Planning a family trip? Discover the 10 best things to do in Santa Barbara with kids, organized geographically from Cabrillo Boulevard to the Mission. This guide covers the top Santa Barbara activities for kids, including free beaches, interactive museums, and outdoor spots.
To help you avoid crisscrossing town, these 10 top attractions are organized geographically—starting at Cabrillo Boulevard near the zoo and moving north toward the Santa Barbara Mission. Having visited Santa Barbara with my own kids for over 30 years, here are the best things to do in Santa Barbara with kids.
Santa Barbara for Kids: At a Glance
- Best Outdoor Activity: Santa Barbara Zoo (easy to navigate, ocean views)
- Best Interactive / Rainy Day Spot: MOXI (The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation)
- Best Free Activity: Beaches along Cabrillo Boulevard (East Beach, West Beach, Leadbetter Beach)
- Best Marine Life Experience: Sea Center on Stearns Wharf (touch tanks & shark cove)
- Best Way to Get Around: Santa Barbara Waterfront Shuttle or walking along the coastal path
One-Day Santa Barbara Itinerary with Kids
If you only have one day in Santa Barbara with kids, this itinerary minimizes driving while covering the city’s top family attractions. It works especially well during the summer when longer daylight hours and extended zoo hours make it easy to visit every stop. During the winter months, you’ll likely need to choose between MOXI and the Santa Barbara Zoo because the zoo closes earlier.
This itinerary involves very little driving. Most stops are within a few minutes of each other, and the Santa Barbara Waterfront Shuttle is an easy way to travel between the harbor, Stearns Wharf, and the zoo without moving your car.
- 10:00 am – MOXI Science Museum
Let the kids enjoy hands-on science exhibits, the makerspace, and the rooftop activities. Parking: Helen Street. - 12:30 pm – Santa Barbara County Courthouse
Take the elevator to the restored clock exhibit before climbing the final stairs to the observation deck for spectacular 360-degree views. Parking: Anacapa Street. - 1:30 pm – Sea Center & Lunch at Stearns Wharf
Visit the interactive touch tanks before enjoying lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants. After lunch, take a short walk along the historic wharf and watch the boats in the harbor. Tip: Parking is available directly on Stearns Wharf, making it easy for families with younger children. - 3:00 pm – Santa Barbara Zoo
Spend 2–3 hours exploring the animal exhibits, riding the zoo train, and enjoying the ocean views. Parking: Zoo parking lot. - 6:00 pm – West Beach
End the day building sandcastles, watching the sunset, or taking a stroll along the Harbor looking for sealions and fish. Parking: Harbor Main Lot.
Alternative: Prefer a slower pace? Skip lunch on Stearns Wharf and enjoy a picnic on the lawn outside Old Mission Santa Barbara before heading to the zoo later in the afternoon.
1. Santa Barbara Zoo
Visiting the Santa Barbara Zoo is a top highlight for families with young children.
See my photos of Santa Barbara Zoo
The Santa Barbara Zoo has spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains. Located on 30 acres of botanic gardens, the zoo’s small size makes it one of the ideal things to do in Santa Barbara with kids, especially younger kids.
The zoo is home to more than 100 animal species. Highlights include a deck where visitors can see Masai giraffes; an exhibit area with a family of African lions; and an island area with monkeys and other primates. Other animals on exhibit include gorillas, California condors, otters, anteaters, leopards, meerkats, non-venomous snakes, and alligators. Kids will enjoy riding a train around the zoo’s perimeter.
2. Sea Center on Stearns Wharf (Indoor)
Interactive touch tanks at the Sea Center make it one of the most engaging Santa Barbara activities for kids.
See my photos of Santa Barbara Museums
The Sea Center on Stearns Wharf, part of the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, is located on California’s oldest working wood wharf. One of the top things to do in Santa Barbara with kids, the Sea Center gives kids the opportunity to see the Santa Barbara Channel’s sea creatures up close.
The Sea Center has a shark cove, where kids can touch small sharks and watch baby sharks grow in their eggs. In the Intertidal Wonders area, kids can feel hermit crabs and sea anemones. A wet deck allows kids to use oceanographic tools to examine marine life. The Center’s upper level hosts exhibits on the Santa Barbara Channel’s habitats, marine snails and White Abalone.
3. Santa Barbara Maritime Museum & Harbor (Indoor Option)
Exploring Santa Barbara Harbor and the Maritime Museum offers fun maritime history for families.
Built in 1929, the Santa Barbara Harbor is home to both fishing and pleasure boats, a museum, a visitor’s center, a few restaurants and small businesses, and the local Coast Guard base. Spending time at the Harbor is one of the enjoyable things to do in Santa Barbara with kids.
At the Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center, there is a rooftop deck with beautiful harbor, beach, wharf, and island views.
Next to the Maritime Museum entrance you will find the elevator to the top observation deck. Plan to spend a few minutes enjoying the amazing views all around. The observation deck is only open until 4:30 pm.
Commercial diving gear at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
See my photos of Santa Barbara Museums
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, located below the Visitor Center, features two floors of exhibits, including a children’s gallery, ship models, a periscope, commercial diving gear, and displays teaching visitors about navigation, commercial fishing, surfing, and Santa Barbara’s maritime history. The harbor’s breakwater is perfect for a stroll, especially on warm sunny days.
4. Cabrillo Boulevard Beaches (Free)
West Beach along Cabrillo Boulevard is an ideal free spot for outdoor Santa Barbara activities for kids.
See my photos from Santa Barbara
There are four beaches near the Santa Barbara Harbor and Stearns Wharf. West Beach, East Beach, Sandspit Beach, and Leadbetter Beach allow kids a chance to build sand castles, play volleyball, boogie board, and cool off in the Pacific Ocean, making a beach visit a must on the list of things to do in Santa Barbara with kids.
Top Beaches for Kids
- West Beach: Protected by the harbor, West Beach features calm, shallow waters ideal for smaller kids, plus space for sandcastle building, watching boats, and viewing fireworks.
- East Beach: Offers sand volleyball courts, a playground, a paved bike path, and a dedicated picnic area for families.
- Leadbetter Beach: Known for lighter waves, making it a great spot for kids learning to surf, paddleboard, or boogie board.
- Sandspit Beach: Located at the end of the harbor’s breakwater, offering fewer crowds and scenic views of the city.
5. MOXI Science Museum (Indoor)
MOXI provides hands-on science exhibits, making it a must-visit spot when exploring Santa Barbara with kids.
See my photos from Santa Barbara Museums
Visiting the Wolf Museum of Exploration & Innovation, better known as MOXI, is one of the most fun things to do in Santa Barbara with kids. MOXI has three floors filled with science, technology, engineering, mathematics and arts learning experiences, interactive exhibits, art displays, a makerspace, and an exploration lab.
MOXI’s makerspace lets kids design their own creations. Other hands-on exhibits allow kids to be Foley artists, launch air rockets, build and race toy race cars, learn about sound, and create color light displays, among other activities. MOXI’s rooftop terrace has water and weather exhibits along with spectacular views of Santa Barbara. The museum also hosts exhibitions that blend art with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
6. Santa Barbara County Courthouse Clock Tower
Climbing the Courthouse Clock Tower and enjoying 360-degree views, are some of the best free things to do in Santa Barbara with kids.
See my photos from Santa Barbara
Completed in 1929, the Santa Barbara County Courthouse employs Spanish-Colonial Revival style architecture, which inspired the designs for other Santa Barbara buildings. The Courthouse’s clock tower and the tower’s clock gallery makes the Courthouse one of the most fun things to do in Santa Barbara with kids. I have also placed the courthouse on my Santa Barbara walking tour, as we always take our friends and family here when they come for a visit.
When taking the elevator to the observation deck, stop one floor below to see the old tower clock which has been recently restored and opened for viewing. Kids have a great time looking at the old gears and bells.
The courthouse tower’s clock gallery entertains kids as they watch the pendulum, the mechanisms, and the electronics that keep the four-sided clock running. The gallery also has a three-sided wall mural that depicts the history of timekeeping.
From the old clock, just take the steep stairs to the very top floor. An observation area on top of the courthouse tower, with panoramic views of Santa Barbara, is open to visitors. The courthouse, which is still in use today, has a historic courtroom and a mural room depicting the city’s history. All of these are free to visit which makes the courthouse one of the best free things to see in Santa Barbara.
7. Alameda Park & Kids World (Free)
Kids World Park is an 8,000 square foot playground located in Downtown Santa Barbara’s Alameda Park. The whimsical maze-like playground has many features that will keep children busy, making the park one of the fun things to do in Santa Barbara with kids. This is a super cool place especially for smaller children. This park reminded me of taking my kids to Solvang at the Sunny Fields Park.
Kids World Park, decorated with tiles containing local children’s handprints, has an elaborate castle playscape with climbing equipment, slides, swings, tunnels, hiding places, musical chimes, and a marble maze. Giant shark and whale sculptures and a tree whose trunk has multiple large visible roots add to the park’s whimsicalness. The park has several benches and picnic tables, with two larger picnic areas available to rent.
8. Old Mission Santa Barbara & Rose Garden
Picnicking on the lawn outside Old Mission Santa Barbara is a relaxing outdoor option for families.
See my photos of Santa Barbara Mission
The tenth of the California Missions established by the Franciscans, Old Mission Santa Barbara was founded on December 4, 1786. One of the historic things to do in Santa Barbara with kids, the Mission provides a glimpse at Spain’s attempt to convert the area’s indigenous population to Spanish citizens.
The Mission’s museum consists of original guest and missionary living quarters containing Mission period artifacts. The Mission church features 18th and 19th century art work.
The adjacent Mission Historical Park is home to the A.C. Postel Memorial Rose Garden, with over 1,500 rose bushes. A large open grassy area at the park is perfect for a picnic with your family. Kids have lots of room to run around and explore, while parents can relax and enjoy the amazing landscape.
9. Museum of Natural History & Nature Center (Indoor)
The Museum of Natural History features interactive exhibits and nature trails for kids.
Photo by Vahe Martirosyan
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is home to over three million specimens covering mammals, birds, marine life, geology, astronomy, anthropology, and paleontology. The museum’s exhibits teach families about the living world and outer space, making it one of the more educational things to do in Santa Barbara with kids.
A 74-foot blue whale skeleton greets visitors at the museum’s entrance. Exhibits spotlight the Santa Barbara Channel’s underwater world, Santa Barbara’s ecology and habitat, Santa Barbara’s bird population, the lives of the indigenous Chumash, and pygmy mammoths. The Prehistoric Forest displays animatronic dinosaurs. The Gladwin Planetarium offers solar system presentations. During the summer, kids can walk through the Sprague Butterfly Pavilion, a garden containing over 1,000 butterflies.
10. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Exploring young Sequoia trees at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is a great outdoor activity for families.
See my photos of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden showcases 900 wild plants native to California in their natural environment. The Garden is divided into different areas connected by five miles of trails. Seeing California’s biodiversity in one place makes a visit to the Botanic Garden one of the educational things to do in Santa Barbara with kids.
The Backcountry is an interactive nature space where kids can build forts, climb up fallen trees, and enjoy activities in outdoor play structures. A pollinator garden attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Kids can wander and hide among 100-year-old Sequoia trees in the Redwoods area. Scavenger hunt lists are posted on the Garden’s website.
Santa Barbara with Kids: FAQs
Is Santa Barbara good for toddlers?
Yes! You can easily use a stroller to access the beach and museums. For small children, I would focus on the zoo and the beach, allowing ample time for lunch.
How many days do you need in Santa Barbara with kids?
If you have more than one day, I suggest staying the beach longer and planning your visit to the museums and the zoo during different days.
What are the best free things to do?
The best free thing to do in Santa Barbara is the beautiful beaches.
What should families do if it rains?
If it rains in Santa Barbara plan to visit the museums and the Santa Barbara County courthouse.
Is the Santa Barbara Zoo worth visiting?
Absolutely! Schedule at least 3 hours for a great visit. If you have small children plan to have lunch at the zoo and schedule plenty of time for them to play on the hill on the top of the zoo. It’s a lot of fun for small kids.
Is it Worth Visiting Santa Barbara with Kids?
Absolutely! Santa Barbara is one of California’s best destinations for families, combining beautiful beaches, interactive museums, a world-class zoo, and historic landmarks within a compact, walkable area. Whether you’re visiting for a day or spending a weekend, you’ll find plenty of kid-friendly attractions that parents will enjoy just as much.
Thanks to its mild weather, scenic waterfront, and relaxed atmosphere, it’s a destination my family has returned to for more than 30 years – and one I continue to recommend to anyone traveling with kids.
