15 days in San Francisco & Santa Barbara Itinerary

San Francisco is a top holiday destination featuring scenic beauty and great ethnic and cultural diversity.

Get a sense of the local culture at California State Railroad Museum and Wine Tours & Tastings. Explore hidden gems such as Crocker Art Museum and Dry Creek Vineyard. Change things up with these side-trips from San Francisco: Santa Rosa (Siduri Wines, Charles M. Schulz Museum, &more), Stephen & Walker Winery (in Healdsburg) and Kenwood (B. Wise Vineyards, VJB Cellars, &more). Next up on the itinerary: snap pictures at Golden Gate Bridge, expand your understanding of the military at Fort Point, explore the world behind art at Legion of Honor, and walk around Golden Gate Park.

To see more things to do, other places to visit, where to stay, and other tourist information, read our San Francisco trip website.

Washington to San Francisco is an approximately 42-hour car ride. The time zone difference moving from Eastern Standard Time (EST) to Pacific Standard Time (PST) is minus 3 hours. Traveling from Washington in February, things will get a bit warmer in San Francisco: highs are around 62°F and lows about 48°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 1st (Mon) so you can fly to Santa Barbara.

Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara is a solid vacation destination with its wide beaches, renowned wineries, and some of California's finest shopping and dining options.

Satisfy your inner culture vulture at Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum and Santa Barbara County Courthouse. Discover out-of-the-way places like Monarch Butterfly Grove and Casa del Herrero. Venture out of the city with trips to Heritage House Museum (in Arroyo Grande), Herzog Wine Cellars (in Oxnard) and Tierra Rejada Golf Club (in Moorpark). There's lots more to do: indulge your senses at some of the top wineries in the area, Head underground at Salt Cave, admire the masterpieces at Carriage & Western Art Museum, and get to know the resident critters at Santa Barbara Zoo.

To find other places to visit, more things to do, reviews, and tourist information, refer to the Santa Barbara travel route planner.

Traveling by flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara takes 3 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. Expect a daytime high around 69°F in March, and nighttime lows around 48°F. On the 7th (Sun), you're off to home.