Day Trips from Santa Barbara: 7 Best Escapes on the California Riviera

Santa Barbara occupies an unusual position on the California coast — a south-facing bay flanked by the Santa Ynez Mountains that produces a microclimate mild enough to support Channel Islands wildlife offshore and wine grapes in the valleys behind. The city calls itself the American Riviera without too much self-delusion: the red-tiled rooflines, Spanish architecture, and reliable January sunshine justify the comparison. What makes it a solid base for day trips is the variety: you can be on an island boat tour, in a Danish-theme town, at a wine tasting, or halfway up a backcountry trail — all within 90 minutes.

Channel Islands National Park — Full Day (Ventura departure)

The Channel Islands are five undeveloped islands off the California coast with no permanent residents, no cars, no cell service, and exceptionally productive marine habitat. Island Packers Cruises in Ventura (1691 Spinnaker Dr) operates the primary ferry service — approximately $60–80 per adult for round-trip to Anacapa or Santa Cruz Island as of 2026.

Santa Cruz Island: The largest in the Channel Islands, with sea caves (kayak tours available on the island, approximately $75 as of 2026), excellent hiking, and the largest native land animal in California — the island fox, visible in camp areas. Scorpion Anchorage is the main landing. Browse Santa Barbara tours and Channel Islands excursions to compare boat departures and island activities.

Anacapa Island: A 1-mile mesa-top island with a lighthouse and nesting Western gulls covering every available surface from April through July. The tide pools at the landing are outstanding.

Entry fee: No park entry fee (ferry fee covers island access). Reserve Island Packers ferries 2–4 weeks ahead in summer — they sell out.

Drive to Ventura: US-101 south, about 30 miles, 35 minutes.

Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country — 45 minutes north

The Santa Ynez Valley AVA became nationally known after the 2004 film Sideways filmed portions along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail north of Santa Ynez. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the marquee varietals in the cooler Sta. Rita Hills sub-appellation; Syrah and Rhône blends are more common in the warmer eastern end.

Key wineries:

• Sanford Winery (5010 Santa Rosa Rd, tasting approximately $30 per person as of 2026): One of the original Sta. Rita Hills estates; the adobe barn tasting room is architecturally notable
• Firestone Vineyard (5017 Zaca Station Rd, tasting approximately $20 as of 2026): Family-friendly, larger production, reliable consistency
• Zaca Mesa Winery (6905 Foxen Canyon Rd, tasting approximately $20–30 as of 2026): Rhône specialists with one of the valley’s better picnic grounds

Getting there: Hire a car — there is no public transit to the valley wineries. US-154 north through the San Marcos Pass, about 30 miles, 45 minutes.

Solvang — 40 minutes north

Solvang is a Danish-settled community in the Santa Ynez Valley that has maintained an architectural identity distinct from anything else in California — windmills, half-timbered buildings, Danish flags, and bakeries selling aebleskivers (spherical Danish pancakes) line Copenhagen Drive. It is genuinely unusual without being kitschy, or at least the combination is unusual enough to justify 2–3 hours.

Solvang bakeries: Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery (1529 Mission Dr) has been operating since 1949; aebleskivers cost approximately $8–12 per order as of 2026. Mortensen’s Danish Bakery is the competitor across the street.

Mission Santa Inés (1760 Mission Dr, approximately $7 adults as of 2026): Founded 1804, with a well-preserved chapel and garden.

Hans Christian Andersen Museum (1680 Mission Dr, free entry): A small museum above a bookshop dedicated to the Danish author.

Drive from Santa Barbara: US-101 north to CA-246 west, about 35 miles, 40 minutes.

Ojai — 40 minutes east

Ojai is a small valley town in the Topa Topa Mountains — an arts community with a reputation for spiritual retreats, locally grown citrus, and the “pink moment,” an optical phenomenon where the Topa Topa Bluffs turn pink-gold at sunset due to the valley’s east-west orientation. It gets mentioned in guides as a day trip from both Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.

Ojai Arcade: The main commercial block (Ojai Avenue) has galleries, the Ojai Valley Museum (approximately $5 as of 2026), and lunch options averaging approximately $15–25.

Meditation Mount (10340 Reeves Rd, free): A public garden and meditation center on a ridge above Ojai with one of the better valley panoramas; the “pink moment” view is from here or the downtown arcade.

Farmers Market (Sunday mornings, free): One of the better citrus and avocado markets in Southern California.

Drive from Santa Barbara: US-101 south to CA-150 east to CA-33 south, about 36 miles, 40 minutes.

Los Padres National Forest — 30 minutes north

Los Padres National Forest covers the backcountry behind Santa Barbara from the Santa Ynez Mountains to Big Sur. The most accessible day-hiking area for Santa Barbara visitors is the Santa Barbara Frontcountry — Jesusita Trail (5.3 miles round-trip, 1,200-foot gain, free) and Rattlesnake Canyon (5.4 miles round-trip, free) are both accessible within 15 minutes of downtown.

Gibraltar Road: A dirt road (suitable for standard vehicles in dry conditions) climbing through chaparral to Gibraltar Rock with panoramic views of Santa Barbara, the Channel Islands, and the coastline — approximately 45 minutes driving from downtown.

Drive from Santa Barbara: Multiple trailhead access points — Jesusita Trail starts at Cater Water Treatment Plant (off Foothill Rd), about 5 miles, 15 minutes.

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park — 30 minutes north

Hidden in the Santa Ynez Mountains above Santa Barbara, Chumash Painted Cave preserves a remarkable collection of Chumash rock art inside a sandstone cave — abstract spirals, sunbursts, and animal figures in multiple colors, estimated to be 400–1,000 years old. The cave itself is fenced but open for viewing through the gate; no entry fee.

Drive from Santa Barbara: US-154 north to Painted Cave Road, about 10 miles, 30 minutes. The last mile of Painted Cave Road is very narrow — one vehicle wide in places. Not suitable for large vehicles.

Point Conception and Gaviota Coast — 45 minutes west

The Gaviota Coast is the last undeveloped stretch of Southern California coastline — 76 miles from Goleta to Point Conception with no significant development. Gaviota State Park (approximately $10 parking as of 2026) has a fishing pier, camp, and beach. Point Conception itself is a dramatic headland that marks the geographic divide between the California Riviera’s north-south and east-west coastal orientations — not publicly accessible except by the Chumash Trail (approximately 8 miles round-trip from Jalama Beach County Park, $10 day use as of 2026).

Drive from Santa Barbara: US-101 west to CA-1 west, about 35 miles, 45 minutes to Gaviota.

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For more on the area, see our guides to things to do in Santa Barbara, where to stay in Santa Barbara, and where to eat in Santa Barbara. For guided excursions, browse Santa Barbara tours and activities.