no vehicles over 20 ftThousand Steps Beach Access
A 1925 stairway (157 steps, despite the name) from the end of Santa Cruz Blvd down to a quiet Mesa beach. The city has a repair project for the steps, so check its page for closures. It's best for kids who can handle the climb back up.
Free; street parking on the MesaWest Beach
The sheltered sand between Stearns Wharf and the harbor, next to the calm Small Craft Quiet Water Area where kayaks and outriggers paddle. There is a playground nearby, Los Baños pool is next door, and the city's Fourth of July fireworks launch here. Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
Free; paid city lots nearby
Arroyo Burro Beach (Hendry's Beach)
A sandy county beach with a big picnic lawn, an on-site restaurant, and a dedicated off-leash dog beach section at one end — a distinctly different, more local-feeling beach than the downtown waterfront strip.
Free; on-site lotAnimals & Nature
Andrée Clark Bird Refuge
A 29-acre lagoon next to the zoo with a flat paved path, three viewing platforms and more than 200 bird species recorded, plus turtles basking on the islands. It's an easy stroller loop. Feeding wildlife, boating and fishing are prohibited.
Free; Cabrillo East lot (paid) nearbyMission Historical Park & A.C. Postel Rose Garden
A city park across from Old Mission Santa Barbara with more than 1,500 rose bushes, big lawns for picnics and lawn games, and ruins of the Mission's old reservoir, aqueduct and tannery vats. It's run separately from the Mission, so it's free even if you skip the Mission tour.
Free; street parkingMoreton Bay Fig Tree
Planted in 1876, it's one of the largest trees of its kind in the U.S., with a 45-foot trunk circumference. A two-minute walk from the Amtrak station and MOXI, it makes a quick stop for kids arriving by train.
FreeSanta Barbara Botanic Garden
California-native gardens with creekside trails in Mission Canyon at 1212 Mission Canyon Rd. Advance reservations are required, especially April–July. Leashed dogs are welcome and get in free.
Adults $23 ($25 Mar 1–May 31), youth 3–12 $14, under 3 free; reservation required and includes parking for one carSanta Barbara Zoo
A compact, walkable hilltop zoo above East Beach, a manageable size for toddlers and early-elementary kids. Reservations are recommended. The lot fills fast on summer days and weekends, and overflow street parking is tight while the Dwight Murphy Field renovation across the street is underway.
Adults (13+) $39.95, kids 2–12 $29.95, under 2 free ($2/ticket off online); parking $11 per vehicleSea Center on Stearns Wharf
The Museum of Natural History's small, hands-on aquarium at the end of the wharf. Kids can try the touch pools and Wet Deck and see moon jellies, a moray eel and the two-spot octopus. Wharf parking is free for the first 90 minutes.
Adults $17, teens and seniors $15, kids 2–12 $13, under 2 free, SNAP/CalFresh $5
Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden
A free 4.6-acre downtown botanical garden with a koi pond, a sensory garden, and a picnic gazebo — a calmer, no-admission alternative to the paid Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and an easy stop between other downtown errands.
FreeMuseums & Learning
Eastside Library
A Santa Barbara Public Library branch at 1102 E. Montecito St. Drop-in Stay & Play for ages 0–5 runs Wednesdays 9–10:30am, and Bilingual Songs & Stories (English/Spanish, ages 0–5) runs Thursdays at 11am. Creator's Club meets Wednesday afternoons.
FreeEl Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park
The 1782 Spanish fort site downtown, with two original adobes (El Cuartel and the Cañedo Adobe) and a self-guided tour booklet. Kids 16 and under are free, so it's a quick history stop. The park says it is currently open while under construction, so some areas may be fenced.
Adults $5, seniors $4, kids 16 and under free; hourly lot at 115 E. Canon Perdido StSanta Barbara Central Library
The Santa Barbara Public Library's downtown branch (city-run), next to the Courthouse. Kids' programs include Baby & Me (0–14 months) Mondays at 11am, Bilingual Music & Movement (ages 2–5) Tuesdays at 10:30am, and Explore Together, a hands-on STEAM hour for preschool–2nd grade, Saturdays at 10am.
FreeSanta Barbara Maritime Museum
A hands-on harbor museum covering local surfing, shipwrecks and Chumash seafaring, at 113 Harbor Way. Kids 5 and under get in free. Afterward, take the elevator upstairs in the same Waterfront Center to the free Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center.
Adults $12, youth 6–17 $6, 5 and under free; Museums for All $2 per person; paid harbor parkingSanta Barbara Museum of Natural History
Set in oak-shaded Mission Canyon, with Chad the blue whale skeleton out front, a planetarium and the seasonal Butterflies Alive! exhibit. Parking in the museum lot is free. It pairs well with a picnic at Rocky Nook Park next door.
Adults $20, teens 13–17 and seniors $17, kids 2–12 $15, under 2 free, SNAP/CalFresh $5; Butterflies Alive! is +$3; free parkingSanta Barbara Historical Museum
A free downtown museum covering Santa Barbara's history from the Chumash era through the Old Spanish Days period — a quick, no-cost rainy-day complement to the paid Natural History Museum and MOXI.
FreeArts & Culture
Children's Fiesta Parade
A foot-powered Old Spanish Days parade where families decorate wagons, strollers and carts and walk, scoot or roll down Cabrillo Blvd. It runs from Calle Puerto Vallarta to Casa Las Palmas. Marching is free and ends with ice cream.
Free to watch or march (registration required to march)Concerts in the Park
The city's free summer concert series on Chase Palm Park's Great Meadow, next to the shipwreck playground. Outside food and non-alcoholic drinks are fine, but alcohol and pets aren't. Blankets and low chairs can be set out once staff finish setup, around 10:30–11am.
FreeFourth of July Celebration & Fireworks
A full day at West Beach with free live music at the bandstand and food booths along Cabrillo Blvd, ending with a 20-minute fireworks show launched from the beach. Waterfront lots fill early, so walk or bike in if you can.
FreeSanta Barbara County Courthouse & Clock Tower
Take the elevator up to the free El Mirador observation deck for a 360° view of red-tile roofs, mountains and ocean. No reservation is needed, and the clock gallery opens Wed, Sat and Sun 10:45am–12:05pm. The Sunken Garden lawn is good for running around afterward.
Free (building, clock tower and docent tours); City Lot #7 across Anacapa St free first 75 min, then $3/hrSanta Barbara Museum of Art
A major art museum on State Street that's easy to do in an hour with kids. Under-6s are always free, and Santa Barbara County students get in free. Tri-County residents (SB, Ventura and SLO) are free on the second Sunday with proof of residency.
Adults $15, youth 6–17 $6, under 6 free; free 1st Thursday 5–8pm, free 2nd Sunday for Tri-County residents, free for SB County studentsSummer Solstice Parade & Festival
Santa Barbara County's biggest event, with more than 1,000 participants in giant puppets, costumes and human-powered floats parading up State Street. The Alameda Park festival afterward has a free children's area, and a children's parade runs Sunday. Arrive early for a curb spot.
FreeSunset Sessions at the Plaza del Mar Band Shell
Free family-friendly evenings at the renovated waterfront band shell, with acoustic music and kids' theater such as Boxtales. Picnics are welcome, but alcohol isn't. The city page still shows the 2025 lineup, so check for the current schedule.
Free; free Pershing Park lot or paid Harbor Main lotTrunk or Treat
A free costumed candy walk past decorated car trunks in the Spencer Adams parking lot (1235 Chapala St), hosted by Parks & Rec, SBPAL and the Youth Council. It's a calm alternative to neighborhood trick-or-treating for little kids.
FreeShopping & Treats
State Street Promenade
The 500–1300 blocks of State Street were closed to cars during the pandemic and remain a pedestrian promenade, making a car-free walk from the Moreton Bay Fig and MOXI up to the Museum of Art and Courthouse. Bikes and scooters share the street under city rules, so keep little ones close.
Free; downtown city lots free first 75 minSanta Barbara Certified Farmers Market
The city's flagship weekly farmers market, held downtown every Saturday morning with local produce, flowers, and food vendors — an easy, free way to start a Santa Barbara morning before the beach or Stearns Wharf.
Free to browseMore for families in Santa Barbara
From our researched guides: the Santa Barbara spots for indoor playgrounds, classes. Hours and prices change, so check the venue's site before you go.
Indoor playgrounds
All SoCal indoor playgrounds →MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
An interactive STEAM museum on lower State Street; the Crawlers' Corner soft-play area and weekly Toddler Tuesdays make it toddler-friendly.
$$ admission
Venue website ↗Classes & lessons
All SoCal classes →State Street Ballet Academy
Official school of the renowned State Street Ballet (founded 1994); classical training with chances to perform alongside pros.
$$ enrollment
Venue website ↗Channel Islands YMCA (Learn to Swim)
Long-established YMCA group swim lessons by age and ability with low ratios; Santa Barbara plus Ventura & Camarillo.
$$ enrollment
Venue website ↗Free days in Santa Barbara
Free or free-on-certain-days admission. Rules change and some are residents-only — confirm with the venue before you go.
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Free the 1st Thursday of each month, 5–8pm; free 2nd Sunday for SB/Ventura/SLO residents
A downtown art museum with European, American and Asian collections plus family art-making. Free the first Thursday evening of each month (not every Thursday — CORRECTED 2026-09-15), and free the second Sunday monthly for tri-county residents.
Holidays in Santa Barbara
Lights, parades, Santa and more this season. Confirm details with the organizer before you go.
IllumaNature at the Santa Barbara Zoo (NYE and New Year's Day)
Nov 11, 2026–Jan 10, 2027 · 5–9pm (closed Thanksgiving, Dec 24, Dec 25)
The zoo's new nighttime light walk runs on both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and the zoo is open daytime on Jan 1 as well.
$39.95 adults / $29.95 kids 2–12; with one IllumaNature Express train ride $46.95 / $35.95
Downtown Santa Barbara holiday happenings
Nov 17 – Dec 12, 2026 (dates below)
The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association's holiday season on State Street: the Downtown Holiday Tree Installation (Tue Nov 17, 10am), the Small Business Holiday Stroll (Sat Nov 28, all day), the 1st Thursday Art Walk (Nov 5 and Dec 3), Moonlight Sessions every Wednesday in November (5–8pm), a Prime Time Band Holiday Sing-Along (Fri Dec 11, 6pm) and the SBCC Brass Band (Sat Dec 12, noon).
Free
Big Wave Dave's Christmas Trees (La Cumbre Plaza)
Nov 27 – Dec 23, 2026 · daily 10am–9pm
A pre-cut fir lot in the Macy's parking lot at La Cumbre Plaza, with delivery and stands; no kids' activities are listed, but it's the main lot in Santa Barbara itself.
See site
Rudolph (State Street Ballet Academy)
Dec 5–6, 2026 · Sat 6:30pm; Sun 2pm
A ballet of the misfit-reindeer story danced by State Street Ballet students at the Lobero Theatre, shorter and cheaper than a full Nutcracker.
$19 student, $27 senior, $32 reserved (+$3 online fee)
Una Noche de Las Posadas
Fri, Dec 11, 2026 · 7–9pm
Starts with songs in the Presidio Chapel, then a candlelit procession sings in Spanish on the way to Casa de la Guerra, where a makers market runs 5–9pm.
Free
The Nutcracker (State Street Ballet)
Dec 18–20, 2026 · Fri 6pm; Sat 2pm and 7:30pm; Sun 2pm
Santa Barbara's professional Nutcracker at the Granada Theatre, with more than 100 young dancers from the State Street Ballet Academy.
See site
The Christmas Revels: A Victorian Celebration of the Winter Solstice
Dec 19–20, 2026 · Sat 2:30pm and 7:30pm; Sun 2:30pm
Santa Barbara Revels sets carols, dancing, a mummers' play and a ghostly melodrama in a Victorian music hall, with a chorus of all ages, at the Lobero.
$26–$86; student, child and family-pack discounts
Noon Year's Eve at MOXI
Dec 31, 2026 · morning, with a countdown to noon (new earlier sensory-friendly session)
Museum-wide activities, a dance party and a confetti countdown to noon; this year adds an earlier sensory-friendly session.
$30 adults / $25 kids; members $25 / $20; under 2 free with a ticket
Festivals & annual events in Santa Barbara
What Santa Barbara is known for — the events locals plan the year around.
Downtown Santa Barbara Holiday Parade
Presented by the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA), an evening State Street parade at 6:30pm from the Arlington Theatre down to Ortega Street, with marching bands, performing groups and illuminated walking ensembles. It returns after a long hiatus and is expected to draw a big crowd. Tip: claim a curb spot near Ortega Street early and bring layers.
No cost listed
Monster X Tour (Monster Trucks)
A monster truck show at Earl Warren Showgrounds with pit parties (10:30-11:30am before the noon show; 5:30-6:30pm before the 7pm show). Tip: pit parties let kids see the trucks up close, and the noon show is easier for young children than the 7pm show.
Ticketed; advance tickets at monsterxtour.com
Santa Barbara Parade of Lights (40th Annual)
A waterfront day from 2pm to 7:30pm with a human-powered paddle parade at 2pm, an illuminated boat parade at 5:30pm and fireworks around 7pm. A Winter Wonderland is on the City Pier. Tip: watch from Stearns Wharf or the Harbor.
No cost listed
Santa Barbara Harbor & Seafood Festival
A 10am-5pm festival on Harbor Way that celebrates the start of lobster season. It has fresh seafood, live music, maritime education, vessel tours, children's activities and free boat rides. Tip: the free boat rides and tours have lines, so go early.
Boo at the Zoo
Daytime Halloween fun runs 10am-3pm with a scavenger hunt, daily costume contest and parade, story time and face painting. Evening trick-or-treating runs Oct 23-25 from 5pm with animal encounters, bounce houses and s'mores, though the animals go to bed early. Tip: parking is $11 (free for members), and the Zoo closes at 3:30pm on the evening-event days before reopening at 4:45pm.
Local restaurants in Santa Barbara
Rusty's Pizza Parlor
A Santa Barbara institution since 1969, serving thin-crust pizza, wings, and a salad bar right on State Street.
McConnell's Fine Ice Creams (State Street)
Scratch-made ice cream from a brand founded in Santa Barbara in 1949 — a simple counter-service scoop shop right on State Street.
Benchmark Eatery
Casual smash burgers, tacos, and flatbreads on a kid- and pet-friendly patio on upper State Street.
Renaud's Patisserie & Bistro
French pastries, croissants, and an all-day brunch menu in a casual bakery-cafe format at Arlington Plaza.
Los Arroyos Mexican Restaurant
A beloved local Mexican restaurant since 1999, a block off State Street, with a real kids' menu and outdoor seating.
Cajun Kitchen Cafe
A family-run Cajun-inflected breakfast and lunch diner since 1984, built around being a family gathering spot.
Lucky Penny
Wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza served in a penny-tiled building in the Funk Zone, with a casual picnic-style patio.
Helena Avenue Bakery
Rustic breads and scratch pastries at a casual counter-service breakfast-and-lunch bakery in the Funk Zone.
Mony's Mexican Food
A local go-to taqueria since 2013 in the Funk Zone, known for affordable street tacos at a casual counter-order format.
Santa Barbara Shellfish Company
A casual, first-come seafood shack at the end of Stearns Wharf, with crab and lobster straight from the tanks and counter seating over the water.
Moby Dick Restaurant
A Santa Barbara fixture on Stearns Wharf since 1959, serving ocean-view seafood and American fare, with a confirmed kids' menu and a weekday lunch prix-fixe.
Corazón Cocina
Inventive Mexican street tacos and ceviche at a fast-casual counter inside the Santa Barbara Public Market.
Santa Barbara Public Market
A Funk Zone food hall with rotating independent kitchens under one roof — including Rori's Artisanal Creamery, Little Bird, Que Smoke Shack, and Empty Bowl Noodle Bar — with communal seating and something for every picky eater in one stop.
Brass Bear Brewing
A local brewery and bistro in the Funk Zone serving sandwiches and charcuterie, built with a designated kids' zone.
McConnell's Fine Ice Creams (Funk Zone)
A second scoop-shop location near the beach end of State Street from the Santa Barbara-founded (1949) ice cream brand.
Local shops in Santa Barbara
Chicken Little
A family-owned kids and baby store since 1979 at State and Victoria, with gear, toys and clothing plus stroller demos and car-seat installs.
Game Seeker
A family-run board game and puzzle shop on State Street with in-store play tables and regular family game nights.
Chaucer's Books
An independent full-service bookstore since 1974 on upper State Street, with a dedicated children's picture-book section.
Seasonal & outdoors near Santa Barbara
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Santa Barbara.
More Santa Barbara family guides
Browse all SoCal city guides →Santa Barbara family FAQ
What are the best things to do in Santa Barbara with kids?
Family favorites in and around Santa Barbara include Andrée Clark Bird Refuge, Mission Historical Park & A.C. Postel Rose Garden, Moreton Bay Fig Tree and Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, and more. Our guide lists 48 spots, each with a price note and practical tips where we have them.
Are there free things to do in Santa Barbara?
Yes — free family spots near Santa Barbara include Andrée Clark Bird Refuge, Mission Historical Park & A.C. Postel Rose Garden, Moreton Bay Fig Tree and Children's Fiesta Parade. Our free things to do page lists more across Southern California.
What can kids do in Santa Barbara on a rainy day?
Indoor options in and around Santa Barbara include Sea Center on Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara County Courthouse & Clock Tower, Santa Barbara Museum of Art and Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center, and more. Each listing in our guide is marked indoor or outdoor, so you can filter for the weather.
How can families spend a day in Santa Barbara?
One easy plan: start outside at Andrée Clark Bird Refuge while kids have the most energy, break for lunch at Rusty's Pizza Parlor, then head indoors to Sea Center on Stearns Wharf for the afternoon. Our guide has prices and tips for each stop, plus 46 more ideas to swap in.
Where can families eat in Santa Barbara?
Local, family-friendly spots in Santa Barbara include Rusty's Pizza Parlor, McConnell's Fine Ice Creams (State Street), Benchmark Eatery and Renaud's Patisserie & Bistro, and more — independent, SoCal-only eateries, never national chains.
What does the YourSoCal Santa Barbara guide cover?
Our Santa Barbara family guide includes 48 things to do, 15 local eats and 3 local shops — with independent, non-chain eats and shops.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.
Book Santa Barbara tours & tickets
Bookable via Viator · we may earn a commission (no extra cost to you)Bookable experiences, skip-the-line tickets, and tours in Santa Barbara — reserved through Viator.
Free cancellationEpic Zipline Tour near Santa Barbara
Free cancellationAll Inclusive Santa Ynez Wine Tour
Free cancellationSanta Barbara Sunset Cruise on Yacht
Santa Barbara Trolley Tour
Free cancellationCoastal Cruise on Yacht in Santa Barbara
Free cancellationDiscover Santa Barbara Yacht Experience
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Where to stay in Santa Barbara
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