Family vacations with teens can be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone involved, but finding ways to keep them engaged and away from their cell phones can be a bit of a challenge. Santa Barbara, on California’s Pacific Coast, can be an ideal destination for families. With its nearly perfect weather, beautiful scenery and laid-back lifestyle, Santa Barbara has plenty of ways for everyone to have fun.
Check out some of these great ideas for family-friendly activities during your trip that will keep your teens active and entertained.
Get Your Climb On
Visit the Santa Barbara Rock Gym for some indoor or outdoor rock climbing so they can enjoy an afternoon learning something new. The gym has instructional programs for all age groups to teach the basics of rock climbing safety or teens can simply purchase a day pass for $15 with a student ID ($17 for adults). Equipment is available on site for a small rental fee, so there’s no need to worry about bringing anything more than comfortable clothes, good shoes and a positive attitude.
Hit the Beach
Santa Barbara is well-known for its beautiful beaches and surf culture. Set your teen up with surf lessons on your next visit to give them a chance to explore the beach life firsthand. Santa Barbara Surf School offers private and group sessions for surfing and standing paddle-board instruction. Lessons last 1.5 hours and are offered four times throughout the day. Prices start at $95 per person per lesson and include board and wetsuit rental.
Surfing Santa Barbara. Photo: Michelle Arconti | Dreamstime.com
Spend Some Time With the Wildlife
The Santa Barbara Zoo is located right next to the beach and offers fun for the whole family, including hard-to-please teenagers. One of the best small zoos in the country, this zoo doesn’t take all day to tour, leaving you with plenty of time to do other things — an invaluable benefit when traveling with teenagers. The zoo is home to more than 500 creatures ranging from insects to elephants and practically everything in between.
Explore the Local Marine Life
Head out to sea to explore the city from a different perspective. The Paddle Sports Center offers a Santa Barbara Wildlife and History Kayaking Tour that gives you a guided tour of the coastline with opportunities to see local marine life such as sea lions, dolphins, egrets and herons. Tours last approximately two hours and are offered three times a day. The cost is $60 per person or $57 per person for groups of four or more.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedCaribbean
Sep 21, 2026Sonesta Sint Maarten’s Newest Deal is Perfect Excuse for Fall Getaway
Autumn at home might be filled with changing leaves and pumpkin spice, but, in the Caribbean, it means sunshine and sandy beaches. In other words, it’s a great place to sneak off for a fall getaway to recharge and refresh before the holidays are upon us, and the current deal offered at Sonesta Sint Maarten resorts make it an affordable option for families and couples.
Sponsored Content
GET TO KNOW TAP FORBIZ
Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal’s program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business.
Destinations / North America
Sep 21, 2026East Broad Top Railroad’s Take the Train to School Day Returns Sept. 25
For most students, going to school usually involves a car or school bus. But, this Friday, Sept. 25, students in Pennsylvania’s Southern Huntingdon County can travel via another option: steam train. East Broad Top Railroad once again partners with Southern Huntingdon County School District for Take the Train to School Day, giving local students the opportunity to travel to school aboard a railroad that has been part of their community for more than 150 years.
Destinations / Europe
Sep 18, 2026Save with Family English Heritage Membership When Traveling in United Kingdom
Whatever region of England your family travels include, you’re almost sure to visit at least one of these landmark sites: Stonehenge, Dover Castle, the ruins of King Arthur’s Tintagel Castle, Roman forts along Hadrian’s Wall an,d beyond. But even with special family rates, visiting these can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Hotels
Sep 18, 2026“MasterChef” Experience Coming to Dreams Resorts & Spas in Mexico, Caribbean
Beyond resort pools and beaches, family travelers (especially little ones) crave immersive and learning experiences. One brand, Hyatt’s Dreams Resorts & Spas, leans into this shift with an expanded collaboration with MasterChef Junior.
ShareThis