15 days in San Francisco & Santa Barbara Itinerary

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

Eschew the tourist crowds and head to Wine Tours & Tastings and Walt Disney Family Museum. Get some cultural insight at Alcatraz Island and Musee Mecanique. Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around San Francisco: Napa (Reid Family Vineyards, Balloon Rides, &more), St. Helena (V. Sattui Winery & Modus Operandi Cellars) and Castello di Amorosa (in Calistoga). The adventure continues: take in the views from Golden Gate Bridge, stroll around Golden Gate Park, explore the world behind art at Asian Art Museum, and do a tasting at Dry Creek Vineyard.

For other places to visit, ratings, maps, and tourist information, go to the San Francisco online sightseeing planner.

Washington to San Francisco is an approximately 12-hour flight. You can also drive. Traveling from Washington to San Francisco, you'll gain 3 hours due to the time zone difference. Traveling from Washington in April, San Francisco is a bit warmer at night with lows of 51°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 20th (Tue) early enough to catch the flight 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.

You'll explore the less-touristy side of things at Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum and Santa Barbara County Courthouse. Do some cultural sightseeing at Wine Tours & Tastings and MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation. Change things up with these side-trips from Santa Barbara: Conejo Valley Botanic Garden (in Thousand Oaks) and Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing Museum (in Camarillo). There's still lots to do: contemplate the long history of Old Mission Santa Barbara, learn more about the world around you at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, kick back and relax at Butterfly Beach, and learn about wildlife with up-close encounters at Santa Barbara Zoo.

For more things to do, traveler tips, and other tourist information, you can read our Santa Barbara road trip app.

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 71°F in April, and nighttime lows around 50°F. On the 26th (Mon), you'll travel back home.