Need Port day in Santa Barbara in January advice

[anteaters]

Hi! We'll be spending one long day in Santa Barbara on our upcoming Princess cruise in January. For anyone else who has done this, what is there to do in walking distance (I believe it's a tender port but not sure)? I read about a museum on State Street that sounds nice although it is supposed to be partly closed due to renovations being done but may still be worth seeing if it's not too far (on State Street.) Is that a good walking-to possibility and if so, are there other things to do/see in that area? Any advice on how to best spend our day (two seniors 66 & 70) would be appreciated.

[Bruin Steve]

Personally, I would find a Wine Tour up to the Santa Ynez Valley. There are several operators who do this...

 

I don't think there's much within short walking distance of the tender pier...except a very scenic town, a nice beach and restaurants...

The shopping area of Downtown Santa Barbaara is several blocks away up State Street...Walkable, but not short...

 

The Santa Barbara Historical Museum...

http://www.santabarbaramuseum.com/

 

...is on Santa Barbara Street and De la Guerra...about a 15 block walk away...

 

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art...

http://www.sbmuseart.org/

 

...is on State and Anapurna...about 17 blocks away...

 

The Museum of Contemporary Art...

http://www.mcasantabarbara.org/

 

...is about 13 blocks from the tender pier at State and De la Guerra...

 

The Museum of Nartural History...

http://www.sbnature.org/

 

...is a few miles away--definitely not walkable...near the Mission (worth a visit as well...but you'll need transportation...

[Ronnieslady]

Last September we did a Land Shark tour. That's what it was called. It was a city tour then it went into the ocean. It was a lot of fun. It was within walking distance from the tender pier. You paid for the tour when you boarded @ around 12:00 PM. Before we did that we took a nice stroll on the pier that is right there.

You can find the info on the Land Shark tour on the internet under Santa Barbara.

Edited November 21, 2014 by Ronnieslady

[usviking]

We visited Santa Barbara on our California Coastal voyage last month. There was a short walk from the tender dock to West Cabrillo Blvd, where a number of very nice Santa Barbarans were on hand to assist with maps, brochures, and helpful information.

 

During our visit, there was a regularly scheduled bus running from the water front through the downtown area on State Street with a number of posted stops available for getting off. While I rode the bus to the last stop on State Street and walked back to the ship, I was told that the bus could also be taken back to the water front by boarding at one of the posted stops on the other side of State Street. My fare as a senior was $0.50.

[usviking]

We visited Santa Barbara on our California Coastal voyage last month. There was a short walk from the tender dock to West Cabrillo Blvd, where a number of very nice Santa Barbarans were on hand to assist with maps, brochures, and helpful information.

 

During our visit, there was a regularly scheduled bus running from the water front through the downtown area on State Street with a number of posted stops available for getting off. While I rode the bus to the last stop on State Street and walked back to the ship, I was told that the bus could also be taken back to the water front by boarding at one of the posted stops on the other side of State Street. My fare as a senior was $0.50.

 

I found links to the Santa Barbara Downtown and Waterfront Shuttles (with map) and the fares:

 

Schedule & Map: http://www.sbmtd.gov/maps-and-schedules/waterfront-shuttle.html

 

Fares: http://www.sbmtd.gov/fares-and-passes/index.html

 

Based on this fare schedule, my fare might have actually been $0.25.

.

[anteaters]

Thanks so much for your replies. I'm printing up the info now.

[kenish]

Thanks so much for your replies.

 

Saw your screen name...a fellow UC Irvine alum?

[anteaters]

Saw your screen name...a fellow UC Irvine alum?

 

Yes! I began there during its 2nd year of existence (with hardly more than a thousand students) so had quite a different experience than my daughter who attended for her undergraduate degrees some years later. I went there for both my B.A. (English) and elementary teaching credential. What about you?