Santa Barbara is a coastal community in Southern California located just 80 miles north of Los Angeles.  The temperatures here are cooler than they are in the valleys.  In fact, it never gets much above 85° F (29° C).  We have over 300 days a year where the sun is out and shining at least part of the day.  

What is the best time to visit?

For Santa Barbara locals, we say that from mid-June to October we have the best combination of sun, warmth, and activities.  However, our winters are going to beat Northern winters hands down, so we see a large number of Northern American, Northern European and Canadian visitors from December - April.

Is Santa Barbara a family friendly community?

Oddly, yes, considering this town is primarily a resort town and much of the population is actually older adults.  Santa Barbara has a lot of things to do for families and is for the most part open and receptive to kids.  The only caveat is much of the infrastructure is adult oriented.  

What childcare options are there for tourists?
Most of the large hotels have some sort of day care available on site.  Most of the regular daycare centers have standing clientele and are not open on the weekends.