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.

I recently got to return to UCSB for a game at Harder Stadium and it was awesome! I'm a UCSB alum…read more(go Gauchos!) and have always enjoyed games at this stadium. It's a beautiful spot with views of the mountains. Definitely well taken care of with clean bathrooms. The stadium offers lots of seating with great views of the field from every angle.

The staff are the best! Always very helpful, and incredibly intelligent. They certainly know their…read morestuff. It's not a huge aquarium, but you can learn a lot and view a variety of sea life creatures in a small space. Great for adults and children. Always excited to go back!

Went to Santa Barbara for a bachelorette weekend and of course walked Stearns Wharf after brunch…read more Super cool that you can drive onto the pier, with lots of little shops and restaurants. We stopped at the aquarium, and regular tickets felt pretty pricey for how small it is, but thankfully CalFresh/WIC tickets are only $5. We spent about 20-30 minutes inside, mostly touching the sharks and starfish, which was honestly my favorite part even as an adult! If you were to take your time, maybe you could spend an hour in The older gentleman at the ticket counter was also super friendly. Cute little experience with a great view right on the pier!

I attended a private event that included a polo match. The chairs set at the tables for the event…read morewere covered in dirt. Some of the dirt was so thick, we could not wipe it off with napkins. The event bartender lacked class. I ordered a sparkling water. He placed the can in front of me, unopened. I asked if I could have it in a cup. He placed the cup next to the can instead of opening the can and pouring the beverage into the cup. I did it myself. While at the bar getting sparkling water, I decided I may as well order a beer. The bartender placed the bottle of beer in front of me. I asked that he put the beer in a cup. Again, he placed the cup in front of me so that I could serve myself. To make matters worse, everyone talked about how tacky it was that the bartender had his phone on the bar with his bar code showing for people to scan for tips. I'm sure gratuity was included in the event fee. Besides, why tip someone who's too lazy to pour a beverage into a cup. Running out of food also didn't help.

The food is horrible!! I attended a polo match this last season 2025 and had a poor experience -…read morefood took an hour to arrive and it was horrible. They could at least get a decent chef! We sat in the stands and our server was really kind however our family are members and they sat in the middle terrace area and they said their server was cold and rude. Get it together Santa Barbara Polo fields!

Built 90 years ago and seating 4,500 this stunning and surprisingly intimate outdoor venue is…read morenestled in the wooded hillside of SB. It's a climb, both from street parking to the Bowl and then from security to seating, but heavenly when you land inside. Its primary concert season runs April-October. We booked tickets months in advance for Alabama Shakes - their last stop! We were 3/4 of the way up (row R) and the sound was loud but tolerable without any plugs. Seats are not cushioned and a bit narrow. A couple of rows below us three larger guys struggled to fit. I wish we could have sat about 10-12 rows closer for visuals but all was already sold out. Drinks at the main level concierge area range from beer, wine, hard seltzers, kombucha, and water ranging from $5-15. Parking is $30 at the neighboring high school or free on a side street. Restrooms (same level) are clean and move quickly - not quite so for the women's I was told. We arrived 45 min before the opening band (6:15p) and managed a street spot only 3 blocks away. Tyler Ballgame - a rock band from LA - opened for a solid 45-50 min and received "wows" from everyone within earshot. Brittany and Co took the stage barely 15 min later and her vocals were astonishingly good (like, studio good)! We had 70° weather and a full moon. An incredible night. Exiting was slow-ish through the handful of aisles and even fewer staircases but no one in this audience was in a rush, already reminiscing about the show. As an out-of-towner, with so much to do in/around SB, this is definitely a venue to consider when your favorite band isn't coming to your local concert hall.

Absolutely love the Santa Barbara Bowl. Not only is it a beautiful venue, but the volunteers that…read morehelp out here are helpful and friendly every time! Check-in is easy but ladies make sure you bring a small sized purse or handbag. Check out their website for measurements. No backpacks or large bags allowed. There are several trolleys available to shuttle people up and down the hill if you're not able to make the trek. But, if you're able to walk up the hill, there's a bar located in the middle. You can grab a drink and hangout for a bit while surrounded by nature. There's also another bar at the very top of the bowl. The views are amazing and overlook the city. I love it during sunset. They offer a variety of food such as pizza, bbq, snacks and sweets. They hFor beverages it's beer, cider and wine unless you're VIP then they do offer hard liquor in that area. I've been to a lot of concerts here and there really isn't a bad seat. The acoustics are phenomenal! The only thing that sucks is the concert must end by 10pm. I recently attended the Earth, Wind and Fire concert and they didn't start until 8:15pm! That's cutting it pretty close, but they did put on an amazing show. I just wish they could perform longer. Seems like the recent shows like Carlos Santana and Diana Ross were very short concerts as well. So keep that in mind if you're coming to see an older band. Pro Tip: Get here earlier if you're driving and park a few blocks away for free! It's a nice easy stroll. Otherwise you'll pay $30 to park at SBHS or struggle to find free parking in the neighborhood. Overall, I love SB Bowl and it's one of my favorite venues to attend.

Love love love! Easy to spend the day here and I recommend…read moreit. But also fairly easy to get to, so it's perfect for a meditative reset time in the middle of a busy day. This space is so special. Lots to explore. Lots to learn. Lots of care and love here. Don't want to say too much. Just go and see and be surrounded by the trees, flowers, rocks, peace, and magic. Fantastic gift shop too!

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is a neat activity to check out if you're ever in the area. You…read morecan kill 2 hours here depending how long you take to observe all the different plants and trees. Before you enter, I recommend taking a map with you. If you visit in the summer, I recommend dressing cool, wearing a hat, comfortable shoes, and some sunscreen. There are areas where there is limited shade so the sun can feel rough in those areas. There is some incline in certain areas, but nothing crazy. The red woods were beautiful, and I loved that there were some areas where they provided some seating areas near cool view spots. There were even some hammocks and some areas that were kid friendly. There's even a small nursery where you can purchase pots and plants near the entrance.

One of Santa Barbara's premier events you'll not want to miss…read more Set in the cute Riviera Park courtyard on Alameda Padre Serra and across the street from the Belmond El Encanto, Taste of the Town is an upscale, annual event benefiting the Arthritis Foundation. But what else do you get other than beautiful views and knowing you're being philanthropic? As if that's not enough. For $125 (as of 2018 with $45 tax deductible) the event space is packed with mostly Santa Barbara wines (Margerum, Demetria, Grassini, Sangers: Consilience/Tre Anelli/Marianello, Zaca Mesa, Jaffurs, Jamie Slone and more), spirits from Cutlers, beers from Islands Brewing Company and local food (Ca'Dario, Opal, Via Maestra 42, The Little Door, The Palace Grill + more restaurants and many local catering companies) that will urge you to make reservations on the spot for dinner. Well worth the price of admission. But what about the level of service? The venue is a little cramped but lovely and the vendors certainly bring their A Game. It's a Who's Who's of Santa Barbara chefs, wine makers and owners. Doug Margerum was pouring his refreshing Riviera Rose' which was perfect on a warm, September afternoon. Dário Furlati was busy making his amazing Raviolis al Burro e Salvia. Katie Grassini was making the rounds. Bill and Jan Sanger talked up the best of their brands and Jamie and Kym Slone were sharing their new, easy red blend, Apex. For a food and wine lover living in Satan Barbara, I could not go more than a table or two without knowing someone poring a taste or handing me a plate. So many smiling faces. Open Air Photobooth was on hand to document your best moments and live music persuaded a few to hit the sunny dance floor. The day was light and airy The music was smooth And the wine and food was superb This is a higher level of event for Santa Barbara and I'm grateful I could attend.

Came here for a free watch party for the World Cup. Love the idea! It was very family friendly. The…read morescreen obviously is huge and so great to watch the game on. Full concessions and bar was open. We ate dinner around the corner at the Santa Barbara public house then walked over for the game. Such a unique experience to watch the game in a historical theater setting with other football fans

You have read enough about live performances in this space. I am sorry to say it also sucks as a…read moremovie theater. It smells. Like somebody else's storage unit. The stage curtains can no longer be fully retracted for a widescreen movie. Super Mario Galaxy, of all things, had about 3 feet on each side projected onto the curtains. Abandoning the beautiful entryway and its kiosk is unforgiveable. Instead you are to buy your tickets in the box office, which bears no resemblance to the rest of the building. It looks like a pop-up version of the office at your middle school. It's beautiful inside, and the unpleasant smell is faint enough you'll forget it once your popcorn and red licorice ick int. But be sure you sit in the front 10 to 20 rows if you want to actually feel you are watching a projected film on a big screen. My negativity is here to apply what small share of pressure I can contribute to what should be one of Santa Barbara's iconic landmarks. The theater is worth visiting anyway. On a certain level it is wonderful. But boy does it need a lot of work.