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Favorites in SB/Goleta
Just some of my favorite places to eat/hang in SB/Goleta
Stearns Wharf
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
47 reviews for Stearns Wharf
47 reviews in English
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Review from Zochi F.
Parking is free for 90 minutes, otherwise its $5.00. You can drive all the way in, go to the restaurants, museum,dish, ride the boats or just sight see.
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Review from Randoll C.
Orange County, CA
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Views were pretty good at night. Always nice to see the moonlight or lights of the city reflecting off the ocean as well as the city itself.
Otherwise, it's a pier. Shops, restaurant and fishing. Well, you can park on this one. It's $2.50 an hour though so make sure to validate. -
Review from Brad S.
10/20/2011
It has a nice view of the city from its outer edges, but I also got a somewhat tourist trap-y vibe from walking the lengths of the pier. It certainly doesn't seem to be representative of the rest of the city.
Also, there were giant swarms of bees around the trash cans. -
Review from Monique N.
Westminster, CA
7/19/2011 10 photos
It is definitely a beautiful pier! With lots of restaurants. I recommend going to Santa Barbara's Shellfish Company for seafood and walking out towards the edge to check out the fisherman! There are TONS of seagulls so becareful not to get pooped on. Haha.
If you walk to the left of the pier you'll run into that infamous man with a van that is covered in artwork! Definitely creative and a super nice guy.
There are little tours that are held around the pier too and of course the crazy "land shark" which is a tour bus that takes you around downtown and drives into the water. There are also electric trollies that take you through downtown for a meager .25¢ per person! :D
At the very end of the pier there are no longer rails to hold on to to look overhead but.. there are large logs. It's scary since it feels like you're going to drop down but nonetheless a great place to take your boyfriend/girlfriend/date!
If you take the little water taxi to the other side of the pier (or walk) you can walk pass the water breakers and onto the small peninsula and chill out there. You get to see the entire harbor and it's magnificent view.
While walking towards that peninsula there is a famous dolphin statue that lies before you walk onto the water breaker and occasionally you'll see a seal diving in and out of the water and pelican's walking around. It also has really cute whale tail benches! -
Review from Laura S.
6/27/2011 11 photos
Go during the summer - like I did this past weekend and the weather was PERECT. I wore shorts and a tank and the sun was on me but you felt the ocean breeze. It was perfect and around noonish.
NO BARE FEET OR HEELS!
I wore sandals but this is a warning for anyone going there especially if you want to eat a nice dinner on the wharf and the ladies want to wear heels... don't.
Lots of restaurants and small souvenir shops. Also FISHING!
It was a nice place to walk around and smell the fresh sea air.
The beach next to it was eh dirty-ish but it's a nice place nonetheless.
Some hobos and panhandlers asking for money too.
There is the electric bus for 25 cents that brings you to and from State Street. Good deal.
Take a photo with the famous Dolphins Statue!Listed in: Fun Dates!
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Review from Ryan M.
5/2/2011 2 photos
This review is for 04/30/2011. My friend and I had a somewhat spontaneous trip to Santa Barbara. It has been 9 years since I have been in Santa Barbara for a school retreat. The one reputation that I still know Santa Barbara is known for is being a party town. Time to Leave Los Angeles County for the Ventura County.
I have never heard of Stearns Wharf before and it was interesting to be on another pier besides Santa Monica Pier. We didn't park on the pier, but you can park on the pier for free if you dine in the restaurants. The street entertainment is a little different from Santa Monica. There was only one or two homeless guys asking for money. One at the beginning of the bridge who claims, you take a picture, you need to pay to support the arts. I wonder if he pays membership for the arts...lol. The other guy, just sits with a sign that he was an effect of the recession.
The pier reminds me of Santa Monica without the rides. There are two or three formal restaurants and other quick bites. Plus, they have some gift shops. However, one gift shop has the ZOLTAR MACHINE becareful what you wish for....lol.
The one part of the pier that I am a little freaked out about is the railings.......THERE ARE NONE!!! Well at the end of the pier, at least. My friend was at the end and I was just a little nervous when anyone is taking a big leap especially at the edge of the pier. Plus, the boats that get awfully close made me a little nervous.
This place is awesome and I would love to come back to enjoy it more. It wasn't crowded for a Saturday and it was nice to get away from Los Angeles. I wish I used more of my earlier time to come here. I felt like I was in a USA Network TV Show. Glad to know that this place is only 1.5 hours away....better than being stuck in LA Traffic for 1.5 hours to go only 10 miles.
The Yelp Universe. Where are you traveling today? -
Review from Adam B.
Hermosa Beach, CA
11/11/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Great spot to take a walk and clear your head. Some cool shops along the way..Get yourself some Fudge at the Candy shop.
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Review from Brian U.
Sylmar, CA
8/1/2011
It's a pier so it obviously has a nice view. It's also a pier so it's crowded and a hassle to get to. The wharf has multiple sit-down restaurants, a bait shop for those who want to fish from the end of the dock, and a few appropriately cheesy gift shops, but not much more in terms of shopping.
A homeless person was collecting recyclables from the garbage wearing a sportcoat. Ah. Only in Santa Barbara where the beggars are better dressed than me. -
Review from Mikey J.
1/13/2011
A delightful wharf!
This place is a very peaceful and serene pier. Perfect for you photo enthusiasts or daydreamers. Great for a leisurely stroll. We stopped by the Santa Barbara Shellfish company and got delicious lobster bisques.
The views are lovely. No smoking allowed as there was a fire here years ago. The sight our full sized buildings resting only on pier dock posts is s sight itself! -
Review from Colleen L.
West Los Angeles, CA
11/29/2010
Endless views of the ocean and beyond, without a fence, is the reason I like this pier so much. I can day dream and relax. Do you know that old song, "Sitting at the dock of the bay?"
Came here several weeks ago and the views were incredible. They were just as or more incredible today. Seeing the seals, hearing them bark loudly from the buoy and watching the dolphins arc out of the water was a wonderful way to end a gorgeous day. The pelicans diving for their fish dinners capped a beautiful, majestic sight off in the distance.
Found a candy shop with knowledgeable staff. Informative about their sour candies, they urged me to get "war heads". I took the challenge. Will bring it back to the kid I am mentoring to see if it's sour enough. If it's labeled "extreme sour" that ought to do the trick.
There's a 2 story aquarium type building which houses a natural history museum and gift shop. It's called Ty Warner. Closed 3 holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years and by 5 p.m. on Sundays, it may be worth checking out though it's a $8 admission fee.Listed in: Fleeing Carmageddon?
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Review from Crysal V.
8/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Better than what I'm used to in Santa Cruz. Bigger streets with cleaner and thriving shops and restaurants in Santa Barbara. Def a must see!!
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Review from David B.
Nice walk out to the end where you can watch boats entering and leaving the harbor. Pier parking is free for all but it goes fast. Public restrooms are on the pier.
About four restaurants are out there and all the outside seating is open to the public. Nice way to get a view of the coastline and the beaches!
Love Santa Barbara! -
Review from Mike G.
Rosamond, CA
4/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
2nd stop on our trip with our friends from Colorado.The day was beautiful. Soft offshore breeze.Very warm day, little hazy with very little clouds. The views are awesome from the pier and the shops are cute and touristy. The restaurants are nice. We stopped by the Santa Barbara Shellfish company and had a delicious lunch on the patio. If you have little ones hang on to their hands because there are no railings at the end of the pier.Definitly worth the stop just for the view of the town of Santa Barbara. You must try the oyster shooters from the Shellfish Company, they are to die for!! You can order them from a side window and eat them on benches they have set up next to the restaurant.
Listed in: Having Fun in the S.B
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Review from Mari H.
Berkeley, CA
8/10/2010 3 photos
As far as piers go, Stearns Wharf isn't really the absolute best, but any sort of outing here will very likely be successful. Whether you're going for a morning run along the beach, an afternoon lunch on the pier, or an evening out, you're sure to have a good time. There are many tourist shops to browse, and a wide selection of restaurants to choose from. Although this pier does not have any amusement park type rides, the simple beauty of the beach, the ocean, the boats around the harbor, etc do make up for it.
If parking gets tricky on the pier, you can just drive a couple of blocks down, find street parking, and walk on over. Otherwise, dress warm, expect windy weather, and enjoy the beautiful view. -
Review from Marthie D.
Corona, CA
2/18/2010 4 photos
Sunday morning..
rain ISN'T falling...
When I realized this pier was a 5 minute walk from my hotel (Hotel Oceana), I knew I had to go here. Lucky me was able to take a Sunday morning run along this pier and on the walkway along the Pacific. It was around 7am, so there wasn't anyone around besides other morning joggers and/or tourists. So I can't tell you how busy this place is. But I can tell you that there are a few restaurants on the pier and a parking lot, which you must pay for.
There are benches to sit on to admire the Santa Barbara coast and I felt at peace even though I was sweating from running. The walkway along the coast is also pretty nice to run/walk along. There were quite the amount of people working out, walking their pets, or riding a bike. A few homeless people are along the walkway, but nothing where I had to deal with a pee puddles to run around!Listed in: Santa Barbara.. Santa Ynez..…
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Review from Arnold E.
4/12/2009 1 photo
Picture a large, pier-like structure with several restaurants on it. Now add a small parking lot to it. Tie a few small boats on it and set them afloat. Throw in a sea science center and you've pretty much got Stearns Wharf.
This is actually a decent wharf, in my opinion. It's no Fisherman's Wharf, but it's decent. Besides a few eateries, a gift shop or two, and a psychic, this doesn't seem much more than a glorified pier. Sure, you get a good view of the marina and the coastline but other than that, I wasn't much impressed.
As I mentioned, you can drive your car onto the wharf, but it'll set you back two dollars per hour. Save yourself some money and burn a few extra calories - park on the street and walk. Oh yeah, heels and flip-flops aren't allowed on the wharf because of the wooden nature of its construction (knot holes, cracks, large splinters, etc.). Sorry, no diving either, daredevils. -
Review from H Q.
Placentia, CA
11/2/2009 19 photos
Pretty simple little wharf with your usual tourist gift shops and restaurants.
It was an absolutely beautiful and a walk along the pier was a must. I didn't park on the pier because street parking was ample and it's FREE! Try finding that along the coast in LA/OC. Only downside is when you walk down the pier, you can only walk in the designated pedestrian area and the hobos know that. I had to walk by a bunch and it was impossible to get by them without some sort of unwanted interaction.
As others have stated, looking back toward Santa Barbara from the pier is a beautiful sight. You get a great panaramic view of the harbor, mountains, downtown and boats. One thing that was a little sketchy was there was no railing at the end of the pier. I didn't want to lean too far over because you could easily fall in or someone can jack you for your stuff and shove you in and make a quick getaway.
There's really not that much to do, but take in the sights and eat. There's a rather small marine institute. It cost $8 admission and I had already spent a lot on my trip, so I passed. Maybe if it was $4 or $5 I would have checked it out.
It's worth it to see and enjoy the views and it won't cost you anything.Listed in: Photography Resources
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Review from S R.
Oakland, CA
7/22/2009
It's funny how this ugly monstrosity of a wharf is actually the best place to ponder how gorgeous Santa Barbara really is.
Skip the tourist-trap seafood places and shops, and just stand in the middle and look back towards the postcard view of the beach, town, and mountains. As far as free tourist attractions in CA, that's as good as it gets.
(But still, one star off for those restaurants, shops, and cars. Gah.) -
Review from Ami M.
Turlock, CA
7/22/2009 2 photos
With only a few hours to kill in Santa Barbara, we decided to go straight to Stearns Wharf via State Street, which gave us a scenic tour of the local life. Not enough, but it gave us an idea. We even hit detour traffic because of the Farmer's Market that blocks off 400 to 500 State Street every Tuesday afternoon.
Anyway, driving into Stearns Wharf got us excited especially since we saw the whole of it from our airplane window, as we began our descent into Santa Barbara Airport. At the end of State Street, you come into this rotunda where the Dolphin Fountain stands. I'd imagine it would be wonderful to walk the whole stretch of it but we had the car, sleeping kids and not a whole lot of time to spare. So we entered the Wharf, got our ticket and drove to the end of the wharf, where, surprisingly, parking was a breeze (pun intended). Maybe we were just lucky. They charge $2.00 an hour or a part thereof but it's 90 minutes free with merchant validation.
We ate al fresco at the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company while enjoying the sights, sound and smell of everything around us. Indeed, the view of the beach, the town, and the mountains is spectacular. Then there's the activity of people from all walks of life in and around the wharf-- fishing, rowing, kite-surfing, sunbathing... But none of them were overwhelming. Yes, I do think their restaurants are overpriced and their stores are nothing special. But I appreciate that it's not too crowded nor too commercialized. It just is.
If you're walking with little ones, take extra caution though. Parts of the wharf are just open, not fenced. Pelicans roam about the dock, maybe waiting for fishermen to get sloppy with their catch. And the wooded boards may cause a nasty splinter with a clumsy fall. Good thing I packed my trusty tweezers and sewing kit! -
Review from May W.
8/23/2008
Santa Barbara is a beautiful city and Stearns Wharf definitely adds to its beauty. What's strange to me is that right when you enter the wharf area, the place smells really, really nasty. Like it's the ocean smell plus rusty metal nasty. But that's ok because after reaching the end of the pier you will realize you can't smell it anymore.
Anyway, the wharf reminds me of Santa Monica because it also has shops and restaurants...but no games. That's ok because that means I won't waste money trying to win stuffed animals to add to my collection.
People love to fish at the wharf and they are all very relaxed and friendly.
If you ever visit Stearns, definitely try SB Shellfish Company...it's delicious and pretty cheap! -
Review from Devo S.
4/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
A must-do in Santa Barbara! Great ocean and harbor views. Cool!
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Review from Melissa G.
Pasadena, CA
6/15/2009 2 photos
Just as a fellow yelper said before... this is a pretty decent wharf. Of course it can't rival the large wharfs of San Francisco and the like, but it's a great small-town wharf. The upkeep seemed pretty decent and it was nice and clean.
Lots of little kitschy shops, little restaurants and dessert shops. At the end of the pier, tons of people fishing. All in all, a nice place to visit although I won't be racing to come back here soon. -
Review from daisy n.
1/20/2009
Wow, I love wharfs- a grandiose extension into the vast oceans, amazing its visitors with it's impressive strength above tumultous tides, more than ready to serve a hot sourdough cup of clam chowder! (sigh)
And THIS is not a one. But unknownst to Santa Barbara tourists! This itty bitty, teeny tiny, strip of wood calls itself Stearn's Wharf.
4 stars? 5 stars? Then you're probably living in a little bubble I'd like to call Southern California, try SF's Pier 39.
Oh big whoop. -
Review from Jimmy J.
Alameda, CA
6/15/2009 2 photos
It's not really much of a wharf, jutting out just a few inches into the water as it does. It's got a couple of cheesy shops, a few overpriced restaurants, bird shit everywhere - your typical tourist trap wharf fare on a miniature scale. Yes, I'll take the Monterey, Santa Cruz or San Francisco wharves over Stearns any day of the year, thank you very much. So why the five stars, let alone bothering to review Stearns at all? I'll tell you why: the restrooms. Stearns Wharf boasts by far the cleanest public restrooms I have ever encountered anywhere. Far cleaner, in fact, than many private restrooms I have had the misfortune of frequenting in my time. When one spends as much time in the restroom as I do, this is a very big deal.
The mind boggling cleanliness of the restrooms at Stearns Wharf is all the more impressive given Santa Barbara's more than ample homeless population.
Therefore, I hereby nominate the public restrooms at Stearns Wharf and their breathtaking cleanliness as one of the Seven or Eight Wonders of the Modern World.
Thank you very much.Listed in: The BoB List, What I Did on My Summer…
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Review from Brock H.
Laguna Niguel, CA
1/5/2010
A-OK. I came here while we had some downtime just to see what it was about. Growing up along the coast I've seen my fair share of piers which is what this is. It has a couple restaurants and nic-nac stores but that is just about it. At the end of the pier there is a great view of Santa Barbara and the hill side.
The best part was when my girlfriend got shat on by an overhead bird. Good times. -
Review from quinn c.
Beaumont, CA
2/8/2011
Went there today and was shocked by the end of the pier....no railing! Wow, how dangerous! Not a good pier to bring little ones. Walked into a small-looking aquarium that was pricey. Has a few restaurants, an ice cream shop, a candy shop. Stayed for just 20 min and the parking fee was $2.50. Honestly, I felt unsafe driving on the pier and wouldn't do that again. But the views are beautiful!
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Review from Ermelinda C.
Chicago, IL
4/6/2011
Pretty and quiet place, great view. The small stores on the pier were a distraction, I thought, even though I did enjoy a refreshing ice-cream to the maximum.
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Review from Julie Z.
1/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
We went biking on the wharf and along the beach East and West! This is my favorite place and i love everything about it, the crowd, the bikes, the vendors, the food, the VIEW, etc. Everything is so pretty! While biking, we got to see different areas of SB, east and west beach! I definitely love the west side more! Theres alot of shops and places to go!
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Review from Kenny A.
Fullerton, CA
4/9/2009
It fits my definition of a wharf: Beautiful views, a couple nice little shops, and plenty of seagulls ready to help you finish your meal.
Like many have said already, don't expect San Francisco or Monterey Bay, but Stearns is a pretty little spot to kill some time and relax with a loved one.
Not rating it much higher because after seeing it once, I wouldn't say I'm disappointed but we probably won't be coming back.
Most interesting thing we noticed about the area was the ice cream shop (not reviewing because we didn't eat there). They were advertising something like "best ice cream by the Pacific" or something like that... we peeked inside behind the counter and saw Thrifty ice cream buckets! Lame. -
Review from K V.
Santa Barbara, CA
2/15/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Nice view of the Channel Islands. Pier has no railings, so great for photos.
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Review from Brinda J.
7/2/2010
You can eat here, watch the sunset, buy stuff or just walk around. They have a huge compass on the wharf and there's no railing, you might fall in. But truly the feel here is so chill and lovely. Santa Barbara is the place to be!
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Review from Angela C.
1/4/2009
I really really expected more from this place since it's supposedly one of the "popular tourist attractions" in Santa Barbara. Honestly, there's really not much to see up on this wooden glorified pier!! There's a few restaurants and small shops but that's about it. It cannot compare to Pier 39 in San Francisco or Fisherman's Wharf up in Monterey Bay. Heck, it can't even compare to Santa Monica Pier! I guess it's worth the walk up at least once on your trip, but you'll be finished in 10-15 minutes max.
Listed in: Santa Barbara Edition
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Review from Viet N.
Pico Rivera, CA
6/25/2011
its a nice place to relax and eat.
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Review from Sky Y.
San Jose, CA
4/16/2010
This place is okay, but I think that I was expecting a whole lot more since it's mentioned so extensively as a must go to place for anyone visiting Santa Barbara. I think that it's worth a look, but I wouldn't say that you need to allocate a lot of time for this visit. Other than the wharf itself, there are some seafood restaurants and small shops. Even though the shops are pretty typical and what you would expect to find at a tourist attraction like this, I think that they're kind of neat. I wouldn't say that Stearns Wharf is disappointing, but I do think that it's overhyped.
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Review from Matthew J.
Palos Verdes, CA
9/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's a nice walk out to the end of the pier but it isn't too impressive. There are some touristy shops and some restaurants that didn't look too good. It's not a must see as I originally thought it might be.
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Review from Shiho F.
Carmel by the Sea, CA
11/27/2007
Stern's Wharf and the beach along Cabrillo is a nice stretch of palm trees and sand. Catch people playing volleyball, rollerblading and cute boys skating their hearts out in the skate park.
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Review from John C.
Poughkeepsie, NY
9/7/2010 1 Check-in Here
Good old fashioned bfast. Cheap, quick, & friendly. Bottomless okay coffee (3/5). The sausages are tasty, blackened catfish is great too. Don't forget the hashbrowns!
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Review from W L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2009 8 photos
if you've been to other piers, you'll know that this one is disappointing. though parking is free, drive over at your own risk - it just looks unsafe for cars.
There's not real much out here. yeah there are a few seafood place and a couple of useless trinket stores and even a little museum about the ocean, but not enough attraction to put on any tourists' to-do list. -
Review from Paul S.
San Jose, CA
6/6/2010
Local flavor indeed. Cool little shops, a few eateries, cheap parking, right in the heart of things on the beach. Very enjoyable but beware of those loose boards if you are wearing heels. Yeah they warn you, but I swear there must be some women who don't pay attention.
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Review from James Y.
4/17/2010 13 photos
Cool spot in Santa Barbara. This was the first place that we stopped by when we arrived in Santa Barbara for the weekend. There are some shops and restaurant located on the wharf. At the end of the wharf, there is an area that has people fishing off of it. The views from the wharf are really nice. Walk around, relax, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy the views.
