If you're coming from LA, Santa Barbara is an easy two-hour drive away. If you have a little extra time, we highly recommend taking the Pacific Coast Highway. Put the windows down, blast some music, and be sure to stop at Malibu Seafood on your way up the coast. If you're coming from San Diego or the Bay Area, the drive might be a little longer (about four hours from San Diego and six hours from San Francisco), but still just as beautiful/worth it!

If you want the beauty of the coast without the hassle of renting a car/worrying about the drive, the Pacific Surfliner train is the way to go. It's the same train Jackie's dad used to take when he was a little kid, coming up to Santa Barbara from LA to visit his grandpa. Super affordable and really fun. Plus, the Santa Barbara train station is just a five-minute walk from the Hotel Californian. Also, pro tip: get on the train in Van Nuys to avoid the craziness of Union Station.

If you're coming from out-of-state, flying into LAX is the best/most affordable option. Even though LA is a two-hour drive from Santa Barbara, you can rent a car at the airport for the easy drive up the coast (we highly recommend carpooling), OR you can take the SB Airbus from LAX to Downtown Santa Barbara (more info here: https://www.sbairbus.com/lax-shuttle-schedule-fares/).

BUT if you're feeling a little bougie/don't want the hassle of figuring out how to get from LAX to Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Airport is definitely the most convenient way to get to Santa Barbara from out-of-state. It's a more expensive option, but it has become significantly more affordable in recent years and sometimes you can find really good deals (especially from NYC). Plus, you'll feel like you landed at a fancy resort instead of an airport.