Santa Barbara, CA

Key Highlights

Hotels 44
Total Sleeping Rooms 5,404
Committable Sleeping Rooms* 360
Committable Meeting Rooms* 17
Largest Exhibit Space 66,000 Sq. Ft.
Largest Ballroom 11,960 Sq. Ft.
Average Hotel Room Rate USD $146
Average Daily Meal Cost USD $66
Average Weekly Car Rental USD $327
*Maximum for a single hotel

Santa Barbara, CA Meeting Planning Overview

Welcome to the Santa Barbara meeting and event planning guide – written specifically with meeting planners in mind. This walkable, friendly Southern California city, known for its wide beaches, diverse architecture and local wineries, is also regarded as a fantastic destination for meetings and conferences. A variety of Santa Barbara event venues can host all kinds of special events, while the town's world-class art, shopping, entertainment and cuisine rival those of any major metropolitan center.

Coined The American Riviera (thanks to its beautiful landscape and culture), Santa Barbara is nestled amongst the foothills of the Sana Ynez Mountains along the Pacific Ocean. Located eight miles northwest of downtown, the Santa Barbara Airport serves five domestic nonstop destinations, as well as more than 200 one-stop destinations. More than 700,000 passengers pass through the airport each year. Santa Barbara is also served by Los Angeles International Airport, which is located 90 miles southeast of the city. Ranked fifth in the world for passenger traffic, Los Angeles International sees nearly 62 million people per year. Serving 69 international destinations and 87 domestic destinations, the airport offers flights on virtually every major carrier and is the main hub for United Airlines. Santa Barbara is served by the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District public bus system, which provides direct access to Santa Barbara Airport and such meeting sites as the Earl Warren Showgrounds.

Santa Barbara is home to a number of hotel and non-hotel meeting and event venues, including the Earl Warren Showgrounds, Bacara Resort & Spa and Fess Parker's DoubleTree Resort. Sitting on 34 acres, the multi-use Earl Warren Showgrounds offers 35,000 square feet of event space, in such spaces as the 22,000-square-foot Exhibit Building and 13,000-square-foot Warren Hall. The beachfront, 354-room Bacara Resort & Spa offers 25,000 square feet of meeting space in such spaces as its dedicated high-tech Executive Conference Center and 211-seat Screening Room. Located one half-mile from downtown Santa Barbara, Fess Parker's DoubleTree Resort offers 360 rooms and 25,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.

Santa Barbara's many attractions, museums and historical sites also double as convenient unique venues perfect for group gatherings and events. Regarded as Santa Barbara's chief cultural and historic landmark, Old Mission Santa Barbara is home to a community of Franciscan friars, active church and museum, as well as a “renewal center,” complete with guest rooms and private event spaces. Groups can charter the Condor Express catamaran for a dinner or party cruise, as well as a whale-watching trip along the Santa Barbara Channel and Channel Islands, home to blue, gray, humpback and orca whales. The 30-acre Santa Barbara Zoo welcomes groups to hold events throughout its ocean-view grounds, as well as participate in animal encounter activities. Santa Barbara's museums, including the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History/Ty Warner Sea Center and Santa Barbara Maritime Museum also offer private event opportunities. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History features a number of indoor and outdoor spaces, ranging from a Spanish-style building to an outdoor stone amphitheater, while the museum's Ty Warner Sea Center on Stearns Wharf welcomes private events in its two-story reception hall with spectacular ocean views. Situated in the heart of a working harbor, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum can accommodate private events in such spaces as its 88-person Munger Theater.

About Santa Barbara, CA / Additional Info

A quintessential, relaxed Southern California retreat, Santa Barbara is rich in spectacular beaches, mountain vistas, shopping, dining and entertainment. The city's attractions are as varied as its architectural influences, including its signature Spanish-Moorish style. Santa Barbara is conveniently located 92 miles north of Los Angeles and 332 miles south of San Francisco.

Santa Barbara's wide beaches offer perfect conditions for such water sports as surfing and paddleboarding. The city's coastline is dotted with the unique Channel Islands, often called “North America's Galapagos,” thanks to their unique flora and fauna. Channel Islands National Park comprises five of the eight Channel Islands and celebrates the area's biological diversity. In fact, the park waters are home to the largest aggregation of blue whales in the world. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden also celebrates the region's biological diversity, as it is dedicated to the research, education and conservation of California's native plants. Visitors can explore the living museum's landscapes and nature trails that showcase the state's native plants, including many rare plants.

Santa Barbara's unique biological landscape makes it a wonderful region for wine production, made evident by the more than 100 wineries found throughout the region. Visitors and residents alike frequent the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail, which is comprised of a number of local wineries situated within walking distance of downtown Santa Barbara and the beach. In addition to its wine varietals, Santa Barbara is home to a variety of unique shops, many of which are found along Stearns Wharf. As California's oldest working wharf, Stearns Wharf is also one of the city's most visited attractions. The city's State Street is another popular shopping destination that features a semitropical setting.

Santa Barbara's coastal setting makes it a terrific destination for fresh seafood and celebrated, eclectic cuisine. Many of Santa Barbara's fine restaurants offer private event spaces perfect for group dining. The iconic Wine Cask in the downtown historic El Paseo complex serves innovative cuisine utilizing local products, while Olio e Limone Ristorante specializes in creative, authentic Italian cuisine accented by an extensive wine list. Stella Mare's serves French country cuisine in a historic landmark house along the local bird refuge. Opal Restaurant and Bar is known for its unique California cuisine with worldwide influences, while Chuck's Waterfront Grill is a popular harborside steak and fish house that highlights local wines and tropical cocktails.

 
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