The family and I spent a terrific day exploring and experiencing all the fun, interactive, STEM at…read moreMOXI. We had a 4 year old and a 7 year old in our group, but I think their dad had the most fun of all! The activities were designed to be developmentally appropriate to include all the members of our group in their range of engagement. Parents interacted with their children and staff was on hand to make suggestions, monitor, and prompt us to better delve into the "science" we were playing with. They seemed well-trained on how to lead us to deeper learning without slowing our explorations. Thanks to the staff and designers who allowed us to spend such a beautiful family day!

Fun, hands-on museum in Santa Barbara, but I think it's better suited for school-aged kids than…read moretoddlers and preschoolers. We visited MOXI with our 4-year-old and under-2-year-old. The kids had fun exploring, but I personally found it a little underwhelming for their ages, especially considering the price. There are definitely some great interactive and creative spaces, but I think older kids would get much more out of the experience. One thing that was pretty disappointing was finding out after we arrived that the entire third floor was closed for a private event. We had driven about 70 miles to get there, so it would've been nice to know ahead of time, especially since admission wasn't exactly cheap. Parking was also a little confusing, although there is some street parking and public parking around downtown Santa Barbara and the transit area. There were definitely some highlights. They have a craft/building area where staff were helping kids with projects and doing little workshops. The current theme was marble runs, but kids could also draw, color, build, and make whatever they wanted. Staff were really hands-on and supervised things like glue guns and scissors, which I appreciated. I can see this being a really fun and worthwhile area for older kids who are creative and enjoy building and STEM-type activities. For younger kids, there is a small crawl/play area on the second floor, plus a quiet "cave" or calm room where kids can take a break if they get overstimulated. I thought those were nice additions, especially for families with toddlers or sensory-sensitive kids. We went on a Monday and it wasn't very busy, which made for a pretty relaxed visit. I could see the experience being much better for our family in a few years, so I wouldn't completely rule out coming back when the kids are older. If your kids are school-aged and enjoy interactive, hands-on learning, building, and STEM activities, I'd definitely say it's worth checking out. For younger toddlers/preschoolers, though, I would temper expectations--the admission price felt a little high for what we were able to do. One thing that could make it a much better value is the ASTC Travel Passport Program. MOXI participates in the program, which can provide free general admission at participating science and technology museums around the world if you have a qualifying membership. There is a 90-mile restriction, though--the museum you're visiting generally needs to be more than 90 miles away, measured "as the crow flies," from both your residence and the museum where you have your active membership. Overall, a nice museum with some genuinely fun interactive spaces. I'd recommend it at least once, but for our family, I think we'll wait until the kids are a little older before making the trip again.

Beautiful work and you can talk to the actual artists and makers. Amazing venue...nothing like the…read morebeauty, weather and underlying excitement in the air here!

One of my favorite things to do in Santa Barbara! Lots of local vendors with unique pieces of artread more

Santa Barbara's Stearns Wharf -- ocean views, fresh seafood, and that coastal vibe you can't skip…read more From the pier to the horizon, this spot is pure California magic. Save this for your next trip! @Bozo #stearnswharf #santabarbara #travel #californiacoast #hiddengems

Great place to visit if you are in, near, visiting, or driving through Santa Barbara. I was…read moresurprised to learn this is the oldest working wood wharf in CA! If you get there at a decent time or day when it is not too busy, you can park on the pier for free for the first 90 minutes and only $4/hr after. But there is also ample paid public parking and occasionally street parking available within a short walking distance. There is a great little ice cream shop to satisfy a sweet tooth, a couple of quirky gift shops, and a few great restaurants for good eats and oceanside dining the views are stellar. You can catch an amazing sunset over the harbor and see plenty of boats, venture on a cruise or water taxi, and get close to some sea lions, too. It's a beautiful place to stroll, bike, and personally I recommend making time to visit the Sea Center which is a "sister venue" of the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. It is a very interactive marine life education experience and has some cool close encounters with marine animals.

Amazing Amazing!!…read more You would never have guessed how many dolls , how many stories and how much history are packed into this small gem! Whether you're a toy fan, movie fan, or just interested in general American pop culture, this place has something for you! Check out their Exquisite collection of beautiful handmade dolls! The details will blow you away! Note: the hours on Yelp seemed incorrect at the time of this writing- there's a side in front of the building that says they're only open Friday and Saturday. But there is an email and a phone number that you can use to contact the owner.

We had an absolutely fabulous time. Everything is displayed with loving care and incredible…read moreattention to detail. There are toys from our childhood, dolls and bears representing historical and fictional figures, tributes to California history, etc, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are lots of commercially produced dolls and bears, but then there are also plenty of unique, artist-created pieces. If you are planning a trip to Santa Barbara, you should definitely reach out to them and schedule a tour! It's very affordable, and I think adults and children of all ages would be charmed by it.

My husband, 3-year-old granddaughter and I really enjoyed this museum. There is something of…read moreinterest to all ages. We adults learned so much about Santa Barbara's maritime history from very well presented exhibits and really enjoyed the interactive experiences like the simulated deep-sea fishing. We were there for two hours and had to practically drag our granddaughter out when they closed. She really enjoyed the activities in the Children's Gallery, especially fishing and exploring the kelp. However, even at her young age she learned a lot from the exhibits. We can't wait to go back!

Very underrated museum, in my opinion. We used a Groupon and paid $10 for two adult tickets, but…read moreeven at full price ($12 for adults, $6 for kids ages 6-17, and free for 5 and under), it would still be worth it. The museum is really beautiful and interactive, with a few activities that are great for little kids, and it takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to go through. I learned a lot about Santa Barbara's history, and my 5-year-old really enjoyed it. The virtual fishing experience was especially fun and actually feels like you're trying to catch a real fish. The harbor views from the 4th floor are amazing too, and that area is free to the public. Parking is free for 90 minutes, but depending on the time of day, you may need a little patience to find a spot since it can get crowded. Staff and volunteers were also very friendly and welcoming.

We stopped by Funk Zone Winery and had such a fun experience! They have three locations that are…read moreall pretty close to each other. Finding ours was a little adventure--we went through an alley and made so many left-right-left-right turns that it honestly felt like an outdoor escape room. It was pretty hot inside with no AC, but thankfully they had a fan, which I immediately called my best friend for the night! We decided not to eat and just grabbed a round of drinks. Everything was really good, beautifully presented, and we had a great time. Definitely a fun stop while exploring the Funk Zone

We were in the area for Flight of the Concords at the Bowl. They talked about the Funk Zone so much…read moreduring the show, we had to check it out the next day! Plenty of public parking close. Cut shops inside with art and a tiki bar. We love SB!

Really lovely museum. Currently under construction, but had some great exhibits open. I got a…read moredocent tour which I was very happy about. The pieces of art were beautiful, and the docent was able to go into shocking detail about each one. On top of all that, the price was really reasonable for what you get here. If I lived in the area I'd absolutely become a member, huge fan!

Summer in Santa Barbara is beautiful...and absolutely overrun with tourists. I mean, they had every…read morerestaurant PACKED, every parking space TAKEN, every dessert shop FULL, and every sidewalk OVERFLOWING. Ironically, as tourists ourselves (LOL, sort of), we needed a break from THE TOURISTS! My best friend Catherine suggested we duck into the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and I'm glad she did. It's not a massive museum. Just two floors. But hear me when I say it punches above its weight. On the day we went, there was a thoughtful and curated mix of Southeast Asian and Indian artifacts, contemporary works, digital installations and enough classic pieces to keep serious art lovers happy. There were also funny art pieces that reminded everyone that art is allowed to have a sense of humor, too. I appreciated the balance. One of my favorite exhibits there let us enter our birth information and it generated our birth charts. Whether you believe in astrology or not, it was fun to interact with the art instead of just looking at it. I learned some cool stuff about myself looking at my birth chart. Hey...If you need a break from the crowds, this is the place. It's peaceful, cool inside, has clean restrooms and it's just the right size to explore without feeling overwhelmed. You won't lose your whole day here. You'll simply enjoy the bit of time you dedicate to visiting. Sometimes the best attraction in a tourist town is the one that gives you a break from other people. Consider.

I hadn't been to the Mission in years. This year I went to the Madonnari Chalk Festival - what a…read moregorgeous time. My mom and I had the best of times! Art, Music, food and just sooooo much fun! I danced so much and got to meet many wonderful artists. I def will be back next year and make a whole weekend out of it. I live nearby but I think, next year I'll stay a few days in SB. My mom is already looking forward to it!

Mission Santa Barbara is a historic California landmark that also doubles as a museum. They even…read morehave actual mass in the mission, as well as Sunday service. It is a beautiful space filled with so much historic value. It was founded in 1786!! We got there around 3pm and purchased the Self Guided tour for $17 per person, which was a little high in my opinion. You walk through the museum and Mission grounds at your own pace and enjoy it on your own time. There are QR Codes that provide information to go along with your tour. We checked out the museum, garden, mausoleum, and even sat in the church for about 30 minutes just enjoying the beauty and peace. There is a gift shop you exit through that sells some lovely items such as shirts, sweaters, magnets, artwork, sculptures, candles and so much more. We bought a nice sweater with Santa Barbara written on it, a beautiful candle in a glass, and a small bookmark with a prayer symbol on it. They even have snacks/refreshments. They close at 5pm but sell their last ticket at 4pm. Parking is also free, which is always a plus. This was our third time here over the last 2 decades, and I'm not sure it's necessary to come back again. Once you've seen it, you've seen it.

I'm a huge history nerd, so I loved this place. The person who helped and checked us in was truly…read moreknowledgeable and had a PHD in history. I could truly feel that when he was giving historical facts about the Presidio. I truly enjoyed walking around this piece of history. They do have a building that has original tile (from 1812 after an earth quake that destroyed another room on the presidio). I recommend anyone studying California history to visit and walk around a piece of our states history!

Fort Order State…read moreHistorical site located in Downtown Santa Barbara that preserves the last Spanish military fortress built in California. The Good: * Free street parking and lot parking. So that shouldn't be an issue unless there happens to be a special event that day/weekend. * Free admission if you signed up for the state's Historian Passport this past spring. Otherwise, it's a mere $5/adult (free for kids 16 and under). * Lots of cool old historic relics, as well as the second oldest building in CA. The Meh: * It was undergoing some construction work at the time of our visit, so the place was a bit of a mess with construction supplies. The Ugly: * There was some kind of, uh, "garden" that was, uhhh, yeah... I'll just blame the construction. 0_o Conclusion: Great place to visit if you like history and/or are looking for some time to kill before checking into your hotel. Otherwise, not really a destination-worthy location.