Road trip from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara
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Shopping
Food & Drink
Sights & Landmarks
Spas & Wellness
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Sights & Landmarks
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Outdoor Activities
Museums
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ITINERARY
5h 8m254 miles15 stops
1
Gaviota Vista Viewpoint
2
Cold Spring Tavern
A popular mountain for hiking outside of Santa Barbara.
3
Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park
4
Santa Barbara Orchid Estate
5
Inspiration Point
6
Market Forays
Market Forays offers Locavore Cooking Classes and Culinary Adventures for leisure travelers. Sustainable Team Building Events for Corporate Groups. Private Chef Services. Classes start at the Fishermen's Market in Santa Barbara Harbor where the freshest seafood is bought right off the boats, and continue to the renowned Saturday Farmers Market with its spectacular selection of produce, flowers, and regional specialties. Menus are built around the freshest seasonal ingredients, combined with a playful attitude and individualized hands-on instruction by a French trained chef. A shared meal paired with premium local wines follows the active part of the class. The dietary preferences of the guests are built into the day's lesson plan to ensure that everyone enjoys the experience. A printed recipe guide is provided. Class wraps up around 3:30 pm. custom private classes available during the week, advance reservation is required.
7
Earl Warren Showgrounds
8
Lookout County Park
9
Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens
10
The Historic La Arcada Courtyard
11
Italian Pottery Outlet
Italian Pottery Outlet offers the finest in imported Italian pottery and volcanic tables at discounted prices. Our family scours the Italian countryside searching for the most interesting Italian ceramic designs and patterns, and we proudly bring these handmade, hand-painted, one-of-a-kind ceramic delights to you. We also have a huge selection of other wonderful gifts such as jewelry, linens, books, candles, soaps, etc!
12
Frequency Wine Company
Our modern furnished tasting room is located in the historic Presidio neighborhood of downtown Santa Barbara. We offer family produced wines and focus on single vineyard selections, offering pure expressions of critically acclaimed Santa Barbara County terrior.
13
Douglas Family Preserve
14
Paseo Nuevo
We are open! The perfect place to shop, dine, and explore! SHOP & DINE Paseo Nuevo is your premier outdoor shopping destination and the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, offering 50+ national retailers, specialty shops, and restaurants. Shop Sephora, Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Aveda, PacSun, See's Candies, American Eagle, Solstice Sunglasses, and more! Wine and dine at Eureka!, California Pizza Kitchen, Panda Express, 805 Boba or Pressed Juicery. #EXPLORE the beautiful courtyards of Paseo Nuevo surrounded by sunny Spanish-style archways and architectural details and gardens in full bloom. Step off State Street to wind your way through our shopping paseos. After sunset, our romantic pathways dazzle with Moroccan lights as you meander your way to dinner, shopping or just to grab take out. And don’t miss the colorful photo-op with our famous Spanish-tile steps!
15
Zen Massage Place
We have successfully run massage business for over ten years in Southern California. Zen Massage place is our new established place in Santa Barbara. The facility is very nicely well- built, warm, cozy while luxury. All our masseuses are full time and so they can service any walk-in customers at any time. Your satisfaction is our priority!
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OVERVIEW
Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara
1
Start:Gaviota Vista Viewpoint
Santa Barbara, California·
4.0
(5) review
US 101 Southbound, Santa Barbara, CA 93117
2
Start:Cold Spring Tavern
Santa Barbara, California·
4.5
(607) review
A popular mountain for hiking outside of Santa Barbara.
3
Start:Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park
Santa Barbara, California·
4.0
(69) review
Painted Caves Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
4
Start:Santa Barbara Orchid Estate
Santa Barbara, California·
4.5
(69) review
1250 Orchid Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93111-2914
5
Start:Inspiration Point
Santa Barbara, California·
4.0
(9) review
1498 Tunnel Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105-2139
6
Start:Market Forays
Santa Barbara, California·
5.0
(64) review
Market Forays offers Locavore Cooking Classes and Culinary Adventures for leisure travelers. Sustainable Team Building Events for Corporate Groups. Private Chef Services. Classes start at the Fishermen's Market in Santa Barbara Harbor where the freshest seafood is bought right off the boats, and continue to the renowned Saturday Farmers Market with its spectacular selection of produce, flowers, and regional specialties. Menus are built around the freshest seasonal ingredients, combined with a playful attitude and individualized hands-on instruction by a French trained chef. A shared meal paired with premium local wines follows the active part of the class. The dietary preferences of the guests are built into the day's lesson plan to ensure that everyone enjoys the experience. A printed recipe guide is provided. Class wraps up around 3:30 pm. custom private classes available during the week, advance reservation is required.
7
Start:Earl Warren Showgrounds
Santa Barbara, California·
4.0
(9) review
3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93105-3285
8
Start:Lookout County Park
Santa Barbara, California·
4.0
(6) review
Take the Summerland exit off Highway 101 and turn south into Evans Avenue., Santa Barbara, CA
9
Start:Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens
Santa Barbara, California·
4.5
(85) review
1600 Santa Barbara St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-1912
10
Start:The Historic La Arcada Courtyard
Santa Barbara, California·
4.5
(90) review
1114 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2717
11
Start:Italian Pottery Outlet
Santa Barbara, California·
5.0
(84) review
Italian Pottery Outlet offers the finest in imported Italian pottery and volcanic tables at discounted prices. Our family scours the Italian countryside searching for the most interesting Italian ceramic designs and patterns, and we proudly bring these handmade, hand-painted, one-of-a-kind ceramic delights to you. We also have a huge selection of other wonderful gifts such as jewelry, linens, books, candles, soaps, etc!
12
Start:Frequency Wine Company
Santa Barbara, California·
5.0
(9) review
Our modern furnished tasting room is located in the historic Presidio neighborhood of downtown Santa Barbara. We offer family produced wines and focus on single vineyard selections, offering pure expressions of critically acclaimed Santa Barbara County terrior.
13
Start:Douglas Family Preserve
Santa Barbara, California·
4.5
(77) review
Mesa School Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
14
Start:Paseo Nuevo
Santa Barbara, California·
4.0
(93) review
We are open! The perfect place to shop, dine, and explore! SHOP & DINE Paseo Nuevo is your premier outdoor shopping destination and the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, offering 50+ national retailers, specialty shops, and restaurants. Shop Sephora, Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Aveda, PacSun, See's Candies, American Eagle, Solstice Sunglasses, and more! Wine and dine at Eureka!, California Pizza Kitchen, Panda Express, 805 Boba or Pressed Juicery. #EXPLORE the beautiful courtyards of Paseo Nuevo surrounded by sunny Spanish-style archways and architectural details and gardens in full bloom. Step off State Street to wind your way through our shopping paseos. After sunset, our romantic pathways dazzle with Moroccan lights as you meander your way to dinner, shopping or just to grab take out. And don’t miss the colorful photo-op with our famous Spanish-tile steps!
15
Start:Zen Massage Place
Santa Barbara, California·
4.0
(9) review
We have successfully run massage business for over ten years in Southern California. Zen Massage place is our new established place in Santa Barbara. The facility is very nicely well- built, warm, cozy while luxury. All our masseuses are full time and so they can service any walk-in customers at any time. Your satisfaction is our priority!
CHECKLIST
GPS device or app
Download Offline Map
Car charger and portable battery
Water bottles and snacks
Travel pillow and blanket
Sunglasses and sunscreen
First-aid kit
Trash bags
Hand sanitizer and wet wipes
Driver’s license and vehicle registration
Cash and cards
Camera or smartphone
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the driving distance between Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara?
The distance is 254 miles
What's the travel time between Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara?
The driving time can vary depending on traffic conditions, but it is typically 5h 8m mins in normal traffic
What are some of the best cities to visit between Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara?
Some popular stops include
Are there any cool sights or attractions I shouldn't miss on my drive to Santa Barbara?
There are plenty! Here are some stops you shouldn’t miss on your way to Santa Barbara
What’s the weather like in Santa Barbara?
The weather in Santa Barbara is generally mild year-round, with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. See the links below for more information
Weather in Santa Barbara in January
Weather in Santa Barbara in February
Weather in Santa Barbara in March
Weather in Santa Barbara in April
Weather in Santa Barbara in May
Weather in Santa Barbara in June
Weather in Santa Barbara in July
Weather in Santa Barbara in August
Weather in Santa Barbara in September
Weather in Santa Barbara in October
Weather in Santa Barbara in November
Weather in Santa Barbara in December
Interested in a detailed plan for your time in Santa Barbara?
Plan your dream Santa Barbara trip with our daily itineraries featuring must-see attractions! See them here!
A 1-day itinerary in Santa Barbara
A 2-day itinerary in Santa Barbara
A 3-day itinerary in Santa Barbara
A 4-day itinerary in Santa Barbara
A 5-day itinerary in Santa Barbara
A 6-day itinerary in Santa Barbara
Where else can I travel to if I'm starting my trip in Santa Cruz?
We have a lot of great trip options for Santa Cruz! See the links below for all the itineraries we created for you