PH Travels: Santa Barbara itinerary

Join Preservation Houston in September 2026 for an immersive journey to Santa Barbara, California, a city where architecture, landscape and culture are in constant conversation. This draft itinerary offers a preview of the experiences we’re shaping for the trip. Details will be confirmed as planning continues, and this page will be updated as the schedule takes final form. Travelers who register for the Santa Barbara trip will receive complete itinerary information as it becomes available.

Day 1: Arrival and welcome

Wednesday, September 16 — Arrive in Santa Barbara and settle in at Hotel Californian, our home base near the waterfront and the historic heart of the city. In the late afternoon, we’ll gather for a private, chartered sunset cruise along the Santa Barbara coast — a relaxed introduction to the setting and to one another. The evening will continue with a hosted group dinner in the city, easing us into the rhythm of the days ahead.

Day 2: The city takes shape

Thursday, September 17 — Our first full day centers on Santa Barbara itself: its origins, its reinvention and the architectural language that defines it today. We’ll explore downtown on foot, tracing the city’s development through civic spaces, cultural institutions and carefully preserved landmarks. Along the way, we’ll look closely at how Spanish Colonial Revival architecture emerged as both an aesthetic and a planning framework following the 1925 earthquake. The afternoon includes visits to local landmarks and conversation with a designer whose work continues to shape the city’s built environment. The day concludes with a private dinner in an intimate setting.

Day 3: Hearst Castle and the California imagination

Friday, September 18 — Today takes us north along the coast to Hearst Castle, one of California’s most ambitious architectural projects and a singular collaboration between publisher William Randolph Hearst and pioneering architect Julia Morgan. We’ll explore the estate through curated tours that examine both its grand public rooms and Morgan’s architectural legacy, with lunch on the grounds. As we return to Santa Barbara, we’ll stop for an exclusive reception and tasting at a Santa Rita Hills winery, offering time to relax, reflect and enjoy the landscape before an evening on your own back in the city.

Day 4: Montecito estates

Saturday, September 19 — Our final full travel day takes us to Montecito, where architecture, gardens and landscape design come together in remarkable private settings. We’ll visit significant estates that reveal how these places were designed, lived in and thoughtfully stewarded over time. After lunch in Montecito, the afternoon allows for a final round of site visits and unstructured time to enjoy the surroundings. That evening, we’ll gather for a special farewell dinner in Santa Barbara, bringing our time together to a close with good conversation and shared perspective.

Day 5: A relaxed farewell

Sunday, September 20 — Depending on your travel schedule, enjoy free time to explore Santa Barbara at your own pace — a morning walk along the waterfront, a return visit to a favorite neighborhood or a quiet hour with coffee and the sea. You may also enjoy an informal meal with fellow travelers before departures, a low-key way to close the trip and trade final reflections.