Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
310
a fr ee and compr ehensive r esource av ailable at the visitor center or b y calling
Traffic
Solutions
at
&
805/963-7283
or logging onto www.trafficsolutions.info.
Wheel F un R entals
(
&
805/966-2282;
www .wheelfunrentalssb.com) r ents w ell-
maintained beach cr uisers, mountain bikes, tandem bikes, and an I talian four-wheel
surrey that seats three adults; rates vary. There are three locations, but only the one at 23
E. Cabrillo St. stays open 7 days a w eek (8am-6pm), year-round.
BOATING
The
Santa Barbara Sailing Center,
133 Harbor Way at the Santa Barbara
Harbor (
&
800/350-9090
or 805/962-2826; www.sbsail.com), rents sailboats from 21
to 50 feet in length, as well as paddleboats, kayaks, and motorboats. Both skippered and
bareboat char ters ar e av ailable b y the day or hour . S ailing instr uction for all lev els of
experience is also av ailable. Coastal, island, whale-watching, dinner-cr uise, and adv en-
ture tours ar e offered on the 50-foot sailing catamaran
Double Dolphin.
The center is
open daily from 9am to 6pm during the spring and summer; fr om 9am to 5pm in the
fall and winter.
GOLF
A t the
S anta B arbara G olf Club,
3500 M cCaw A ve., at Las P ositas R oad
(
&
805/687-7087;
www.sbgolf.com), there's a gr eat 6,009-yard, 18-hole course and a
driving range. U nlike many municipal courses, the S anta Barbara Golf Course is w ell
maintained and presents a moderate challenge for the average golfer. Greens fees are $30
Monday through Friday and $34 on weekends. Optional carts rent for $28/cart or $14/
person.
The 18-hole, 7,000-yard
Sandpiper,
at 7925 Hollister Ave. (
&
805/968-1541;
www.
sandpipergolf.com), is a scenic oceanside course that 's rated as one of the top public
courses in the U.S. I t also has a driving range. Weekday (Mon-Thurs) greens fees ar e
$139, weekends (Fri-Sun) $159, and the cart fee is $16.
HIKING
The foothill trails in the Santa Ynez Mountains above Santa Barbara are per-
fect for day hikes. I n general, they ar en't overly str enuous. Trail maps ar e av ailable at
Pacific Travelers Supply,
12 W. Anapamu S t. (at S tate St.;
&
888/PAC-TRAV
[888/
722-8728] or 805/963-4438), at the visitor center (see “
11
Visitor Information,” above),
and from
Traffic Solutions
(
&
805/963-7283
).
One of the most popular hikes is the
Seven Falls/Inspiration Point Trail,
an easy trek
that begins on Tunnel R oad, past the mission, and skir ts the edge of S anta B arbara's
Botanic Garden (which contains some pleasant hiking trails itself ).
SKATING
The paved beach path that r uns along Santa Barbara's waterfront is perfect
for rollerblading.
Wheel Fun Rentals
(
&
805/966-2282;
www.wheelfunrentalssb.com),
rents skates and all the r equisite protective gear. It's open daily from 8am to 8pm.
WHALE-WATCHING
Whale-watching cruises are offered between late December and
late March, when Pacific gray whales pass by on migratory journeys from their breeding
lagoons in B aja California, M exico, to their Alaskan feeding gr ounds.
Shoreline Park,
west of the harbor, has high bluffs ideal for land-based whale-spotting. Sea excursions are
offered by both
Captain Don's Harbor Tours
(
&
805/969-5217;
www.captdon.com),
on Stearns Wharf; and b y the
Condor
(
&
888/77-WHALE
[888/779-4253] or 805/
882-0088; www .condorcruises.com), located at 301
W. Cabrillo B lvd. in the S anta
Barbara Harbor.
SHOPPING
State Street
from the beach to Victoria Street is the city's main thoroughfare and has the
largest concentration of shops. Many specialize in T-shirts and postcards, but there are a
