Santa Barbara City Parks and Open Spaces

Our quest to find new parks took us to many beautiful open spaces and parks without playgrounds! These are the names and locations as best we could tell (some parks have different names/locations depending on the list you are looking at). We did not include beach parks in the list.

Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens

Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens (otherwise know as Alice Keck Park Park) is a lovely lanscaped park with open spaces, walking paths as well as a pond with fish, turtles and the occasional piranha. This is one of our favorite places to feed ducks.

Ambassador Park

 Ambassador Park is an open, grassy area off Cabrillo Blvd. in between 2 hotels. It is located between Bath St and Chapala St.

Andree Clark Bird Refuge

Andree Clark Bird Refuge is a salt marsh that attracts dozens of bird species and occasionally has algal blooms that make it stinky and colorful. It is located along Cabrillo Blvd. at Los Patos Way.

Calle Puerto Vallarte/Cabrillo Park

Calle Puerto Vallarte has a park with a grassy open space off Cabrillo Blvd. at Calle Puerto Vallarte.

Courthouse Gardens

The Courthouse has grassy open areas, paths and beautiful landscaping surrounding the historical building. It is located between Santa Barbara St and Anacapa St at Anapamu St and Figueroa St.

The Douglas Family Preserve is located on the Mesa above Arroyo Burro Beach. It had walking trails and open space with lovely views of the ocean and mountains. Entrances are on Borden Dr and Mesa School Lane.

Equestrian Circle

Equestrian Circle is an open riding rink adjacent to the Santa Barbara Tennis Club (2375 Foothill Rd in Sycamore Canyon).

View from Franchesci Park

Paths and Picnic area at Franchesci Park

Franchesci Park has many paths and a lovely view of the city with the ocean. The dilapidated old house has an interesting history. It is located off Mission Ridge Rd by way of Mountain Dr (off E Los Olivos/Mission Canyon near the Natural History Museum.

Gould Park

Gould Park is an open space that includes Cold Spring Trail. It is on E. Mountain Drive off Cold Springs Rd in Montecito.

Honda Valley Park is a series of trails located on the Mesa off Carrillo St at Miramonte Dr.

 La Coronilla is a future park site on the Mesa on Dolores Dr.

Laurel Canyon is an open space for dog walking at the end of Laurel Canyon Rd (not Calle Laureles). Laurel Canyon Road does not have a sign and is off Foothill Road opposite Calle Palo Colorado.

Los Robles Park

Los Robles Park has a path and open grassy area for friendly dog owners. It is located on Via Diego near Via Rosa off La Colina Rd.

Mission Gardens

There is an open grassy field across from the Mission with paths and a rose garden. It is located at E Los Olivos St. and Laguna St.

Orpet Park

Orpet Park runs along both side of Alameda Padre Serra above the Mission. It has lovely walking paths, landscaped areas and grassy areas for dog running.

Parma Park is located on 192 in the Sycamore Canyon area (Mission Canyon to Foothill to Mountain to Mission Ridge) and is a series of trails.

Pershing Park

Pershing Park is several baseball fields used by Santa Barbara City College. It is located next to Plaza del Mar off Cabrillo Bld and Castillo St.

De La Guerra Plaza

Plaza de la Guerra is a grassy open area downtown next to Santa Barbara City Hall and the Santa Barbara Newspress building.

Plaza del Mar

Plaza del Mar is a park with an open grassy area and an amphitheater located across from Los Baños del Mar at Cabrillo Bld and Castillo St. It is located next to Pershing Park.

Rattlesnake Canyon Park can be reached by Rattlesnake Canyon Trail (from Skofield Park). It is a 5 mile round trip hike. There is another branch of the trail off Gibraltar Rd. It is 1/2 to the main trail.

San Roque Park

San Roque Park is an open grassy trianlge on Cannon Dr near Chuparosa Dr.

Sheffield Open Space is off 192 at Stanwood in the Sycamore Canyon area (Mission Canyon to Foothill to Mountain to Mission Ridge). It has paved paths and a fire-scape garden.

Skofield Park

Skofield Park is a wooded park with benches and trails leading off the main park to Rattlesnake Canyon. It is located on either side of Las Conoas Rd, just past the bridge. Las Canoas Rd is off Mission Canyone Rd (via Foothill Rd).

View from Sylvan Park

Sylvan Park

Sylvan Park is off APS at Dover is naturally landscaped and has a beautiful view of the city with the ocean.