Boating town guide
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, CA
Overview
Santa Barbara is a boating town built around one harbor and one wharf. The City's Waterfront Department manages the harbor and Stearns Wharf, about 252 acres of tidelands and submerged lands. State records list roughly 1,133 slips and 45 moorings, and the harbor is home to a commercial fishing fleet, charter and whale-watch boats, sailing schools and the Santa Barbara Yacht Club.
The harbor and the wharf
The harbor sits behind a breakwater completed in 1930. Stearns Wharf, built in 1872, is just to the east, and the Lil' Toot water taxi links the two. Next to the wharf is an open anchorage off East Beach, which the City is partly converting to paid moorings. Visiting boats can use first-come, first-served visitor slips at the Harbor Patrol Accommodation Dock.
On the water
The Santa Barbara Channel is the draw. Whale-watch boats run year-round, with gray whales from late fall to early spring and humpback and blue whales from late spring to early fall. Sea Landing, Condor Express and other operators run sportfishing, diving, sailing and Channel Islands trips. The islands of Channel Islands National Park lie about 22 miles offshore. Kayaking and paddling around the harbor are popular too.
Boating quirks
Sand is the local challenge. The entrance channel shoals, especially after storms, and the City depends on regular dredging with federal funding to keep it open. Call Harbor Patrol on VHF 16 or 12 for current conditions. The harbor limit is 5 mph, no wake. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, on the harbor, tells the story of the channel.
Getting there & access
By water
The harbor entrance is behind the breakwater, west of Stearns Wharf. Sand can shoal the channel, so check conditions with Harbor Patrol on VHF 16 or 12 and keep to the channel centre.
Visiting boats
Visitor slips are first-come, first-served at the Harbor Patrol Accommodation Dock. There is also an open anchorage east of Stearns Wharf, currently being converted in part to paid moorings.
Trailer boats
The public launch ramp is on the harbor's north shoreline at Cabrillo Boulevard and Castillo Street, with pay parking including trailer stalls.
By land
The waterfront is at the foot of State Street on Cabrillo Boulevard, with pay parking run by the City's Waterfront Parking Services.
Amenities
- Santa Barbara Harbor — Slips, moorings, fuel dock, pump-outs, haul-out and boatyard
- Stearns Wharf — Restaurants, shops, the Sea Center and designated fishing areas
- Open anchorage — East of Stearns Wharf off East Beach
- Public launch ramp — Cabrillo Boulevard at Castillo Street
- Whale watching and charters — Condor Express, sailing and other operators from the harbor
- Sea Landing — Sportfishing, diving and Channel Islands trips since 1974
- Santa Barbara Maritime Museum — On the harbor
- Lil' Toot water taxi — Connects the harbor and Stearns Wharf
Rules & official resources
- 5 mph maximum speed and no wake in the harbor
- Visitor slips are first-come, first-served; the base rate covers 14 cumulative days
- Anchoring is year-round only in designated zones; the seasonal anchorage is April through October
- Fishing from Stearns Wharf is allowed only in designated fishing areas
- Harbor Patrol, (805) 564-5530, handles emergencies on the water
- California Boater Card required for all operators of motorized vessels, regardless of age, since January 1, 2025
Common boat service needs here
Hull cleaning
Boats kept in slips or on moorings need regular diver cleaning to stay clear of growth.
Find Bottom Cleaning, Hull Cleaning & Dive Services providers →Engine and cooling service
Charter, fishing and Channel crossings put hours on engines, so regular service is a core local need.
Find Marine Mechanics & Engine Service providers →Canvas and upholstery
Year-round sun and salt wear on covers, biminis and cushions.
Find Canvas, Covers & Upholstery providers →Inspections and surveys
Boats on the City's new moorings must be inspected and insured, and survey-style inspections also matter when buying a boat.
Find Marine Surveyors & Inspections providers →Detailing
Salt spray and sun make regular washing and waxing a routine job.
Find Boat Detailing & Washing providers →Guides & FAQs
Nearby providers
No providers listed near this location yet — check back soon.