Santa Barbara
 

I am at the beginning stages of planning a California trip. We think we might flight into LA and take the train to the Hearst Castle, stopping in Santa Barbara for a few days. Do you need a car in Santa Barbara? Is it a pedestrian friendly area? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Also, should we spend more time in Santa Barbara or in San Luis Obispo/Cambria. Which area has more to do? Thanks again.

You won't need a car unless you want to get out of the town a bit. A bus or taxi will work well for accessing most of the city.
The Santa Barbara Visitors Center will give you a lot more information:
http://www.santabarbara.com/community/visitors_center/

I think there's more to do in Santa Barbara than in San Luis Obispo, but it depends on what you like to do.

SB is pedestrian friendly if you stay downtown or on the beach. You can use the city bus and trolley to get around, too. You can also rent bicycles. I live half way between SB and San Luis Obispo and both have plenty to do. SLO has a cute downtown area but for other things to do, you'd need a car. If it was my pick, I'd choose SB. By the way, the train ride is nice. I've done it several times.

I'm so glad SB is walkable. I've been looking at the map and trying to determine where the majority of the winery are located (closer to SB or SLO)? Maybe we'll take the train to SB and then rent a car for the trip to Hearst. We have plenty of time, so a relaxing car ride, stopping in different towns, might be our best bet.?

Rocky--The train station in LA is in downtown so if you fly, you'll have to get to the train. Amtrak is notoriously late. The portion of the train that is on the coast is only from just north of Oxnard through Ventura into SB. If you do decide to take the train, be sure it's a train and not a bus (would be listed on Amtrak site as a bus). The train does not go to Hearst Castle, you'd have to either get off in Santa Barbara or SLO and then get from there to the castle.

There is a regular shuttle bus now from LAX to the LA Amtrak station. It is hourly during the day, every 2 hours at night.

The SB train station is in the downtown area, and there is a tourist shuttle bus that goes around town.

You can take the Amtrak bus or train to SLO, or rent a car and drive up. There are several trains that go from LA/SD to SB or SLO and they are usually reasonably on time. It's the Coast Starlight that's ALWAYS late.

You'll need a car to drive up the coast and visit Cambria or go to the Hearst Castle. If you rent one in SLO, you'll have a hard time getting to the airport where most of the car rental places are.

I think you'd be better off just renting a car in SB or LAX for your entire trip. By the time you pay for all the shuttles and wait for them to show up you may wish you had.

Have you checked out the possibility of flying from LAX to SB?

I think not having a car in California really limits what you can see. I sympathize with your desire not to fight the LA traffic, but just getting from LAX to Union Station is going to be a major, time consuming project.

Another thing you might think about is flying to LAX, renting a car, and spending your first night in Malibu. (Casa Malibu Inn). Then make your way up the coast the next day.

Thanks for all the suggestions. My husband loves trains, so I'm resigned to the trip up to SB

Getting from LAX to Union Station is a breeze, thanks to the new Union Station Flyaway bus service, check the LAX website for information:

http://www.lawa.org/flyAwayInfo2.cfm

According to the site, the busses leave on the 1/2 hour and hour during the day, and hourly at night.

I don't think fall06 is speaking from personal experience on the Flyaway, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Getting to SB on the train is easy. It leaves 0730, 0905, 1015, 1230, 1455, 1900 from LA.
Here's the link for the LAX to Union station bus. It goes every 30 min. now.
www.lawa.org/flyAwayInfo2.cfm

Enjoy your trip!