Stop and smell the roses on a romantic date at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Take your special someone for a stroll on winding stone pathways through an array of whimsical gardens. Explore more than 1,000 rare and native plants across 65 acres in the city’s historic Mission Canyon. Ah, love is in bloom.
Stargazers look up to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Explore a planetarium with a Space Lab, Magic Planet with meteorites and cool interactive astrological shows. Visit the nature exhibits to learn about mammals, fowl, reptiles, plant life and the geology of the Pacific Coastal and Channel Islands.
The locals at Arroyo Burro Beach Park in Santa Barbara are avid surfers. The sandy beach is a popular destination for surfers, swimmers and fisherman. After a day spent outdoors on the shores and off the shores, crowds get together at its seaside hot spots to enjoy cocktails at sunset.
Park it! Drive along scenic Alameda Padre Serra through the foothills east of the Mission Santa Barbara. Travel through a million-dollar neighborhood to arrive at the 18-acre park with Pacific ocean views, picnic areas and the former 19th century residence of botanist Francesco Franceshchi.