Santa Barbara is less than as hundred miles from Los Angeles, but it’s light-years away in terms of ambience pace, and manageability. Rolling hills, mountains and glistening ocean all set the stage for the tile-roofed Spanish mission architecture that’s the city’s trademark; small wonder that locals call their hometown “America’s Riviera.”

For adults or families, there’s no dearth of things to do in and around Santa Barbara, come rain or come shine (and rain is rare). To feel at home here, a good first step is the self-guided Red Tile Walking Tour, which starts at the Visitor Center (Garden Street and Cabrillo Boulevard, tel 805 966 9222) and hits the historic high spots — the Presidio, the Courthouse and old adobe homes that today house businesses. An alternative is the Santa Barbara Trolley (http://www.sbtrolley.com), a 90- minute loop of the Old Town that you can hop on and off all day. You can also explore by bicycle; well-signed bike routes (http://www.sbbike.org) cover the waterfront and extend into neighboring Goleta and Carpinteria. Bike rental companies are scattered all around State Street, and some will even deliver bicycles to your hotel; for families and groups, there also are bicycle “surreys” that seat four to six people.

The ocean always beckons when you’re in Santa Barbara, and there are lots of ways to enjoy the water and its creatures. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (113 Harbor Way, http://www.sbmm.org) celebrates the seagoing heritage of the central California coast, with plenty of hands-on activities and demonstrations for kids to enjoy. Bordering the beach on Cabrillo Boulevard is Chase Palm Park, with a restored antique carousel and a shipwreck-themed playground; it’s also home to Skater’s Point, with bowls, rails and ramps for skaters and boarders. Stearns Wharf (end of State Street), the longest deep-water pier between San Francisco and Los Angeles, has shops, restaurants and terrific views. Then there’s the wide choice of beaches: picture-postcard East Beach is most popular; West Beach, with its mild surf, is ideal for families with young children; and less-crowded Leadbetter Beach is good for beachcombing and watching the surfers. Whale watching is a popular spring and summer pastime, and there are plenty of tour companies operating from Stearns Wharf and along Cabrillo; landlubbers can also catch glimpses from a spot marked by a bronze whale tail in Shoreline Park. Truth Aquatics (301 W. Cabrillo Blvd., tel 805 962 1127, http://www.truthaquatics.com) offers single- and multi-day trips to the eight islands that comprise Channel Islands National Park (http://www.channel.islands.national-park.com).

Walking and hiking are also great ways to explore the countryside, with many family-friendly routes; maps are available at the Visitor Center. Kids will enjoy the rock formations known as Playground off West Camino Cielo; grownups and teens can handle the long, steady uphill to Gaviota Peak, with spectacular views from the top and a side trail to a hot spring for a dip.

A must-do family destination is the Santa Barbara Zoo (500 Ninos Dr., tel 805 963 5695), noted as the largest zoo between Los Angeles and San Francisco and one of the best small zoos in the country. Adults may prefer one of many wine tours (http://www.sbcountywines.com), from the urban wine trail of tastings inside the city limits — tours of the Santa Barbara Winery (202 Anacapa St., tel 805 963 3633) are always free — to the more than 40 wineries in Santa Barbara County.

LODGING

SAN YSIDRO RANCH

The place for a romantic getaway is San Ysidro Ranch, a series of 40 lowrise cottages surrounding a main “hacienda.” Celebrities from Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh to Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, not to mention John and Jackie Kennedy, have honeymooned here. Now owned by the founder of Beanie Babies, Ty Warner, the Ranch — which first opened in 1893 — has been undergoing an “extreme makeover” with about $500,000 being spent per cottage on stone fireplaces, beamed ceilings, four-poster beds, antiques and high-end contemporary furniture, oriental rugs, radiant-heated bathroom floors, private gardens or decks with hot tubs, plasma TVs and high-speed Internet; there’s also a hilltop pool and a fitness center. Room-service breakfast is included in the room rate, and the Stonehouse Restaurant is open for dinner. $$$$
SAN YSIDRO RANCH
900 San Ysidro Lane, Montecito
tel 805 969 5046
http://www.sanysidroranch.com

PACIFICA SUITES
If you need room to spread out, this newly renovated, all-suite property is in a park-like setting adjacent to the historic Sexton House (which also hosts small conferences) and close to the Santa Barbara Airport. It’s also near the freeway feeder road, so it’s wise to request a room on the south side or facing the inner courtyard. Each of the 87 suites has a separate bedroom; a living room with a comfortable sofa bed; a kitchen area with microwave, coffeemaker and refrigerator; two TVs, DVD and stereo; free high-speed Internet and a good-size desk; and a balcony or patio. The large pool has a pretty setting, but the most praiseworthy amenity may be the complimentary breakfast, which is cooked to order. $$$$
PACIFICA SUITES
5490 Hollister Ave.
tel 805 683 6722
http://www.pacificasuites.com

MARINA BEACH MOTEL

Just steps from West Beach, this fully modern, child- and pet-friendly property has the feeling of the motor courts of yesteryear, with considerably more charm than a typical motel. Some guestrooms have full kitchens and tiny baths; others have just a coffeemaker but large baths, some with Jacuzzis. A better-than-standard continental breakfast is served in the spacious new lobby. There’s no pool, but given its near-the-beach location, an even nicer amenity is the unlimited use of bicycles at no extra charge. $$$
MARINA BEACH MOTEL
21 Bath St.
tel 805 963 9311
http://www.marinabeachmotel.com

DINING

BOUCHON

Since opening this intimate, French country restaurant on Bastille Day 1998, owner Mitchell Sverjen has maintained one philosophy: “as fresh and as local as possible.” Chef Josh Brown admirably fulfills that mission. Meat and poultry come from local micro-ranches, seafood is caught fresh and nearby, and the extensive wine list includes more than 40 Central Coast wines served by the glass. The menu varies substantially by season; so you may not encounter the wonderful wild mushroom tart, lobster pot pie, panroasted sea bass or honey-mustard-marinated local venison, but the alternatives (Pacific ahi tuna, perhaps, or braised pork shank with cornbread in an apple cider-pomegranate reduction) will be just as delectable. $$$
BOUCHON
9 W. Victoria St.
tel 805 730 1160
http://www.bouchon.net

SOJOURNER CAFÉ

The “Soj,” as locals call it,was Santa Barbara’s original coffeehouse back in the 1970s. Today, it’s a natural-foods haven that supports local organic farmers. Standout dishes include seafood jambalaya, curry crispy trout with mango chutney, and halibut tacos as well as vegan fare such as African vegetable-ground nut stew or yam royale. Portions are ample and prettily presented, and the waitstaff is genuinely friendly.The Soj is definitely family-friendly; come in with kids, and crayons will appear in a flash. The pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and the chocolate banana pudding go over big with the younger generation, too. $$
SOJOURNER CAFÉ
134 E. Canon Perdido
tel 805 965 7922
http://www.sojournercafe.com

ZIA CAFÈ

Zia is a comfortable, family-friendly Southwestern/Mexican restaurant that wouldn’t be out of place in New Mexico or Texas, either visually or gastronomically. New Mexico cuisine is the driving force behind the menu, which uses green designer chiles from Hatch, N.M., more cilantro and less cumin than Mexican food, potatoes as much as rice and lots of blue corn products. The peppers in the chile rellenos are noticeably fresh, and the sopapillas are perfectly puffy. Along with meat versions of the latter, a specialty is a honeyed dessert sopapilla that’s a particular favorite with children. Terrific margaritas, too. $
ZIA CAFÈ
532 State St.
tel 805 962 5391

INFO TO GO

Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) has scheduled service from cities throughout the West on six airlines, including a short hop (40 minutes) from Los Angeles (LAX).The airport is actually in Goleta, just north of the city. To cover the nine miles to downtown Santa Barbara, options include the SuperRide shuttle ($25; tel 800 977 1123); the city bus, which stops directly across from the air terminal ($1.25; http://www.ssbmtd.com); taxis ($20 to $30); and rental cars. Without stops, it’s about a 15-minute ride to the downtown waterfront.

Although most tourists arrive by car, Santa Barbara is also served by Amtrak and by the Santa Barbara Airbus (http://www.santabarbaraairbus.com) from LAX, which takes two hours and 15 minutes and costs $42 (with discounts for multiple tickets). And the Santa Barbara Car-Free Project (http://www.santabarbaracarfree.org) offers incentives for those who arrive by anything other than a private vehicle: a discount package with savings up to 50 percent at 20 hotels, six restaurants and 15 activities and transportation alternatives.

Options for getting around include municipal buses and electric “shopper shuttles” that start at 25 cents. Taxis are fairly expensive; along the waterfront, there are also “rickshaw taxis” (http://www.sbpedicab.com). Highway 101 is the only main road into and out of town, and while there’s not a lot of rush-hour congestion, it can back up on weekends, especially Sundays.