Discover Santa Barbara: History, Culture, and Activities

Get to know Santa Barbara through its many different places and activities: from Spanish history and distinctive architecture to touch pools, hiking trails, and classes at the Harbor. You can tailor the focus of your stay to the topics that interest you most.

History and Architecture in Santa Barbara

El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park preserves the site of the last of four Spanish military outposts along the coast of Alta California. This makes it part of the history of Spanish outposts on the coast. Another historic structure is El Cuartel: it is the oldest surviving building in Santa Barbara and the second-oldest in California.

Old Mission Santa Barbara was founded by Spanish Franciscans in 1786 and continues to house Franciscans. A multilingual audio tour takes you through the inner garden, the 1820 church, the historic cemetery, and the museum. This tour covers several distinct areas of the Mission. Santa Barbara County Courthouse is also a notable destination for architecture enthusiasts: the landmark was designed in the Spanish Colonial style and completed in 1929. Its features include a four-sided clock tower and a sunken garden with outdoor grounds.

The three sites represent different historical and architectural perspectives: El Presidio points to the Spanish military outposts, the Mission to its founding by Franciscans, and the Courthouse to 20th-century architecture. If you’re interested in history, these distinctions offer more guidance than simply looking at individual buildings.

Stearns Wharf, the Harbor, and Hiking Trails

Stearns Wharf is California’s oldest continuously operating pier and dates back to 1872. The wharf is home to the Sea Center, which has touch pools. This brings together the site’s historic significance and an opportunity to explore marine life up close.

At Santa Barbara Harbor, charter offerings include lessons in kayaking, scuba diving, and sailing. Offerings may change, so check the relevant details in advance. If you’d rather explore on foot, the Front Country Trails Program has 35 miles of hiking trails in the Santa Ynez Mountains. The wharf, Harbor, and mountains offer different ways to incorporate water and nature into your trip.

Hands-On and Animal Experiences

The Innovation Workshop at MOXI invites guests of all ages to experiment, build, and put their own ideas into practice using tools, technology, art, and imagination. The focus here is on creative exploration. Workshop topics may change.

At the Santa Barbara Zoo, educational animal experiences last 20 to 30 minutes. They include animal encounters and Q&A sessions. This is a different format from MOXI’s open-ended workshop approach: here, the focus is on a time-limited encounter and learning about animals through conversation. Dates and offerings may change; check the latest options in advance.

Planning Your Trip

The Santa Barbara Visitor Centers provide maps and directions, as well as current information on activity opening hours. You can also get information there about attractions, museums, bike rentals, guided tours, and dining options. If you’re planning a specific outing, you can ask about the topic you need—for example, directions or an activity’s opening hours.

Explore more destinations: Solvang, Santa Ynez, Goleta, Mission Canyon, Buellton, Montecito, Los Alamos, Mission Hills.

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