Upper Riviera
Santa Barbara
Visit Upper Riviera
Popular places to visit
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
See the best views of Santa Barbara and enjoy a stunning variety of architectural styles at the city’s historic courthouse.
Santa Barbara Harbor
Explore the waterfront in Santa Barbara with a trip to Santa Barbara Harbor. Wander the beautiful beaches and seaside in the area.
Santa Barbara Bowl
Enjoy a show at Santa Barbara Bowl, a storied theater in Santa Barbara. Wander the beautiful beaches and seaside in the area.
Santa Barbara Zoo
Why not visit the native and exotic animals who call Santa Barbara Zoo home during your trip to Santa Barbara? Wander the beautiful beaches and seaside in the area.
Stearns Wharf
Explore the waterfront of Stearns Wharf and enjoy other activities such as biking in Santa Barbara. Wander the area's beautiful beaches or simply enjoy one of its top-notch restaurants.
Butterfly Beach
Why not spend a carefree afternoon at Butterfly Beach during your travels in Santa Barbara? Check out the shops and top-notch restaurants in this walkable area.
Things to do
Santa Barbara: Beach and Coastline Helicopter Tour
Santa Barbara Sunset Cruise on Yacht with Full Bar
Santa Barbara: Full-Day 7-Speed Bike Rental with Area Map
Top hotels in Upper Riviera
El Encanto Santa Barbara
I have been staying at this hotel for years. This is the third time that I have been given a different room from the one I booked. This time the room was basically the size of a closet. The room I booked had a sofa, sitting area, bench at the foot of the bed, separate tub and walk in shower, etc. ...
Reviewed on Apr 1, 2026
Hotel Santa Barbara
Beautiful hotel, very clean.
Reviewed on Apr 2, 2026
Sandpiper Lodge
The roughest most uncomfortable sheets I have ever slept on. Room smelled so gross. Shower had black mold.
Reviewed on Apr 3, 2026
Hyatt Place Santa Barbara
The location is great. The parking is $10 per day & underground. The breakfast is ok. The staff is nice. However, the showers took 20 minutes to warm up. Also it smelled like sewage when we arrived.
Reviewed on Mar 30, 2026
Avania Inn of Santa Barbara
Is was just “ok”
Reviewed on Apr 2, 2026
Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara
The front desk staff were polite even when our room was not ready, although it was about 15 minutes past check-in time. They got the room ready close to 5pm. We booked a suite, which was spacious- 2 rooms essentially, one had the 2 queen beds, and the other had a coffee table, sofa, lounge chairs, ...
Reviewed on Apr 2, 2026
Other neighbourhoods around Upper Riviera
Laguna
Though Laguna might not have many top sights, you can venture to the surrounding area to see attractions like Santa Barbara Bowl and Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Upper East
While visiting Upper East, you might make a stop by sights like Mission Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.
Eastside
Eastside might not have many top sights, but Santa Barbara Zoo and East Beach are two attractions nearby that you can check out.
Mission Canyon
Mission Canyon is noteworthy for its gardens, and you can make a stop at top attractions like Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and The Children's Centennial Maze.
Downtown Santa Barbara
The pristine beaches and ample dining options are top of the list for many visitors to Downtown Santa Barbara. A stop by Paseo Nuevo Mall or Santa Barbara Museum of Art might round out your trip.
Historic Downtown Santa Barbara
The beaches and abundant dining options are top of the list for many visitors to Historic Downtown Santa Barbara. A stop by Paseo Nuevo Mall or Santa Barbara Museum of Art might round out your trip.
