Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Sacramento to Santa Barbara. If you're planning a road trip to Santa Barbara, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Traveling with a dog or cat? Find pet-friendly stops. Camping along the way? Search for RV campgrounds. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.
10:00 am start in Sacramento
drive for about 59 minutes
10:59 am Napa
stay for about 2 hours
and leave at 12:59 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours
2:29 pm Palo Alto
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 3:29 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours
4:56 pm Monterey
stay overnight at Mission Ranch Hotel
leave the next day around 10:00 am
day 1 driving ≈ 4 hours
find more stops
10:00 am leave from Mission Ranch Hotel
drive for about 1 hour
11:14 am King City (California)
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 12:14 pm
drive for about 50 minutes
1:05 pm Paso Robles
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 2:05 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours
3:42 pm Solvang
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 4:42 pm
drive for about 43 minutes
5:25 pm arrive in Santa Barbara
eat at McConnell's Fine Ice Creams
stay at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara
day 2 driving ≈ 4.5 hours
find more stops
Napa (85 answers)
Domaine Carneros (14 mentions)
Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin' BBQ (11 mentions)
Artesa Vineyards & Winery (9 mentions)
Napa Valley (9 mentions)
Oxbow Public Market (6 mentions)
restaurants around Napa:
ad hoc
Domaine Chandon
Redd
Morimoto
Pine Ridge Vineyards
questions about Napa:
Other foodie things to do besides wine tasting
Searching for an inexpensive and nice inn in Napa area
Restaurants in Napa for girls outing?
Limited time in Napa, help with my itinerary!
Sightseeing in Napa?
Palo Alto (17 answers)
Googleplex (5 mentions)
Stanford University (4 mentions)
Facebook Inc. (3 mentions)
Portola Redwoods State Park (2 mentions)
Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve (2 mentions)
restaurants around Palo Alto:
Evvia Estiatorio
Pampas
Pizzeria Delfina
Fu Lam Mum
questions about Palo Alto:
Great Restaurant for Groups?
What is your favorite restaurant in Palo Alto?
Monterey (167 answers)
Monterey Bay Aquarium (41 mentions)
Pebble Beach (21 mentions)
Point Lobos (9 mentions)
Point Lobos State Reserve (8 mentions)
17-Mile Drive (6 mentions)
restaurants around Monterey:
Passionfish
Katy's Place
Epsilon Fine Greek Restaurant
Flaherty's Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar
Sunset Lounge
hotels around Monterey:
Mission Ranch Hotel
Lodge at Pebble Beach
Seven Gables Inn
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
La Playa Hotel Carmel-By-The-Sea
questions about Monterey:
Restaurant recommendations for a large group dinner?
What to do for a family outing in Monterey?
Things to do with the kiddos besides the aquarium
hotels in Monterey, CA
King City (California) (2 answers)
Paso Robles (49 answers)
Firestone Walker Brewing Company (6 mentions)
Villicana Winery (5 mentions)
Terry Hoage Vineyards (3 mentions)
Summerwood Winery & Inn (3 mentions)
DAOU Vineyards & Winery (3 mentions)
restaurants around Paso Robles:
Niner Wine Estates
Ecluse Wines
Pier 46 Seafood Market
Brecon Estate
ONX
questions about Paso Robles:
Good wineries in Paso Robles
Where should I eat in Paso Robles?
Casual eats near Paso Robles?
Favorite Wineries Near Paso Robles
Solvang (46 answers)
Firestone Vineyard (3 mentions)
Fess Parker Winery (3 mentions)
R Country Market (2 mentions)
Blackjack Ranch (2 mentions)
Saarloos And Sons Tasting Room (2 mentions)
restaurants around Solvang:
Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe
Olsen's Danish Village Bakery & Coffee Shop
Industrial Eats
Panino
Petros
questions about Solvang:
What to do in Solvang... good places to stay, eat, etc.
Are you going straight to a hotel, or looking for a vacation rental or Airbnb?
The best resource on neighborhoods, areas, and hotels is the Trippy page on where to stay in Santa Barbara.
If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, which was mentioned 15 times on Trippy.
Here are some more hotels people talk about:
Want to research more popular hotels in Santa Barbara? Click the blue button below.
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest McConnell's Fine Ice Creams, which was mentioned 5 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Santa Barbara? Click the blue button below.
This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.
These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy:
Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!
For example, here are some questions people have asked about Santa Barbara. Click on any question to see answers from the community!
Veronica from San Francisco asked:
Favorite restaurants in Santa Barbara? (9 answers)
Kay from Vermont asked:
Bachelorette Weekend Getaway in Santa Barbara (6 answers)
Darren from Jersey City asked:
Best Beach in Santa Barbara? (5 answers)
Stephanie from Venice Beach asked:
24 hours in Santa Barbara, what do I have to see/eat/do? (5 answers)
Valerie from asked:
How far from santa barbara to palm springs and PS to Phoenix? (1 answer)
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Santa Barbara.
Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!
Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Santa Barbara to Sacramento drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Sacramento to Santa Barbara. Or get a full Sacramento to Santa Barbara flight plan.
Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world.
And if you know Sacramento well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Sacramento!
