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What's the surrounding area like?

You'll feel like you're listening to music in a far away wood at the Santa Barbara Bowl, as the immediate surroundings are lush growth. But don't worry. When you're ready to head back to civilization, you're only a 6-minute drive away from downtown Santa Barbara. This pretty much makes the Santa Barbara Bowl the perfect venue: the illusion of seclusion, right near the city's shops and restaurants.

How can I spend the day in Santa Barbara before heading to a concert?

Santa Barbara Museum of Art

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art may be relatively small, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in diversity and quality. Featuring American, European and Asian sculptures, paintings and more, you'll find a little bit of something to suit everyone as you peruse these well-curated walls. Around 20 minutes from the venue on foot.

State Street

After you're done at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, you'll step onto the most famous street in the city: State Street. Here you'll find more than 300 shops to browse, and a wealth of world-class restaurants in which to dine. Sounds like, "shop away, eat up" is the order of the day.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

You'll find over 1,000 different taxa of native California plants at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, as well as birds galore and even a lizard or two. There are dedicated gardens to show off these different kinds of plants, all with the mountains sitting peacefully in the background. Explore from the meadow to the desert, the redwoods to the tea garden as you relax in this idyllic setting just north of downtown Santa Barbara. You'll want to drive from here to the venue, which takes around 12 minutes.

Santa Barbara Zoo

Featuring all the classic zoo animals as well as a rock climbing wall, the Santa Barbara Zoo is a must for all animal lovers. Say hello to the anteaters, or stop by the animal kitchen to watch daily meals prepared. 30 minutes from the venue by public transportation, or 10 by car.

Where are the best places to eat and drink near Santa Barbara Bowl?

Los Agaves

Just a short bus or car ride, or 15-minute walk away, Los Agaves is convenient to Santa Barbara Bowl hotels, as well as to the Bowl itself. Reviewers rave about the split Mexican-Honduran menu, which offers everything from tamales to homemade flan. Eat up on your way to or from the Santa Barbara Bowl.

The Palace Grill

Put a little kick in your step at the Palace Grill, which features a Cajun menu to get your taste buds roaring. Dig into gumbo or into some Cajun crawfish popcorn while sipping on the World Famous Palace Cajun Martini. You'll find you're soon in a dancing mood. 10 minutes from the venue by car.

Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.

Relax either before or after the show at the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. This fresh-faced taproom has a barrel system in full operation. You'll taste classic standards and creative new recipes on its long and diverse menu.

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What's the best way to get to Santa Barbara Bowl?

To green your commute, the Santa Barbara Bowl encourages fans to use the Zimride ride sharing service or to bike to the venue. For the latter, they provide complimentary bike valet. You can find out more about both of these services at the Santa Barbara Bowl website.  Buses also stop just around the block from the venue, though whether or not this will be a convenient route for you depends on where you're coming from. Check out the Santa Barbara MTD site to map out your route.

Is there any parking?

Parking is available at nearby Santa Barbara High School for $15. Due to the historic build of the venue, you'll want to plan on arriving a good hour and a half before the start of the concert to give yourself plenty of time to get parked and settled.

What kind of food and drink can visitors expect?

Unlike most venues, which have their concessions run by conglomerate food companies, the Santa Barbara Bowl works with local restaurants to cater their food for all events. Concessions consist of an Entrée Booth, a Snack & Coffee Booth, and a Beer and Wine Booth on the Lower Plaza, as well as a beer, wine, and snack cart on the Scranton Overlook behind sections A, B, and C.

So, what's on the menu? Beer bratwurst, Frito bowls, salads, pizza, banhi mi, burritos, nachos, and of course, warm pretzels. Draft and canned beer is on offer, as is wine sourced from local wineries. Drink up!

Any other important information visitors should know?

You knew that the Santa Barbara Bowl was a venue, but you'll also discover it's as good as a gym as you make your way up the steep hill to the venue - thus why the organizers recommend leaving a good chunk of time to get there. The huffing and puffing will be well worth it not just for the concert itself but also for the breathtaking ocean views from the upper hangout deck.