Here's a sample itinerary for a pet-friendly drive from San Diego to Santa Barbara with your dog or cat. 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. Find the best dog parks, pet-friendly accommodations and hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members and GoPetFriendly. Scroll down to see all the pet-friendly stops along the way.
9:00 am start in San Diego
drive for about 36 minutes
9:36 am Carlsbad (California)
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 10:36 am
drive for about 51 minutes
11:27 am Laguna Beach
eat at Cafe Zinc
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 12:27 pm
drive for about 1 hour
1:34 pm Los Angeles
stay for about 2 hours
and leave at 3:34 pm
drive for about 59 minutes
4:33 pm Malibu
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 5:33 pm
drive for about 47 minutes
6:20 pm Ventura
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 7:20 pm
drive for about 29 minutes
7:49 pm arrive in Santa Barbara
eat at The Andersen Danish Restaurant & Bakery
stay at Canary Hotel Santa Barbara - A Kimpton Hotel
driving ≈ 5 hours
Carlsbad (California) (30 answers)
Dogs On The Run Pet Sitters (1 mention)
Carlsbad (1 mention)
Dogs On The Run (1 mention)
Legoland Kennel (1 mention)
Witch Creek Winery (1 mention)
Carlsbad Animal Hospital (1 mention)
pet-friendly restaurants around Carlsbad (California):
Pizza Port
pet-friendly hotels around Carlsbad (California):
Ocean Palms Beach Resort
Motel 6 Carlsbad Downtown
Extended Stay America San Diego - Carlsbad Village By The Sea
Laguna Beach (60 answers)
Laguna Beach City Beaches (1 mention)
Laguna Beach Animal Hospital (1 mention)
pet-friendly restaurants around Laguna Beach:
Cafe Zinc
Cottage Restaurant
Madison Square & Garden Cafe
GG's Bistro
pet-friendly hotels around Laguna Beach:
The Tides Hotel Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach House
Pacific Edge on Laguna Beach, a Joie de Vivre Hotel
Holiday Inn Laguna Beach
questions about Laguna Beach:
Where to stay and non-surfing things to do in Laguna Beach
What is your favorite restaurant in Laguna Beach?
Los Angeles (612 answers)
Release the Hounds! Pet Care (1 mention)
The Pet Concierge (1 mention)
Pet Spoilers (1 mention)
The Pet Assistant (1 mention)
Hello, Doggy! (1 mention)
The Housesitter (1 mention)
Furry Social Club (1 mention)
See Spot Stay (1 mention)
Dog-R-cise Dog Walking Service (1 mention)
Walk Fido (1 mention)
questions about Los Angeles:
Where are the top 5 places to see a celebrity in L.A.?
What's your favorite burger in L.A?
Free things to do in Los Angeles?
Area an hour away from LAX airport
What are the top 3 beaches in Los Angeles?
Malibu (66 answers)
SandPiper Pet Hotel (1 mention)
Tender Loving Care (1 mention)
American Dream Pet Care (1 mention)
pet-friendly restaurants around Malibu:
Spruzzo Restaurant & Bar
Coogie' Beach Cafe
Taverna Tony
Adobe Cantina
pet-friendly hotels around Malibu:
Malibu Beach RV Park
Malibu Creek State Park
Sheraton Agoura Hills Hotel
questions about Malibu:
Places to eat in Malibu?
Lunch recommendations near Getty Villa - Views? Kid Friendly?
Wine tasting in Malibu?
Ventura (16 answers)
Marina Park Beach (1 mention)
Seaside Wilderness Park (1 mention)
Promenade Park (1 mention)
San Buenaventura State Beach (1 mention)
pet-friendly restaurants around Ventura:
Anacapa Brewing Company
Cafe Nouveau
pet-friendly hotels around Ventura:
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach
Vagabond Inn Ventura
The Pierpont Inn & Spa
Ventura Beach RV Resort
questions about Ventura:
What to see, do & eat in Ventura, CA
Romantic weekend events/entertainment
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 Canary Hotel Santa Barbara - A Kimpton Hotel.
Here are some more pet-friendly 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?
GoPetFriendly suggests The Andersen Danish Restaurant & Bakery.
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 GoPetFriendly:
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 San Diego drive with pets, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
Looking for ideas for more destinations within driving distance of San Diego? Try searching for places within 3.5 hours of San Diego.
You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Or get a full San Diego 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 San Diego well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about San Diego!
More info on this route: