Coastal town day trip · California

Santa Barbara Day Trip from LA day trip

Santa Barbara Day Trip from LA

A full day in Santa Barbara from Los Angeles: the Old Mission in the morning, the free clock-tower view at the County Courthouse, lunch in the Funk Zone or on State Street, a walk out on Stearns Wharf and an optional late-afternoon stop at Butterfly Beach in Montecito. It's planned by car around US-101 traffic, with an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner version for a day without the drive.

Time
10–11 hour day
Driving
About 4–5 hours of driving in total, much more in US-101 traffic
Best time
All year; best September–November and April–May
Updated
$4 USD

One-time purchase. You own your guide forever and can return for the latest update any time.

Red tile roofs, palm trees and white Spanish-style buildings of downtown Santa Barbara seen from above, with the Santa Ynez Mountains under a blue sky
Eugene Zelenko · CC BY-SA 4.0. December 2007 photograph from the courthouse clock tower, winter; buildings may have changed; resized and displayed with crop.
Suggested times, not bookings

Your day at a glance

  • 7:15 amLeave Los Angeles on US-101
  • 9:30 amOld Mission Santa Barbara
  • 11:15 amSanta Barbara County Courthouse
  • 12:45 pmLunch in the Funk Zone or on lower State Street
  • 2:00 pmStearns Wharf and the waterfront
  • 3:15 pmButterfly Beach, Montecito
  • 4:15 pmReturn to Los Angeles
Highlights

Worth the trip

  • A 360° view of red tile roofs and mountains from the courthouse clock tower, free
  • The Old Mission church, museum rooms, cemetery and gardens on a self-guided tour
  • Lunch a few blocks from the beach, then a walk to the end of Stearns Wharf

What’s in the guide

Matching HTML and PDF guides, detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links, weather alternatives and phone instructions. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

Santa Barbara's coast is mild in every season. From September to November, days are often the sunniest and warmest of the year, though hot, dry Santa Ana or sundowner winds can raise the fire danger. In late spring and early summer (May Gray and June Gloom), low cloud often covers the coast until late morning or all day, while it is sunny a few miles inland. Winter brings most of the year's rain in a handful of storms, which can be heavy enough to close roads, and clear, cool days in between. Evenings by the water are cool all year. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard forecast before you go.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.

A good day, in the bag.

Your guides

One-time purchase · USD · Digital delivery after payment