Visit Santa Barbara

500 E. Montecito Street 93103

Why Choose Our Destination?

Santa Barbara, The American Riviera®, is a unique destination for meetings, conferences and special events. Attendees from around the world gather here for collaboration and inspiration in an environment full of natural beauty, history, culture and hospitality. Located 90 miles north of Los Angeles and 330 miles south of San Francisco, Santa Barbara is easily accessible from across California. The rest of the country can conveniently reach the destination on nonstop flights from 12 cities. Meeting attendees appreciate the year-round Mediterranean climate and the blend of big-city amenities in a small-town environment, making Santa Barbara an unforgettable meeting destination. Meetings with a Sense of Place Your agenda is limited only by your imagination when meeting in Santa Barbara. The destination is replete with meeting locations to suit any theme or event. Wineries, beaches, polo fields, historic and cultural sites like the Presidio or Casa Covarrubias, and museums celebrating art, history, sea life and science are just some of the experiences uniquely available in Santa Barbara. At Visit Santa Barbara, meetings are personal, and the team of tenured experts provide a competitive advantage with their destination knowledge, quality of site inspections and ability to connect planners to their ideal hotels and experiences. For more information, visit www.meetinsb.com

Getting Here

Santa Barbara is easily accessible from twelve non-stop cities to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA). The airport is located just 10 miles from downtown offering a flyer-friendly experience with ease of access from terminal to gate. Direct flight service provided by; Alaska, American, Delta, United, and Southwest. Los Angeles International Airport is located 90 miles southeast of Santa Barbara. Offering 645 daily departures to 162 destinations, the airport offers flights on virtually every major carrier. Hollywood Burbank Airport is located about 85 miles southeast of Santa Barbara and serves 34 domestic destinations on ten major carriers. The Santa Barbara Amtrak station is serviced by the Pacific Surfliner route, which provides daily service from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, as well as the Coast Starlight route, which runs from Seattle to Los Angeles, passing through the San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Barbara and Sacramento.

Distance from airport

  • Santa Barbara Airport

    10 mi. from city center

  • Los Angeles International Airport

    90 mi. from city center

  • Hollywood Burbank Airport

    85 mi. from city center


Local Attractions

Outdoor Recreation

Recreation
Santa Barbara’s climate, which boasts over 300 days of sunshine every year, is a huge draw for those looking for some outdoor adventure year-round. Popular group activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, and watersports.

Food & Drinks

If you’re looking for a new way to discover Santa Barbara, plan an unforgettable foodie feast through town and indulge in unique, creative, and delectable dishes. You’ll be hard-pressed to find chain restaurants in our neck of the woods!

The Funk Zone

Over the past few decades, this district, which spans the area between the ocean and Highway 101 and is adjacent to the Amtrak station, has enjoyed an upswell of boutique tasting rooms, cafes, galleries, and shops that cater to Santa Barbara’s contemporary side.

Downtown Santa Barbara

The focal point of any trip to Santa Barbara is the downtown area, characterized by unique shopping, sidewalk dining, and distinctive architecture and easily explored on foot with 10 blocks of pedestrian promenade closed to vehicular traffic.

Presidio District

Discover Santa Barbara’s unique and rich history in the Presidio Neighborhood. Located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, this vibrant, bustling district is home to historic sites, shopping, dining, and wine tasting rooms.

Spa & Wellness

It can be said that Santa Barbara is a spa experience in and of itself with the sunshine, coastal breeze, friendly faces, and relaxing atmosphere. But if you want to take your rest and relaxation a step further, Santa Barbara offers plenty of spas and wellness centers to choose from.

Santa Barbara Waterfront Neighborhood

The Santa Barbara Waterfront captures that postcard-perfect view of the area’s famous coastline. Pristine beaches, palm tree-lined shores, and the Santa Ynez Mountains as a backdrop ensure plenty of photo-worthy moments. Take a bike ride or a leisurely stroll down the Cabrillo Bike Path, which runs parallel to three beaches. It’s easy to make your way from one beach to the next while soaking up the sunshine and ocean-scented air.

Arts & Culture

Museums, symphonies, opera, live performances of all kinds bring visitors from all over to Santa Barbara. Many performing arts venues are also available for private events.

More

Additional Information

Big City Amenities in a Small-Town Environment Santa Barbara sits between the Santa Ynez Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean, with a walkable downtown and beaches only moments from most hotels. The compact footprint of the city enables convenient access to restaurants, shops, cultural attractions and transportation hubs with minimal travel time. Planners will find branded properties from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Kimpton, Rosewood and Belmond along with unique independent properties. There is something to suit every event's needs and aesthetic, from luxury to glamping. Most hotels and resorts offer outdoor spaces that embrace the natural beauty of Santa Barbara and the year-round temperate climate. Locally based DMCs are also available to help with executing the perfect event. As a meeting destination, Santa Barbara distinguishes itself by being a welcome, walkable town that still offers the services, facilities and conveniences of a big city. Food, Wine, and the Great Outdoors As the home of Earth Day, Santa Barbara embraces the great outdoors through fresh local food, a robust wine culture and endless opportunities for adventure. Local chefs often source ingredients from near-daily farmers markets, a commitment to quality reflected in the city's 15 Michelin-recognized restaurants. This dedication to exceptional flavors extends from the plate to the glass, with an urban wine trail, bucolic vineyard estates, six distinct appellations and more than 50 wine varieties to explore. For those looking to experience Santa Barbara’s natural beauty, meeting attendees can choose from sailing regattas, horseback rides, kayaking, e-bike tours and whale watching, or choose to unwind with sound baths and beach yoga to foster connection and enhance meeting experiences.