Wildlife And Wonder: 10 Best Things To Do In Santa Maria, California!

things to do in santa maria california
John
John 
Updated
| 6 min read

Learn how easy it is to fall in love with Santa Barbara county, with our top ten attractions of the Santa Maria, California area! With its unique combination of adrenaline-inducing thrills and venues for easy relaxation, you’ll find that no matter what brings you to Santa Maria, and no matter how long you plan on staying in the renowned area, there’s always something nearby for you to enjoy! Read on to learn more about the best things to do in Santa Maria!

1. Waller Park


Begin your Santa Maria adventure at Waller Park, the destination for picture-perfect California outdoor adventure! This county park offers many attractions that get locals and visitors alike out and about, no matter the weather! Among the park’s amenities is a dynamic disc golf course, which promises to challenge new and experienced disc golfers alike with its varying levels of difficulty, from hole to hole. Then, Waller Park offers several picnic areas, perfect for outdoor relaxation when the temperature is at its best!

Join your family or friends for an unforgettable Waller Park experience! This venue even offers playgrounds for younger children, and sports courts for those individuals who are in search of more intense recreation! It’s all yours for the taking at Waller Park!

Waller Park

Address: 3107 Orcutt Road, Orcutt, CA 93455

Website: Waller Park

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2. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

Posted by Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center on Thursday, 17 September 2015

Check out some of the finest local nature that the Santa Maria area offers, with the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes! This unique venue is more than just a beautiful location, perfect for every photo opportunity and recreation. The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes also belong to a larger conservation and restoration effort, to cultivate authentic, untouched nature in beautiful California. Locals and visitors alike will routinely visit the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes to learn more about their conservation efforts, and to be introduced to wildlife that exists in a natural portfolio unique to the area!

Guest speakers regularly frequent the site, in order to better educate the local populace as to their role in ongoing conservation efforts. Get involved for a better, changing world while you gaze upon the gorgeous Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes!

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

Address: 1065 Guadalupe St, Guadalupe, CA 93434

Website: Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

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3. Rancho Sisquoc Winery


When it’s time to take a moment out of your otherwise busy day to enjoy the fruit of the vine, it’s time to check out Rancho Sisquoc Winery! One of the region’s finest wineries, this world-class venue routinely delivers top-tier wines to locals and visitors alike. Their wine selection is both extensive and impressive, allowing you to taste professional-grade wine after professional-grade wine, without the risk of a letdown. When it comes to the Rancho Sisquoc Winery, whether you’re sampling their 2014 Cabernet Franc or their aged Select Meritage option, you’re going to find a winner! It isn’t difficult to find a good time at the Rancho Sisquoc Winery, where wine tastings occur early and often, and where your next smile is as close as your next sip!

Rancho Sisquoc Winery

Address: 6600 Foxen Canyon Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93454

Website: Rancho Sisquoc Winery

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4. Pacific Conservatory Theatre

A post shared by Paul Henry (@paulhenry085) on Aug 16, 2017 at 1:24pm PDT


Whenever it’s time to witness something spectacular, it’s time for the Pacific Conservatory Theatre! This venue is unique not only for its high-quality entertainment, but also for the fact that it delivers world-class entertainment directly to the heart of the Santa Maria area! If you’re in the mood for some of the absolute best artistic and theatrical works that have graced this earth, the theatre is willing and able to show you a good time!

The Pacific Conservatory Theatre is always improving upon its capacity to shock and to amaze all theatre-goers, with its extensive portfolio of available attractions. You can even check out their educational opportunities, where you can learn to craft and to perfect your acting from some of the best in the industry! Classes are easy to locate and always inexpensive, allowing you to learn how to take to the stage yourself! Check out the Pacific Conservatory Theatre for a wonderful theatrical production, or even to get in on the acting action!

Pacific Conservatory Theatre

Address: 800 S. College Dr., Santa Maria, CA 93454

Website: Pacific Conservatory Theatre

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5. Foxen Canyon Wine Trail

This beautiful 26 acre parcel on the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail is now SOLD! List Price $1,150,000

Posted by Santa Ynez Valley Real Estate Company on Friday, 28 July 2017

Slow down life to a pace which you find comfortable, with the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail! This outdoor adventure path allows you to introduce yourself to many of the indigenous natural wonders that the Santa Maria area offers. Better yet, when you’re taking advantage of the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, you can easily check out many of the award-winning local wineries!

We would recommend dedicating multiple days to this trail experience, in order to make the most of the endeavor, and to make sure that you get to taste the finest wines in the area while you’re out on your feet! Zaca Mesa Winery, Riverbench Vineyards, Kenneth Volk Vineyards, and more are only a short distance off of the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail! For the certified superior route to the region’s best wines, trust the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail!

Foxen Canyon Wine Trail

Address: Santa Maria, California

Website: Foxen Canyon Wine Trail

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6. Chumash Casino

Chumash Casino & Resort
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user DocFreeman24 used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Crank up the fun at the Chumash Casino! This venue’s unique capacity to entertain and to amaze its guests is second to none in the Santa Maria region! Take advantage of many of the exciting attractions within the scintillating confines of the Chumash Casino, including all of your casino favorites! This casino also hosts regular events, so there’s always a great reason to walk through its inviting doors! Make the Chumash Casino your next destination for unmatched adventure, or simply stop by to discover the true definition of a California good time!

Newly renovated and awaiting your indulgence, the Chumash Casino offers among its many attractions a chance to participate in slot machine excitement, as well as bingo, poker, table games, and more! Stay for the action-packed fun at the Chumash Casino in Santa Maria, California!

Chumash Casino

Address: 3400 CA-246, Santa Ynez, CA 93460

Website: Chumash Casino

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7. Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum

Have you explored our new Discovery Reading Tree? Come visit!

Posted by Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum on Thursday, 3 November 2016

The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum truly has something for everyone to enjoy. Its unique portfolio of constantly-changing exhibits and displays means that locals and visitors alike can come back time and time again, each time treated to a novel experience! The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum is perfect for the whole family to enjoy, a place where education and discovery come alive with hands-on excitement!

Children-centered museum activities change daily, and local experts are always onsite to provide you with the truly fantastic combination of intrigue and affordable fun. No matter your age or your educational inclinations, you’re going to quickly fall in love with everything that the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum has to offer!

Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum

Address: 705 S McClelland St, Santa Maria, CA 93454

Website: Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum

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8. Santa Maria Museum of Flight

Red Arrows, Southport Airshow 2009 (01)
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user eisenbahner used under CC BY 2.0

For a unique take on the area’s unique flight history, check out the Santa Maria Museum of Flight! A true testament to the joys of life above the ground, the Santa Maria Museum of Flight routinely amazes anyone and everyone who walks through its friendly doors! Events like a yearly air show, as well as youth and special events, mean that there’s never a bad time to come by and check out everything flight-related that you’re going to find irresistible.

Museum tours are always available, for quick introductions to the best that is offered onsite The Santa Maria Museum of Flight also offers a gift shop, so that you can take the unique sensation of flight home with you whenever you have to leave! When it comes to the Santa Maria Museum of Flight, you’re going to find that the friendly service, the dynamic displays, and the year-round events schedule is simply too much to pass up!

Santa Maria Museum of Flight

Address: 3015 Airpark Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93455

Website: Santa Maria Museum of Flight

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9. Jim May Park


California’s Jim May Park is more than just a wonderful opportunity to catch those sensational Santa Maria rays. It is also the site of the region’s cutting edge biofiltering projects! A center for conservation and recreation alike, Jim May Park allows you to reduce life to a comfortable pace, and to discover the simple joy of a stroll through its peaceful grounds. Rejuvenation and relaxation both come easily in Jim May Park, where there is a unique variety of amenities to entertain any and every visiting group!

Among its many attractions is its barbecue pit, as well as its large lake, which is ideal for fishing. Basketball courts and expansive picnic areas also decorate the grounds of Jim May Park, where the sun is always available in satisfying quantities! Have fun your way, at Jim May Park!

Jim May Park

Address: 809 Stanford Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93454

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10. Foxen Vineyard

MEET THE WINEMAKER // Kaitlin Hite of Foxen Winery Friday, July 15, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Bill Wathen and Dick Doré have...

Posted by Uncorked Truckee on Monday, 11 July 2016

Since 1985, the Foxen Vineyard in Santa Maria has stood as a virtual California staple for wine excellence. Now, there’s never been a better time to take advantage of their low prices, and their award-winning fruits! The Foxen Vineyard has more than their own brand of wines, which are always available onsite. Combined with friendly service and a close-knit team of owners, the Foxen Vineyard is your go-to location for wine tastings, quality wine purchases, and the like whenever you’re in the Santa Maria area!

This venue also regularly hosts exciting events, and feel free to contact them to see if they are available to host your next social function! At the Foxen Vineyard, it’s time to have life the way you like it!

Foxen Vineyard

Address: 7600 Foxen Canyon Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93454

Website: Foxen Vineyard

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Recreation and relaxation galore

If you’re in the mood for world-class wines, Santa Maria is your go-to location! Whether you’re looking to thoroughly upgrade your understanding of California wine quality, or you’re looking for a quick introduction to the region’s finest attractions, there are recreation and relaxation opportunities galore in friendly Santa Maria! Adhere to our recommended list of the top attractions in the Santa Maria area, for a stay you’ll never want to forget!

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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John Gallagher is a digital marketing consultant and writer from San Diego, California. When he isn't thoroughly enjoying the writing process or pretending he thoroughly enjoys the revision...Read more

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