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Santa Barbara to San Pedro?


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Right now (10:50pm) it'll take 2 hours. 101-405-110

There's no real easy way, rush hour can add time, so can accidents and construction. Weekends can be just as bad as weekdays.

I'd stay in San Pedro or Long Beach the night before the cruise. Long Beach Aquarium is wonderful aquariumofpacific.org.

 

 

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How long should it take by car to get from SB to SP and what is the best way to get around LA?

 

Santa Barbara to San Pedro is approximately 115 miles, give or take depending on where in Santa Barbara you are. Theoretically, it takes about two hours...if there's no traffic--which generally means about 2:00 to 4:00 in the morning on a non-holiday weekend. Most times, expect a little traffic...especially around Montecito/Carpinteria and again along the 405 between the 101 and LAX. If you are driving it on a workday morning or on a Friday or Sunday evening, expect closer to three hours plus...IOW, don't leave Santa Barbara at noon the day you embark your ship.

 

Now, based on your prior thread, I am not sure what you mean by "best way to get around LA"???

 

If you mean "getting around LA" as in "traveling from place to place within LA", then, the easy answer is "rental car with GPS". Public transportation is not well suited for tourists...it takes a long time and is complicated. Taxis are expensive. Even Uber can be costly due to long distances.

 

If you meant "get around LA" as in somehow circumventing the city...as in some sort of outer loop that circles around without going through it...well, that doesn't exist. In terms of land area, LA is massive...it covers the region from the coast to the mountains...then, across those mountains to the next range of mountains and, then, across those to the next range of mountains. To get from Santa Barbara to San Pedro, you have, basically, only two choices. You are going down the coast on the 101 to, at least, Oxnard...there, you have the option of continuing on the 101 to the 405 south...or, switching to the 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) and taking the scenic route along the coast through Malibu to Santa Monica--where you'll cut through the McClure Tunnel to the 10 East to the 405 south...then, either way, you are turning onto the 110 South to the port (exit Harbor Blvd)...

 

Any other route puts you on a lot of surface streets or takes you through the heart of Downtown Los Angeles...

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Bruin Steve has given you as clear and correct info as you can find for this route. Depending on time of day and day of week be prepared for 3 hours easily. I drove this route literally dozens of times during the years I was in Grad school at UCLA and my not yet DW lived with her family in SB. While 1 might be prettier taking the 101 to the 405 will be more direct and freeway all the way. You will hit some junctions which may tax your patience if you have not experienced the volume of traffic that LA can generate

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I was asking about getting around the traffic of LA - I have visions of bumper to bumper for hours on the highway. I'm used to cities that have a beltway

 

I am assuming you have never been to LA or, at least, have never paid attention to it's layout...

LA is geographically different than just about any other major city in the US or in the world...

 

Most cities are laid out like a wagon wheel--a central downtown with the city spread out in all directions toward suburbs...Freeways then, either go from one direction or another toward downtown...or in a circle around downtown at various distances from the center. The center of the city was usually an historic transportation point--like a harbor, from the days when ships were the most important means of international commerce.

 

NOT LA. LA is often described by locals as "100 small cities run together". Historically, "Downtown" LA was NOT located based on any transportation or commerce related issue. It was based on two things--First, the location of Native populations--which dictated where the Franciscans placed their Missions...and, second, the location of a drinkable water source. Or, in reality, both reasons are really the same. The native population, pre-European invasion, were not concentrated at the coast, but rather along the foothills of the taller mountains...because the coast had no easy drinking water sources and little rainfall, but the mountain foothills would be where one would find drinkable springs emerging from melting snow or from water funneling through the mountains from a wider land area. So, the Franciscans built Missions at San Gabriel and at San Fernando--both well inland. But, they didn't consider either of these missions important enough for their own "Presidio" (fort) with military support...so they built one Presidio, approximately halfway between the two missions--and with a ready water source--The Los Angeles River (not really navigable, but valued for its water supply). Thus was founded "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora, la Reina de los Angeles de Porcuncula"--which grew into Downtown Los Angeles. The Spanish then divided up the remainder of the area into very large "Land Grants" which were given out to favored citizens...and each was eventually subdivided and sold off--at fairly irregular times depending on when the families needed the money. So, over the last 250 years or so, various other "cities" or towns sprung up on most of these land grants, each with a character of their own. Some were developed as port cities--like San Pedro or Long Beach...Some were developed as resorts...Many were initially farming communities. Some merely acres and acres of housing supply to accommodate the exploding population. Over the decades, most of these just sort of ran together.

 

Based on water rights ownership and political issues, many ended up being annexed into the powerful City of Los Angeles, many others--even some surrounded on all four sides by the growing Los Angeles, remained independent. Many of these cities have functional "Downtowns" that rival most other cities across the country with very tall buildings and a large base of business. So, aside from Downtown Los Angeles, we have several areas that are large employment centers. Beverly Hills, Century City, Westwood and Santa Monica--stretching along the Western side of the city all have concentrations of large buildings...So do as widespread places such as Warner Center (Woodland Hills), Newport Beach, Glendale, Pasadena, Long Beach and others. And people don't logically live near where they work...They live where they want to...or can afford to...and work where they find a job. So, you often have people living in Orange County commuting to the West Side and people on the West Side commuting to Pasadena and people living in the San Fernando Valley commuting to the South Bay (South of LAX). It all defies logic in a way.

 

But, it causes the traffic patterns to be rather strange. Unlike most other cities where traffic goes toward Downtown in the mornings and away from Downtown in the evenings, in LA, it goes in all directions. Locals all know where the worst spots are and the worst times...and we all have our alternate routes in mind--though, for some of us, there are no practical alternate routes.

 

Complicating things is the virtual lack of public transportation. Los Angeles once had the most comprehensive fixed rail system in the world--the Pacific Electric or "Big Red Car". But, in the early 50s, it was pretty much dismantled and out of business (As I heard the story, the end of the Big Red Car was engineered by a consortium made up of Union Oil, General Motors and Goodyear Tire and a few others--who had an interest in moving everyone into gas powered cars). In any event, getting back into the Mass Transit business has been a long and difficult process in LA...and the current system still doesn't really service a lot of areas...and it isn't really widely used as it is in other cities.

 

Okay, now lay over this matrix the actual physical geography of Los Angeles. Unlike a lot of Eastern Cities, it is NOT on a wide flat plain...You simply cannot just build another "belt" freeway a greater distance out. The city includes a coastal plain between the harbor area to the South, the West Side Communities and South Bay communities on the Western edge at the Pacific and Downtown Los Angeles inland...But, remember, along the Northern edge of this coastal plain is the Santa Monica Mountains--which pretty much bisect the city running East to West from near Downtown (Hollywood/Griffifth Park) all the way to Ventura County, hugging the coast along Malibu...North of that is the fairly large San Fernando Valley, then, another even higher mountain range, then the Santa Clarita Valley, then More Mountains, then the "High Desert" suburbs like Lancaster and Palmdale. Further West, you go through hills and the Santa Monicas into the Conejo Valley, the Simi Valley and more before spreading out to Ventura and Oxnard before again narrowing for the next range of coastal mountains before widening out again to Santa Barbara.

 

This is why your routes are limited. Leaving Santa Barbara, you have no choice but to hug the coast on the 101...Everything else is rugged mountains for miles with no real passes through or around. When it widens out again at Ventura, you are either going around the Santa Monicas to the North on the 101 or you are taking the South side of the Santa Monicas on the 1 ("PCH"). There are no other possible routes through West to East as it is all rugged mountain terrain. From the 101 to the Coastal plain after that, you have very few choices. There are about half a dozen canyon roads a lot of locals take, but those are long and winding and will likely frustrate you more than freeway traffic...So, it's the 405 South through the Sepulveda Pass or else you are going all the way to the Cahuenga Pass (101) or Golden State Freeway (5), both of which put you through the most urban areas of Hollywood/Downtown LA. Taking PCH instead from Oxnard will put you across, but, as has been noted, it's not a freeway...it will take longer and with traffic signals. Once you are on the 405 South, the city spreads out and there are some alternate routes...but they are surface streets and will complicate things and add lots of traffic signals for long distances...Not worth leaving the Freeway.

 

The 405 does have some HOV or "Diamond" lanes...so, with 2 or more in your vehicle, you can use those--but they do not necessarily make the trip any faster when traffic is at its worst.

 

So, yes, it can be frustrating. But it is also why I would recommend that, when planning this out, you strongly consider getting to San Pedro the night before your cruise...Then you can relax embarkation morning...rather than worrying about traffic and logistics...

 

Good luck...

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Get the Waze smartphone app. Take the suggestions it makes for reroutes. Make sure you have a car charger for your phone as it eats batteries, but no other app, built-in or paid, will get you there sooner.

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You actually do have alternatives, but you have to check and see which routes are the best at the time you are leaving.

 

If the 101 through LA or the 405 is jammed up through LA (Santa Monica - LAX area) you can take the 126 Highway at Ventura up the 5 Freeway to the 210 Freeway and skirt the northern edge of LA and come down the Glendale Freeway (Highway 2) which becomes the 110 Freeway (Harbor Freeway) that goes straight to the port. See the map below.

 

Santa Barbara to San Pedro via 126

 

The route is 20 miles longer, but can actually be faster because of snags on the 405 (Sepulveda Pass, LAX and South Bay Curve).

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About four or so years ago, Saturday Night Live had a recurring skit called the Californians. At first, I hated it because I hated how the characters enunciated their words. But then I realized that whoever came up with the idea either grew up here or lived here for many years. When asked about a location, we do tend to start giving directions, especially in terms of the freeways. It's our way of sharing, but sharing good short cuts.

 

So when someone told you the 101 to the 405 to the 110, that is normally the best way to go, depending on when you leave SB. The last time we've gone through SB was in May 2016, leaving from Santa Cruz, and we actually did the 101 to the 123 to the 118, but we were going to the northern San Fernando Valley, and weren't on a time deadline.

 

You will most likely hit a lot of traffic, especially going through Ventura and then through the southern Valley, and over the hill. You might hit a jam if there's construction (the 405 has been getting a lot of work done over the past few years).

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It should take 2 hours. I would plan 12. Take the coast from Ventura to Santa Monica then the 10 and start praying.

 

The best way to get around L.A.? Helicopter.

 

There is also a subway, which nobody seems to know about. If you have a CCW or better than average martial arts skills, it's a viable option.

 

 

How long should it take by car to get from SB to SP and what is the best way to get around LA?

 

 

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My tentative schedule is all day Wednesday in San Fransisco and staying just south that night. Thursday night staying in Santa Barbara then Friday night ( cruise leaves on a Saturday ) stay in San Pedro.

 

SO -- when should I leave SB for SP?

 

 

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My tentative schedule is all day Wednesday in San Fransisco and staying just south that night. Thursday night staying in Santa Barbara then Friday night ( cruise leaves on a Saturday ) stay in San Pedro.

 

SO -- when should I leave SB for SP?

 

 

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I would have dinner in Santa Barbara and then drive down to San Pedro late. Even consider splitting the difference and staying somewhere between SB and San Pedro. Then get up in the AM an have a shorter jaunt into LA.

 

 

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I would have dinner in Santa Barbara and then drive down to San Pedro late.

 

Me too, but not too late. I'd have an early dinner in SB and leave around 8PM.

 

Or drive to Malibu or Santa Monica at 5PM using the Highway 1 route, eating dinner in one of those spots and then continuing down to San Pedro for the night.

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If you want to stop for dinner on your way from Santa Barbara to San Pedro (and I would recommend not staying in Santa Barbara until after dinner as you'd be making the unfamiliar drive late), I have a few suggestions:

 

If you opt to go all by freeway, using the 101 to the 405, you could stop in my town--Calabasas--at a fairly unique place--the Sagebrush Cantina:

 

http://sagebrushcantina.com/

 

Exit 101 at Mulholland/Valley Circle and make an immediate right and it's right there...Puts you about halfway on your drive. Food is reasonably priced, traditional California Mexican. Long time institution in the LA area...right off the freeway, so it's hard to get lost...Get a table outdoors on the patio...

 

If you opt for the 1--Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu, here are a couple of long-time landmarks:

 

Gladstone's (Where Sunset Boulevard hits PCH):

 

http://gladstones.com/

 

This is the original Gladstone's and the #1 highest grossing restaurant in California--so, be prepared to wait for a table... Right on the beach...

 

Duke's:

 

http://www.dukesmalibu.com/

 

This used to be the old "Malibu Sea Lion"...Many years ago, they had an incident during a storm tide when the waves came crashing right through the window...which gave rise to a skit on the old Johnny Carson Tonight Show where Carson and a woman were having dinner and someone kept dousing them with buckets of water... I laughed--having grown up in this area, I was well familiar with the restaurant and had eaten there often...being right on the beach was a major selling point...

 

If you are not in the market for expensive sea food--as you will eat well on the cruise--then you can keep driving to the 405 and go to Dinah's:

 

http://www.dinahsrestaurant.com/

 

...get off the 405 at Howard Hughes Parkway...turn right, then right on Sepulveda and the restaurant will be on your left...It's another local institution...been there forever (well, since 1959...but it looks like they haven't redecorated since 1959!). "Comfort food". I recommend the Fried Chicken dinner...

 

Or, if you got out of Santa Barbara early enough that you make it to San Pedro before you get hungry, my recommendation is the San Pedro Brewing Co.:

 

http://sanpedrobrewing.com/index.html

 

About a block from the Crowne Plaza...I recommend the Tri-Tip sandwich...Open late...

 

Good luck...

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It should take 2 hours. I would plan 12. Take the coast from Ventura to Santa Monica then the 10 and start praying.

 

 

 

The best way to get around L.A.? Helicopter.

 

 

 

There is also a subway, which nobody seems to know about. If you have a CCW or better than average martial arts skills, it's a viable option.

 

 

 

Public transportation is viable if sailing on Carnival in Long Beach. Done it many times from the I.E. and SFV. Only feasible choice to San Pedro is the freeways. Public transportation or Amtrak is a PITA. I can think of all sorts of convoluted ways to get from SB- SP. None simple or convenient.

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Bruin Steve -- thank you so much. This will be a fun trip to plan.

A have a national parks book and need to work the stops in to get my passport stamps. Can't travel across the country and not get my stamps

 

 

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Bruin Steve -- thank you so much. This will be a fun trip to plan.

A have a national parks book and need to work the stops in to get my passport stamps. Can't travel across the country and not get my stamps

 

I just looked it up and you can get stamped at a bunch of places in San Francisco and the Bay area, including Alcatraz and Muir Woods:

http://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=fed2e7da-b74a-4ef8-96cc-fe35e55ce624&lat=37.80625&lon=-122.423817&t=6

 

Also found these locations with stamps on or near your route--roughly from north to south:

Monterey, Museum of

Museum has stamp for the Point Sur First Order Lens which is on display. 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey, CA 93940; 831-372-2608. Website: www.museumofmonterey.org

 

Santa Cruz Abbot Memorial Lighthouse

Stamp is located a the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum located inside the lighthouse, 701 W. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz CA 95060; 831-420-6289. Website:http://www.santacruzsurfingmuseum.org

 

Santa Cruz Breakwater (Walton) Lighthouse

Lighthouse is not open to the public. Stamp is located at the Harbor Master's office, Santa Cruz Port District, 135 Fifth Avenue,

Santa Cruz, CA 95062; (831) 475-6161. Open every day 9 am - 5 pm. Website: http://www.santacruzharbor.org/harbormaster.html

 

Point Pinos Lighthouse (Monterey area)

Stamp at the lighthouse: 80 Asilomar Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950. Phone:(831) 648-3176. Visit website day & hours open, tours and FAQ.

There may be a second stamp - ask the docent to look to look in the back of the docent's drawer in the front room of the lighthouse. It is old, but it does depict the lighthouse. Website: www.pointpinoslighthouse.org

 

Point Sur Lighthouse (South of Monterey on Rte. 1)

Lighthouse stamp available during tours of the lighthouse. Also available is a stamp for the first order lens, which is housed at the Museum of Monterey. Check website for tour times. Website: http://www.pointsur.org

 

Piedras Blancas Light Station

Stamp located at Piedras Blancas Light Station Gift Shop, 15950 Cabrillo Hwy., San Simeon, CA 93452; 805-927-3761

Access by guided tours only. Check website for tour times, meeting place and FAQs. The light is visible from Highway 1. Mailing address: P.O. Box 127, San Simeon, CA 93452. Website: http://www.piedrasblancas.org

 

Point San Luis Lighthouse (South of San Luis Obispo)

Stamp is available in the gift shop at the lighthouse during tours. Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers, PO Box 308, Avila Beach, CA 93424; 855-533-7843. Website: http://pointsanluislighthouse.org/

 

​Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

Museum has stamp for the Point Conception First Order Lens, 113 Harbor Way, Suite 190, Santa Barbara, CA93109. 805-962-8404. Closed Wednesdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and first Friday in August. Website: www.sbmm.org

 

Point Hueneme Lighthouse (near Oxnard)

Stamp is only available at the lighthouse during tours which are conducted the first Saturday of each month 10-3. Check website in case there is a change. Website: http://www.ci.port-hueneme.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=928

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Apparently, you can get stamps at any of the following locations:

1. Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center, 26876 Mulholland Hwy, Calabasas, CA 91302 (really near my house, BTW…You’d turn off the 101 at Las Virgenes and head about a mile south to Mulholland)

2. Franklin Canyon Nature Center, 2600 Franklin Canyon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (a little off your direct route—deep into Metropolitan LA)

3. Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center, 4126 1/2 W Potrero Rd, Newbury Park, CA 91320 (Off the 101 on Wendy Dr. South to Lynn Road and right turn)

Point Vicente (Vincente) Lighthouse

1. At the lighthouse. Stamp is available at the site during tours the second Saturday of each month. 31550 Palos Verdes Drive, Los Angeles, CA. Tower access has been suspended during renovation. Access to the grounds is still available the second Saturday. When tours of the tower are resumed it will be posted here.

Website: http://www.palosverdes.com/pvlight

2. Point Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Dr W, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. (310) 377-5370. The Center is located next door to the lighthouse. They also have stamps for the Long Beach Harbor, LA Harbor & Point Fermin Lighthouses. Website: www.rpvca.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Point-Vicente-Interpretive-Center-13

 

Los Angeles Harbor (Angel's Gate) Lighthouse

1. Point Fermin Lighthouse, 807 Paseo Del Mar; San Pedro, CA 90731; (310) 241-0684 Website: www.pointferminlighthouse.org

2. Point Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Dr W, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. (310) 377-5370. They also have stamps for the Long Beach Harbor, Point Fermin & Point Vincente Lighthouses. Website: www.rpvca.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Point-Vicente-Interpretive-Center-13

Point Fermin Lighthouse

1. At the Lighthouse. Two different stamps are available at this location, 807 Paseo Del Mar; San Pedro, CA 90731; (310) 241-0684

Closed Monday. They also have a stamp for the LA Harbor (Angels Gate) Lighthouse. Website: www.pointferminlighthouse.org

2. Point Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Dr W, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. (310) 377-5370. The Center is located next door to the lighthouse. Website: www.palosverdes.com/rpv

 

Long Beach Harbor (Robot) Lighthouse

Stamp is available at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center. 31501 Palos Verdes Dr W, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. (310) 377-5370. They also have stamps for the Angel's Gate,Point Fermin & Point Vincente Lighthouses. Website: www.rpvca.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Point-Vicente-Interpretive-Center-13

 

You might want to check ahead with any of these and see if they'll be open and available when you are passing through.

 

The major National Parks of California are mostly inland and take a long time to get to...

Yosemite, King's Canyon, Sequoia, Death Valley and Joshua Tree...Redwoods and Lassen are in the extreme Northern end of the State...You will go right by Channel Islands...but you need a boat and the greater part of the day to get there.

 

Now, if you had more days, I'd really recommend visiting Yosemite--it is incredible...really nothing else like it anywhere.

 

Good luck...and have fun planning...

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I know it's most likely in here somewhere but where do you stop to see the sea lions?

 

First, know they can be somewhat seasonal...there are times during the year when they head off to breeding grounds somewhere. But, for the most part, along your route, here are a few good places:

 

San Francisco: Used to be a lot of them at Fisherman's Wharf. I'd usually see them hanging out near the boats next to Tarantino's and Alioti's Restaurants... But, I've heard the numbers have been decreasing of late. Another famous spot is the "Cliff House"...near the Western end of Geary Blvd./Point Lobos Avenue. It's on a point at the Pacific Ocean with a large group of rocks out in the water called "Seal Rocks"...[/size]

 

Año Nuevo State Park (Elephant Seals): Located near Pescadero, about 45 minutes north of Santa Cruz and an hour and a half south of San Francisco. It is a "protected zone", only accessible by guided tours scheduled from December 15 through March 31. Tours last two and a half hours and tickets are $7 pp. Tickets sell out fast. Tours go onto the beach where the Elephant Seals mate.

 

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=27613

 

Point Lobos State Reserve: Just south of Carmel and Monterey. Sea Lions and Harbor seals.

 

Channel Islands National Park: Problem is you'd have to take a good portion of a day getting a boat tour out of Ventura to visit them.

 

King Harbor, Redondo Beach (almost to San Pedro!): A LARGE number of Sea Lions. But, they have no installed what they call a "feeding barge" a little bit out to sea--to help draw them away from the yacht harbor...so, now you may have to grab a kayak. See this link:

 

http://www.fastkayak.com/redondo.html

 

Good luck.

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What itin are you doing? You can see the sea lions at several ports.

 

In Cabo there's one bull that rides in the backs of the Pangas begging fish. Also, several swimming around the docked Pangas and larger boats.

Around Catalina there's a huge colony. Sometimes they'll escort the tenders in.

Ensenada has a small colony lounging at the furthest pier.

 

 

 

 

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What itin are you doing? You can see the sea lions at several ports.

 

In Cabo there's one bull that rides in the backs of the Pangas begging fish. Also, several swimming around the docked Pangas and larger boats.

Around Catalina there's a huge colony. Sometimes they'll escort the tenders in.

Ensenada has a small colony lounging at the furthest pier.

 

 

 

 

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8 day Star itinerary

 

 

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I know it's most likely in here somewhere but where do you stop to see the sea lions?

 

 

I forget where you were starting from, meaning I don't remember if you were driving down from SF and SB was your last stop or if you were not going to be any further north than SB.

 

When people talk about seals/sea lions, etc, the most recommended place is the Elephant Seal Rookery. But that is near Hearst Castle, 2 hours north of SB. Other than that it can be a matter of luck seeing them along the coast and in the harbors.

 

If you dine in Santa Barbara and don't leave until 8PM or later, you will be driving on Freeways the entire time until you get about 1,000 yards from the cruise port. It isn't like you are on country back roads and you are going to get lost.

 

The restaurants in Santa Barbara far outstrip some of the tourist traps recommended in other threads. Personally I'd usually rather have great food in a great restaurant than mediocre food in a restaurant in a great setting. I do like some of the restaurants in Malibu and Nobu is a favorite, but others are so atrociously bad it boggles the mind they exist still, but they exist because of an unending stream of visitors who will never be back.

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Lots of places to see both seals and sea lions along the CA coast. There is a great viewing area in Point Lobos (just south of Monterey) and then again near Cambria along the southern part of the 101 through Big Sur (but you cannot drive from Monterey to Cambria now...and likely not for at least another year due to huge mud slides). In San Francisco and Monterey you can see them from most piers in the Bay as well...in fact sea lions are considered a pest in both these areas. Further south, there is good seal viewing in La Jolla (but it doesn't sound like you are going that far south). Watch the big buoys as your ship heads out of the Los Angeles harbor and you will most likely see a lot of sea lions.

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