Travel

Santa Barbara Activities

Establishment neighborhood
Mad Dogs & Englishmen Bike Shop
1080 Coast Village Rd., Montecito
You can rent a bicycle—a 7-speed, or an electric pedal-assist or throttle bike—from Mad Dogs & Englishmen and spend the day cycling through the Montecito hills, along the coast, and into downtown Santa Barbara. If you book a tour, a guide will point out all the best local spots and hard-to-spot wildlife. But the real treat is what Mad Dogs is named for: bikes with sidecars, where your dog can ride along with you. (If they like the windows down in the car, they’ll love this.)
Lotusland
Cold Spring Rd., Montecito
Lotusland is a truly unique botanical garden founded by singer turned botanical gardener Ganna Walska. She bought the property in 1941 and over the years transformed it with the help of several world-renowned landscape designers. Today, the garden continues her work by preserving her singular designs and continually expanding the stunning collections of plants from all over the world. It’s located in a private residential neighborhood, with a private entrance. Reservations are limited and necessary for both self-guided and docent-led tours, and tickets often sell out well in advance. (Also note that they're closed mid-November through mid-February.)
Beaches
If you poll the locals, they always cite Butterfly Beach and Hendry's Beach as the two favorites (which means that they're also popular). Butterfly Beach is in Montecito, directly across the road from The Biltmore: Parking spots are hard-won and there aren't a lot of amenities around, so bring a lunch and anything else you might need for the day. Hendry's on the other hand, is next to The Boathouse, which makes it ideal if you don't like to plan ahead (they have kid-friendly food, plus really solid drinks).
Hikes
Inspiration Point: Tunnel Rd. & Mission Rd. | Lizard's Mouth: West Camino Ciel Rd.
Inspiration Point is a relatively short hike that doesn't require a huge climb, making it a good option for kids—as its name suggests, there's pay-off for making it to the top, which include great views of the city, the ocean, and The Channel Islands. It's also dog friendly. Meanwhile, Lizard's Mouth is up by Goleta, and is less of a hike and more of a place to go climb around on rocks by the ocean and take in the views (kids love it).