SANTA BARBARA WATER TAXI
125 Harbor Way, Unit 22
805-896-6900
Riding about in an adorable tugboat named Lil Toot is the best way to tour the Santa Barbara coastline and spend some time out on the water. The water taxi departs every half hour between the Santa Barbara Harbor and Stearns Wharf daily between noon and sunset, weather permitting. Only $4 for adults and $1 for children. Book a Santa Barbara sunset cruise or reserve a private charter today.
ZODOS BOWLING & BEYOND
5925 Calle Real
Goleta, CA 93117
805-967-0128
Zodo’s is a well-known bowling alley that many locals turn to for a good time. Thursday night is “Rock & Bowl Theater,” where a movie is played on two big screens while you bowl. The “Sunday night strikes” special is 9:30 p.m. — close, and if you rent shoes it’s only $12 for all you can play! With 40 beers on tap and twice-daily happy hours, Zodo’s is always a great choice for local entertainment. Zodo’s is just off the Fairview freeway exit in Goleta, on Calle Real.
MARITIME MUSEUM
Santa Barbara Pier
805-962-8404
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except for Wednesdays
Come discover shipwrecks off the Santa Barbara coast, hear the stories of great surfers, learn about the history of Santa Barbara’s harbor and more at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Special Docent Tours are provided on Saturdays between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Only $7 for adults and $4 for students and children. Can be reached by sea on the Lil Toot Water Taxi!
LANDSHARK
State Street & Cabrillo
805-683-7600
Land and Sea Tours provides an exhilarating adventure that is sure to be a highlight of your weekend. Climb aboard Santa Barbara’s original amphibious tour vehicle, the Land Shark, for a personally narrated 90-minute ride on land and in the sea. Adults can ride for $25 and kids for $10. Tours leave at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Land Shark is truly a Santa Barbara and California “must-do” attraction. They often encounter sea lions, seals, dolphins or even whales! For more info check out www.out2seesb.com.
SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART
1130 State Street
805-963-4364
Open Tues. to Sun. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Currently exhibiting contemporary art, modernist photographs, 20th century master drawings and a photographic history of Yosemite National Park, the Santa Barbara Art Museum is a great way to spend a quiet afternoon. The museum also features antiquities, Asian, European and American collections. Admission is $9 for adults and $6 for seniors, students and children.
CONDOR EXPRESS
Santa Barbara Harbor
888-77WHALE or 805-882-0088.
Perfect for gray whale watching, kayaking island explorations, dinner parties or adventure cruises, Condor Express provides fun for all ages and interests. A half day (10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) island excursion to Painted Cave at Santa Cruz Island and gray whale watching costs only $94 for adults, $50 for children and is free for children under five.
URBAN WINE TRAIL
805-886-0613
On Friday at 6 p.m. guests can tour the unique Urban Wine Trail in the comfort of a luxury shuttle. Each winery will pour limited release wines from Santa Barbara County accompanied by delicious appetizers. The shuttles, donated by Easy Lift, will tour people from winery to winery, although many of the wineries are within walking distance of one another. The cost of the event is $50 per person. Tickets are available at participating wineries, and from the Unity Shoppe. Only have time for one winery? I suggest stopping at Oreana Winery for 2-for-1 wine tasting.
WHEEL FUN RENTALS
Locations:
23 East Cabrillo Blvd.
22 State Street
Fess Parker Double Tree Hotel
633 East Cabrillo Blvd.
805-966-2282
Want to explore beautiful Santa Barbara? How about doing it on wheels! Wheel Fun Rentals, with their three downtown locations, will provide you with the opportunity to discover downtown Santa Barbara. At their beachside location, riders get a great spot to start their adventure. Wheel Fun Rentals has a variety of products such as surreys that hold up to nine adults, bicycles, tandem bicycles, scoot coups, choppers, quad sports, deuce coupe and more. Have a young child? No problem! They have many options for children of all ages including kid bicycles, push buggies and child seats that attach to adult bicycles. If you want to experience Santa Barbara in a unique and fun way, Wheel Fun Rentals is your place!
SANTA BARBARA ZOO
500 Ninos Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93103-3798
805-962-5339
125 Harbor Way, Unit 22
When you’re looking for a getaway the Santa Barbara Zoo provides a plethora of distractions. With 160 species of mammals, reptiles, birds and insects, a zoo visit should burn at least a cool two hours of time. You may end up staying longer to hand-fatten the Baringo giraffes or simply just wander the zoo, taking in the Pacific Ocean views while munching on lunch or dinner. But don’t think the zoo has to be a time sink — if you’re just in need of a refresher or simply short on time, the zoo features “Must-See” exhibits to cater to you.
