Museum Monday: The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

Dwight Brooks ship models and more displays inside the main exhibit hall of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum has a mission to preserve and celebrate over 13,000 years of human interaction with the ocean. It’s quite the scope, narrowed by a focus on the local coastal region, the Santa Barbara Channel and the Channel Islands. The museum showcases centuries of interaction between human inhabitants and the rich coastal […]

Museum Monday: MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, Santa Barbara

The white wall exterior of MOXI museum in Santa Barbara, California, with a giant color mixing machine visible in the entrance

If you’re exploring Santa Barbara with kids, a visit to MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation is a must. This interactive science museum is in a prime location on lower State Street, right next to the train station and minutes from beaches and the pier. You can’t miss the striking museum – a […]

Make Yourself at Home at the Beach House Inn, Santa Barbara

the flower-filled courtyard of the Beach House Inn in Santa Barbara, California

It’s always fun to imagine living full-time in a destination you’re only visiting, no matter how realistic or far-fetched the idea might be. The fantasy feels especially real when you find a place to stay that evokes the feeling of a home – somewhere like the Beach House Inn in Santa Barbara. This boutique hotel […]

Places to Play: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

A small child in the distance approaching a redwood tree at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Since its founding in 1926, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has been one of the city’s top attractions. It feels safe to say that locals and visitors have never been so appreciative of such a safe, scenic and peaceful outdoor space. At this time, the garden is open to the public seven days a week, and […]

Places to Play: Santa Barbara Zoo

Giraffes at the Santa Barbara Zoo, one of the best attractions for kids in Santa Barbara

As a destination blessed by an abundance of loveliness, it’s no surprise that Santa Barbara has a superb zoo. The AZA-accredited Santa Barbara Zoo covers 30 acres and is home to more than 500 animals. Among them are giraffes, western lowland gorillas, a flock of flamingos, and this year’s new arrivals (and brand-new parents!), African […]