Top 10 Things to do in Montecito, United States

Lotusland is considered to be one of the top 10 botanic gardens in the world. Situated in the foothills of Santa Barbara, California, this 37 acre botanical wonderland is home to more than 3,000 different types of plants from all around the world. The estate gardens were created by Madame Ganna Walska, who owned the property from 1941 until her death in 1984. Lotusland is home to several extraordinary plant collections and around each corner there is the unexpected - a surprise of unique garden design and plant species. The collections include rare cycads that are extinct in the wild, an unparaleled cactus garden, palms and euphorbias like most people have never seen. Additional gardens feature ferns, aloes, lotuses (bloom only in the summer months), water lilies and bromeliads. Lotusland horticulture philosophy is organic, using no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Reservations are required to visit. Tours are Wednesday - Saturday at 10 AM and again at 1:30 PM. Open Mid February through Mid November.

Designed by William Mooser III in the Spanish-Moorish architectural style, this working courthouse is surrounded by landscaped gardens and lawns.

A beautiful stretch of beach in front of the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel.

Tours are by reservation only on Wednesdays and Saturdays for those 10 years & older. Admission for the 90-minute, Docent-led tours is $20 per person. Designated in 2009 as Santa Barbara's 4th National Historic Landmark, the Casa del Herrero, built in 1925, stands today as one of the finest examples of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. The creative manifestation of St. Louis industrialist George Fox Steedman, Casa del Herrero (House of the Blacksmith) reflects the visionary passions of its 'dream team' of designers: reknowned architect, George Washington Smith, landscape architects Lockwood de Forest and Francis T. Underhill, and antiquarians Arthur Byne and Mildred Stapley, who also helped outfit the well-known Hearst Castle.

The Reagan Ranch Center in downtown Santa Barbara, California is open to the general public for tours and visitation Monday through Thursday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. These galleries feature original Reagan Ranch artifacts matched with state-of-the-art, interactive, multimedia exhibits that highlight the history of Ronald Reagan’s quarter-century at Rancho del Cielo and the accomplishments of his presidency.Over six hours of dynamic multimedia exhibits provide access to exclusive speeches, interviews, radio addresses, and original video presentations. The centerpiece of the gallery is a 28-foot-long interactive “timeline” that gives users the ability to explore the “Western White House” during the 1980s.

This zoo with a view was once a posh estate owned by a coffee and tea merchant; now it's the lush domain of more than 500 animals representing 160 species. The pink stucco mansion that once presided over manicured lawns and gardens is gone—replaced by open-air habitats built for the less refined but still exacting tastes of giraffes, elephants, gibbons, snow leopards and gorillas. What hasn't changed is the surrounding scenery; the Pacific and Santa Ynez Mountains are just as spectacular as they were back when this was the setting for civilized galas instead of the wild antics of monkeys and meerkats.

Located on the water's edge of the Santa Barbara Harbor, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum contains exciting & educational exhibits set inside of nearly 8,000 square feet of Museum space. The Maritime Museum also offers a wide range of educational programs including docent tours, and Tall Ship tours. Admission also includes a series of films shown daily in our large screen, high-definition Munger Theater. Fun for the whole family!