Small town · 39 min northwest
Solvang
Danish-style village with bakeries, windmills and shops in the Santa Ynez Valley.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Day Trippin' › California › From Santa Barbara
Day trips from Santa Barbara
From Santa Barbara, Solvang is under 40 minutes away, Six Flags Magic Mountain under an hour and a half, and Griffith Observatory under two hours. The best day trips from Santa Barbara, by drive time.
134 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Santa Barbara
- Refugio State Beach 26 min west
- Mission San Buenaventura 28 min east
- Solvang 39 min northwest
- Six Flags Magic Mountain 1 hr 17 min east
- Universal Studios Hollywood 1 hr 24 min east
- Getty Center 1 hr 26 min east
- Griffith Observatory 1 hr 33 min east
- Crystal Cove State Park 2 hr 16 min southeast
- Mission San Juan Capistrano 2 hr 23 min southeast
- Lake Arrowhead Village 2 hr 47 min east
Within an hour from Santa Barbara 17 spots
Beach · 26 min west
Refugio State Beach
Palm-lined cove with tide pools and calm swimming on the Gaviota coast.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 28 min east
Mission San Buenaventura
A mission in downtown Ventura with a small museum and gardens.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 35 min west
Gaviota State Park
Rugged coast with a pier, hot springs hike and long trails.
- 2-4 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
National park · 33 min southeast
Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center
Visitor center and base for boats to remote islands from Ventura Harbor.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Food town · 56 min east
Downtown Ventura
Craft beer, vintage shops and good dining a short walk from the beach.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Historic site · 39 min northwest
Mission Santa Ines
Peaceful mission with a garden, museum and valley views in Solvang.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 40 min east
Ojai Valley
Art galleries, orchards and mountain views in a relaxed valley town.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
1 to 2 hours from Santa Barbara 54 spots
Theme park · 1 hr 17 min east
Six Flags Magic Mountain
A big park known for roller coasters, in Valencia.
- Full day · Easy
- Open select days; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 24 min east
Universal Studios Hollywood
Movie-themed rides, a studio tram tour and Super Nintendo World.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Museum · 1 hr 26 min east
Getty Center
A hilltop art museum with big gardens and wide views over the city. Entry is free.
- Half day · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Observatory · 1 hr 33 min east
Griffith Observatory
Free views of the city and the Hollywood Sign, plus space exhibits and a planetarium. Sunsets here are a classic LA moment.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Aquarium · 1 hr 51 min southeast
Aquarium of the Pacific
Sea lions, sharks, jellyfish and a lorikeet forest in Long Beach.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 54 min east
Knott's Berry Farm
Roller coasters, a Western ghost town and famous boysenberry treats in Buena Park.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 58 min east
Disneyland Park
The original Disney park with classic rides and character meetups.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Landmark · 1 hr 30 min east
Santa Monica Pier
A classic seaside pier with a Ferris wheel, arcade, rides and ocean views.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk on; rides cost extra
2 to 3 hours from Santa Barbara 60 spots
State park · 2 hr 16 min southeast
Crystal Cove State Park
Beach, tide pools and coastal bluff trails with historic cottages.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 2 hr 23 min southeast
Mission San Juan Capistrano
A historic mission with gardens, the Great Stone Church ruins and swallows legend.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 2 hr 47 min east
Lake Arrowhead Village
A lakeside village with shops, restaurants and a pretty mountain setting. Good for a relaxed lunch.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
State park · 2 hr 53 min northwest
Hearst Castle
Grand hilltop mansion with tours of the pools and gardens along the coast.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round; tours need reservations
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 3 hr southeast
LEGOLAND California
A theme park in Carlsbad built for kids ages 2 to 12, with rides, shows and a water park.
- Full day · Easy
- Check calendar; some weekdays closed
- See the official site for current fees
Beach · 2 hr 20 min southeast
Laguna Beach Main Beach
A pretty cove beach in a classic art town with basketball and sand volleyball.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free; parking is paid
Zoo · 2 hr 3 min southeast
Santa Ana Zoo
A small, friendly zoo with monkeys, sloths and a petting area.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Family fun · 2 hr 13 min southeast
Orange County Great Park
Big park with a carousel, sports and open fields.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to enter; some rides cost extra
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 93101 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.