RVers get variety on the “American Riviera.”
The Mediterranean-like city of Santa Barbara boasts a particularly beautiful setting to enjoy the outdoors with the added bonus of nice restaurants and cultural attractions to see on a walk around town, such as Old Mission Santa Barbara. The city sits in the shadow of the Santa Ynez Mountains, where you can hike in Los Padres National Forest or visit Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park. Santa Barbara’s harbor offers kayak rentals, sunset cruises, dolphin- and whale-watching tours, and boats out to Channel Islands National Park, where lucky visitors can hike, dive, and spot native wildlife. Along the coast, head to El Capitan State Beach or Refugio State Beach for picnicking, surfing, swimming, fishing, and tide pools. Advanced planners might snag a spot at an RV park in town, otherwise look to the state beach campgrounds, which may or may not have hookups. North of town in the mountains, RV sites can be found along the Santa Ynez River.