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All United States California Santa Barbara

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Santa Barbara

12 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Santa Barbara, California

Updated January 6, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Santa Barbara

Water Garden

Santa Barbara, California

Lotusland

Acres of natural wonders left behind by a socialite-turned-gardener.
Front entrance to the Whale House.

Santa Barbara, California

Whale House

This stunning sea creature-shaped home blends into the landscape like a fantasy villa.

Santa Barbara, California

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

Colorful Native American paintings are hidden within this small cavern.
The tavern.

Santa Barbara, California

Cold Spring Tavern

Hidden in the Santa Ynez Mountains off Highway 154, this tiny restaurant once served as a stagecoach stop.
The estate lies in disrepair.

Santa Barbara, California

Franceschi Park

The home of one of California's most important horticulturalists wilts amidst a lovely park.
Lil' Toot.

Santa Barbara, California

Lil' Toot

This nonsensical smiling boat shuttles passengers between two places they could've easily walked between.
The Mural Room.

Santa Barbara, California

The Mural Room

One incredible room in the Santa Barbara Courthouse is covered in wall-to-wall canvas murals.
The Moreton Bay Fig Tree.

Santa Barbara, California

Moreton Bay Fig Tree

The beautiful behemoth is one of the largest trees of its kind in the United States.
See All 12 Things To Do in Santa Barbara

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Santa Barbara

The tavern.

Santa Barbara, California

Cold Spring Tavern

Hidden in the Santa Ynez Mountains off Highway 154, this tiny restaurant once served as a stagecoach stop.
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

9 Surprisingly Ancient Marvels in Modern California

Long before California was home to tech campuses, freeways, and palm trees, Native inhabitants etched huge designs into the landscape. Even before that, at roughly the same time that the Pyramids of Giza were under construction, a tree that still survives today began taking root. And even farther into the past, glaciers and mammoths created enduring monuments to antiquity. Across the state, the distant past is still within easy reach. As the pandemic continues, we hope this virtual trip helps you explore America’s wonders. If you do choose to venture out, please follow all guidelines, maintain social distance, and wear a mask.

View Itinerary
The Blythe Intaglios are as mysterious as they are massive.

Explore Santa Barbara, California

Plants 3
Homes 3
Art 2
Parks 2
Ruins 2
Outsider Architecture 2
Places To Stay 2
Eccentric Homes 2
Gardens 2

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Stories About Santa Barbara

After an adventurous life, this golden eagle sculpture is again on display at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, California.

The Unbelievable Life of the Lobero Golden Eagle

The sculpture had been shipwrecked, shot at, auctioned off, and lost—twice.
by Darcy Rhyno
January 6, 2023
The interior of Elsie's Tavern, made of wood, paper, glass, assorted trash, an incandescent bulb, and acrylic paint.

This Artist Builds Tiny, Lifelike Replicas of Beloved Dive Bars

Santa Barbara's weird underbelly, in miniature.
by John Paul Titlow
October 18, 2019
The plastic-strewn sediment core was collected partway between Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands off the California coast.

More Than Half a Century of Microplastics Are Buried in Layers of Sediment, Like Synthetic Fossils

The teeny menaces turned up in a core taken from the floor of the Santa Barbara Basin.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
September 4, 2019

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