ATTRACTIONS

Stearns Wharf

219 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 Phone: (805) 564-5530

Take a short stroll out over the Pacific Ocean and savor the sensory experiences of California's oldest working wharf. Enjoy the fresh ocean breeze while watching local fishing boats off-load their morning catches. Touch marine life in a special aquarium. Taste wines and indulge in cuisines from fastfood to fanciful. Delight in a wealth of colorful shopping amidst commanding, panoramic views of the mountains and the coastline.

About Stearns Wharf

In 1872 construction was completed on what had just become the longest deep-water pier between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Named for its builder, local lumberman John P. Stearns, the wharf served the passenger and freight shipping needs of California's South Coast for over a quarter century.

When the railroad finally reached Santa Barbara in 1877, Stearns added an additional spur to the wharf, providing a necessary transport link to his lumberyard and the nearby Southern Pacific Depot. The spur was damaged by severe storms in the early 1900's and was ultimately abandoned in 1923. A raiload logging car remains on the spur as a legacy of the times.

The Harbor Restaurant was built on the wharf in 1941, marking an end to the shipping and transportation era of the 1800's. The restaurant proved to be the economic backbone of the wharf.

Since its beginning, Stearns Wharf has had its share of natural and economic disasters, from the big earthquake in 1925 to a fire in 1973 which caused its closing. The wharf stayed closed for six years until restorations began, and in the fall of 1981 it finally reopened. Yet another fire in the winter of 1998 devastated the last hundred and fifty feet of the wharf, including Moby Dick Restaurant. Though the rest of the wharf remained open during this period, the rebuilding took over two years. The new Stearns Wharf stands today as Santa Barbara's most visited landmark.

Merchants

Celebration Cruises

219-G Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(888) 316-9363

Char West
Fish and Chips

221 Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-5631

Coastal Treasures

217-E Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-7643

Deep Sea Tasting Room

217-G Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 618-1185

Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

219-C Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-0715

The Great Pacific
Ice Cream Company

219-A Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-0108

Harbor Restaurant

210 Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 963-3311

Longboards Grill

210 Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-963-3311

Madame Rosinka

221-B Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 967-9116

Moby Dick Restaurant

220 Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-0549

Mother Stearns Candy Company

219-B Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-6010

Natures Own Gallery

217-C Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-4040

Old Wharf Trading Company

217-A Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-4118

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company

230-A Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-6676

Santa Barbara Water Taxi

217-G Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(888) 316-9363

Stearns Wharf Bait & Tackle

230-B Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-1333

Topside Resort Wear

(Merged with Old Wharf Trading Company)

Ty Warner Sea Center

211 Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-2526

Directions and Parking

Easy access to the wharf from Highway 101.

Free parking in the 90 minute areas are available in several lots along the waterfront on Cabrillo Blvd as well as merchant validation on the wharf itself.

View the Stearns Wharf parking lot diagram

Parking Fees on Stearns Wharf:
Single vehicle 20-feet and under: $2.50 per hour or part thereof, $20 maximum per day First 90-minutes Free only with a merchant validation stamped on the back of the parking ticket on exit. Vehicles exiting without validation must pay regular hourly parking rates.
ADA (DISABLED) PARKING FIRST 2 1/2 HOURS: FREE WITH MERCHANT VALIDATION

Each additional hour or part of an hour: $2.50 Valet parking is available courtesy of the Harbor Restaurant.

Exceptions are during special events such as the 4th of July when access to the wharf is limited to pedestrians only .