Santa Barbara travel guide

Santa Barbara Tourism | Santa Barbara Guide

You're Going to Love Santa Barbara

With a population of 88,410, Santa Barbara is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Santa Barbara deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Santa Barbara

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Lark - Santa Barbara (131 Anacapa St. Suite A) and El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel Dining Room (800 Alvarado Place) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Bibi Ji (734 State St) and costa Kitchen & Bar (1111 E Cabrillo Blvd) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Santa Barbara.

When to visit Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara in January
Estimated hotel price
S$ 462
1 night at 3-star hotel
Santa Barbara in January
Estimated hotel price
S$ 462
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Santa Barbara in July, when the average temperature is 17 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 6 °C, with an average temperature of 11 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 90 mm. In contrast, May is usually the driest month of the year in Santa Barbara, with an average rainfall of 0 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Santa Barbara

Plane

When flying to Santa Barbara, you’ll arrive at Santa Barbara (SBA), which is located 8 miles from the city centre. The shortest flight to Santa Barbara from Singapore departs from Singapore and takes around 15h 10m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Santa Barbara. The train journey from Santa Barbara to Burbank takes 0h 27m and costs around S$ 15 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Fullerton, expect to pay about S$ 19 for a 0h 39m trip. The train station in Santa Barbara is called Santa Barbara, and is located 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Santa Barbara is to pick up a car hire from Los Angeles, which is about 83 miles from Santa Barbara. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Thrifty, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santa Barbara, including Bus, FlixBus and Busbud. From Santa Barbara, the bus ride to Santa Barbara takes 120 miles and will cost you around S$ 87. From Bakersfield, the ticket costs about S$ 48 for a journey of 125 miles. Santa Barbara’s bus station is located 8 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Santa Barbara, you’ll arrive at Santa Barbara (SBA), which is located 8 miles from the city centre. The shortest flight to Santa Barbara from Singapore departs from Singapore and takes around 15h 10m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Santa Barbara. The train journey from Santa Barbara to Burbank takes 0h 27m and costs around S$ 15 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Fullerton, expect to pay about S$ 19 for a 0h 39m trip. The train station in Santa Barbara is called Santa Barbara, and is located 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Santa Barbara is to pick up a car hire from Los Angeles, which is about 83 miles from Santa Barbara. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Thrifty, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santa Barbara, including Bus, FlixBus and Busbud. From Santa Barbara, the bus ride to Santa Barbara takes 120 miles and will cost you around S$ 87. From Bakersfield, the ticket costs about S$ 48 for a journey of 125 miles. Santa Barbara’s bus station is located 8 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Santa Barbara

Airlines serving Santa Barbara

Lufthansa
Good (4,636 reviews)
KLM
Good (849 reviews)
SWISS
Good (926 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,467 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,601 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,299 reviews)
Air France
Good (982 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,554 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (476 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,936 reviews)
Emirates
Good (2,123 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,483 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,756 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (876 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (834 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,166 reviews)
LOT
Good (682 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (913 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Santa Barbara

From 5-star hotels such as the Hotel Californian to great affordable options like the Bath Street Inn, Santa Barbara offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around S$ 628 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to S$ 1,011 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Coast Village Inn and Agave Inn.

Where to stay in popular areas of Santa Barbara

Most booked hotels in Santa Barbara

Harbor View Inn
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
S$ 428+
Best Western Plus Santa Barbara
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
S$ 264+
Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
S$ 219+
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara
5 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
S$ 1,050+
Hotel Milo Santa Barbara
3 stars
Good (7.5, Good reviews)
S$ 354+
Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort
4 stars
Good (7.4, Good reviews)
S$ 496+

Hiring a car in Santa Barbara

Avis, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Santa Barbara is the Hertz branch at 114 Moffett Pl, which is 8 miles from the city centre.

Expect to pay S$ 1.42 per litre in Santa Barbara (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between S$ 17.03 and S$ 22.70. Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Santa Barbara, while also 65% cheaper than other types, on average.

Avis, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Santa Barbara is the Hertz branch at 114 Moffett Pl, which is 8 miles from the city centre.

Expect to pay S$ 1.42 per litre in Santa Barbara (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between S$ 17.03 and S$ 22.70. Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Santa Barbara, while also 65% cheaper than other types, on average.