There is nothing better than looking forward to a relaxing vacation getaway with us here in Santa Barbara. Our beautiful coastal destination has so many exciting activities to enjoy that you will be busy all stay long. Booking a vacation can add up depending on what kind of activities you engage in. Luckily, Santa Barbara does feature a variety of events throughout the year that are both family-friendly and come at a relatively lower cost that won't break the bank. Here are some of our favorites for family fun in Santa Barbara:
Arts and crafts are a great way to spend some exciting activities with the whole family. The Santa Barbara Sea Glass and Ocean Arts Festival is a popular favorite year after year to bring your kids to. This local festival features a variety of beautiful crafts created by local artisans. There will be plenty of local vendors on hand selling gifts of all kinds to make for the perfect gift to take home with you. Arts and crafts classes will also be available perfect for the older kiddos in your family who are interested in learning more about the craft. There will be two food booths each selling delicious entrees to keep you tidied over until dinner. Don't forget about the treasure contest that the kids will absolutely love. Local music will be playing at the entertainment stage to keep your ears busy too. The Santa Barbara Sea Glass and Ocean Arts Festival will take place September 10th through the 11th at 3400 Calle Real; the festival hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, September 10th and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Sunday, September 11th.
If you have never been to Oktoberfest you may be surprised to know that they are always family-friendly. Oktoberfest is a celebration of the fall season and the traditional German roots for food and drink. Oktoberfest is an annual event that also showcases a variety of unique activities and festivities. Each year in Santa Barbara Oktoberfest is held in a different venue year to year. For Oktoberfest 2022 the event will be held locally at Captain Fatty's Brewery. This family-friendly event is completely free to enter and will be a blast in and of itself. You will find many locals and visitors dressed up in their favorite lederhosen dancing away to traditional German folk songs. The whole family can dine in on some traditional and delicious German food such as pretzels, schnitzel, brats, and much more. The adults will be able to try out the Festbier being tapped on the day of the event. Oktoberfest 2022 will take place on September 24th starting at 11:00 AM. Don't forget that friendly dogs on a leash are welcome too!
The fall season is finally here and with it comes a variety of fall-related activities and events. Local farms will be hosting their pumpkin patch events again for the season letting you browse around their sprawling fields looking for the perfect pumpkin to celebrate with. This year you can expect Big Wave Dave's, Lane Farms, and Solvang Farmer to each host their own pumpkin patches. Activities at each event can include corn mazes, farm animals, arts and crafts, and much more. Entry into each pumpkin patch is absolutely free and is a great way to spend some time with the whole family. Most pumpkin patches will be open from late September through October 31st.
One of our local attractions here in the area that is perfect for kids is the Santa Barbara Zoo. It features spacious habitats of unique and exotic critters. Each year the Santa Barbara Zoo puts on their Spooky Zoo event which is a delightful treat. Guests will find frightfully fun decor, photo ops, Halloween-themed treats, and boo-zy adult beverages. Spooky Zoo is free with a regular zoo admission ticket making it easier on the wallet. Don't miss out on this delightfully fun time taking place in the second half of October. Regular zoo hours are daily from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
Each year many communities celebrate the start of Thanksgiving with a fun run or race. These types of events are perfect to get your workout in early before enjoying a variety of delicious entrees and sides at dinner. Santa Barbara hosts the Thanksgiving 4 Miler to let runners move their legs. All ages are allowed to let any runners in your family have the chance to win the race. The event is free to watch and allows runner registration fees to go to a local charity. The event takes place on Thanksgiving Day right here in Santa Barbara.
This city is ready to host you and your family for some family fun in Santa Barbara. Make sure to reserve one of our vacation rentals and prepare for these incredible events!
