A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Key West vs. Santa Barbara for Beaches, Couples, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Key West or Santa Barbara?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Key West or Santa Barbara? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Key West

Key West is a quirky, eclectic, and bustling town. It's a very nice small town not to be missed. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. This is an attractive and quaint destination worth visiting as well. Other popular activities here include nightlife, food, and scuba diving and snorkeling.

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is a scenic, stunning, and wealthy coastal town. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. You'll find world class beauty here as well. This destination also has one of those special and quaint feelings. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Key West and Santa Barbara: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Key West or Santa Barbara?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Santa Barbara. Although Key West and Santa Barbara are both popular with visitors, Santa Barbara has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Santa Barbara is more popular for its museums, food, beaches, hiking, shopping, big city activities, and impressive beauty, while Key West is known for its nightlife, scuba diving & snorkeling, historical sights, small town charm, and quaint atmosphere. Key West is more touristy than Santa Barbara and is known for its festive nightlife, quirky town center, colorful personality, adrenaline-filled watersports, stunning beaches, turquoise water, and location at the southernmost point of the continental U.S. Santa Barbara is popular for its historic missions, pristine beaches, world-class surfing, and scenic hikes that are full of coastal views. It is also home to The Old Mission Santa Barbara.

How is Key West different from Santa Barbara?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Santa Barbara and Key West. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Key West or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is notable for its sights and museums. However, Key West does not have museums and landmarks.

Santa Barbara offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The city is famous for its missions, with Mission Santa Barbara being the most iconic. Also visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center.

Key West does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Key West or Santa Barbara? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santa Barbara is notable for its local cuisine and restaurants. Also, Key West is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for its restaurants.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Santa Barbara. The city is best known for its fine dining, particularly if you enjoy seafood. The scallops, oysters, clam chowder, and sea urchin (when available) are all world class. Head for a waterfront setting for the best views and some of the freshest seafood.

Key West is becoming an appealing option for foodies. Head to town for local restaurants with quirky atmospheres. There are many local dishes to sample, be the town is most known for its stone crabs, conch fritters, and Mahi Mahi sandwiches. You'll also find cold drinks and waterfront dining areas.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for Nightlife?

Key West is a well-known place for its evening party scene. Also, Santa Barbara is not as famous, but is still a good coastal town to visit for nightlife.

Key West offers plenty to do in the evening. This area has some of the most lively nightlife in the Florida Keys. There are quirky bars and fun hangouts where you can spend the evening. The party starts at Mallory Square around sunset and many bars stay open well into the early hours. You can also enjoy sunset cruises or pass your time at one of the many tiki bars.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Santa Barbara. For the best nightlife in the city, head downtown to State Street. This is where you'll find the most active bars and biggest crowds. There's a large student population in town, so you'll find much of the nightlife scene is focused on the younger population.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for Resorts?

Key West and Santa Barbara offer a relatively similar set of high quality luxury resort options.

Key West is known as a popular and fun resort destination. There are a number of high end resorts around the island, many with recognizable names such as the Hyatt and Hilton. Prices can be high, but these resorts often come with reliable luxury.

Vacationers can choose from a number of terrific resorts in Santa Barbara. Many people enjoy the luxurious vacation rentals around Santa Barbara, but there are also a number of high end resorts including the Rosewood Miramar Beach Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, and Hotel Californian.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Key West is a popular place for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Santa Barbara is not a good coastal town for the nearby scuba diving and snorkeling.

Key West has a few good snorkeling spots. There are a number of dive shops and snorkeling excursions that leave from Key West. Like many tourist areas these days, the coral shows its damage from the crowds, but you'll likely see some barracuda or a Grouper.

It's possible to go snorkeling in Santa Barbara. Snorkeling areas not far from town include Refugio State Beach and Tajiguas. You'll see a few fish, beautiful rocks, and anemones that are unique and impressive.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for Beaches?

Santa Barbara is renowned for the beache. Also, Key West is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for the beach.

Travelers come from around the world to visit the beaches in Santa Barbara. The city is famous for its pristine, sandy beaches. Whether you want to enjoy world class surfing or enjoy a gentle ocean setting, Santa Barbara has many options.

Key West is a very popular place to visit for its beaches. One of the best beaches in the area is Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. The beach has soft sand and stunning turquoise water. As is typical in the Keys, the water stays shallow for great distances.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for its Old Town?

Key West is a well-known place for its historic old town charm. Also, Santa Barbara is not as famous, but is still a good coastal town to visit for its historic old town.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting Key West. The town has the most charming Old Town areas in the Florida Keys. Head to Mallory Square for the sunset street performers and explore the historic streets around Duval Street.

Santa Barbara is a good destination for visiting its old town. The city's downtown "Old Town" is a high end, pedestrian-friendly area with plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for Hiking?

Santa Barbara is renowned for the nearby hiking options. However, Key West is not a hiking destination.

People visit Santa Barbara specifically for its hiking, as the natural beauty is well-known. Just outside of town are countless hiking opportunities that offer spectacular ocean views. Popular hikes include Inspiration Point, San Ysidro Trail, and Cold Spring East Fork.

Key West is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Key West or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is renowned for its shopping opportunities. However, Key West is a mediocre town for its shopping areas.

The abundance of shops in Santa Barbara make it a world-class shopping destination. The city is famous as a high end shopping destination. Head to State Street for a palm tree lined street with local boutiques.

Key West has some good spots for those that want to go shopping. While it definitely has its share of gimmicky souvenir shops and t-shirt stores, there are still a number of art galleries and local shops around Key West where you can enjoy shopping.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Key West or Santa Barbara.

Key West is a very kid-friendly town. Families that enjoy snorkeling, aquariums, water sports, and exploring new places will enjoy visiting this part of the Florida Keys. There are many ways to get out on the water from kayaking and snorkeling to glass bottom boat tours and sunset cruises. There are also many kid-friendly beaches in the area. The town can have a party atmosphere, but it's not hard to find a more family-friendly area where everyone can have fun.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Santa Barbara. The city has some nice family-friendly activities including a zoo, some cool museums, and even whale watching. There are also many beautiful beaches where everyone can run around and play, as well as parks and other outdoor settings. For animal-lovers, there are wildlife centers and sea life opportunities.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for Couples?

Santa Barbara is renowned for its romantic activities. Also, Key West is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for couples.

Santa Barbara makes for a terrific place to visit as a couple. The town is a stunningly beautiful destination with beautiful beaches, excellent shopping, and nice resorts that make for a great honeymoon or romantic trip.

Key West makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. From Mallory Square to the beautiful nearby parks, Key West makes a wonderful, romantic destination. Whether it's your honeymoon, an anniversary, or simply a couples' retreat, Key West is a great option. You can sip wine on a sunset cruise or dine at one of the many character-filled restaurants in town. If you are looking for a party, it's not hard to find, but if you want a more laid back holiday, that's also possible.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for Students?

Key West and Santa Barbara are both high quality destinations for students and younger travelers.

Key West is a very popular town for students and younger travelers. It's a great spring break destination with a quirky personality and many great activities.

Santa Barbara is very popular with students. With a major university right in town, there's plenty of student life that international students or locals can enjoy.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Santa Barbara is a popular place for its public transit. However, Key West is a mediocre town for times when you don't have a car.

Santa Barbara has a few public transit options. Transit options include buses, trolleys and water taxis.

Public transit is quite limited in Key West. Public transportation in Key West is limited to a few buses.

Is Key West or Santa Barbara a more walkable city?

Santa Barbara is notable for its high level of walkability. Also, Key West is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for its ease of walking around.

Santa Barbara is a very walkable coastal town. The downtown area is very pedestrian-friendly and best explored on foot.

Key West is a somewhat walkable town. The town is the most walkable part of the Florida Keys. The area around Mallory Square and Duval Street is the most pedestrian friendly.

For even more information, also check out Is Key West Worth Visiting? and Is Santa Barbara Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Barbara or Key West?

How long in Key West or Santa Barbara?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Key West and Santa Barbara. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Key West than in Santa Barbara. Usually, 5-7 days is a good amount of time for Key West, and 2-3 days is enough time in Santa Barbara.

Families should spend more time in Santa Barbara than Key West. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Santa Barbara, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Santa Barbara than Key West. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Santa Barbara that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Barbara than Key West if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Santa Barbara.

One day in Key West or Santa Barbara?

Many travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and nightlife when visiting the laid-back destination of Key West. It's also a relaxing resort destination. Your budget might influence how long you stay. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

The beautiful coastal town of Santa Barbara offers food and shopping. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Key West or Santa Barbara?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Key West. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. A weekend is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

Santa Barbara is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this coastal town makes for a great vacation. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Santa Barbara, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Key West or Santa Barbara?

Many travelers enjoy the food and scuba diving and snorkeling when visiting the laid-back destination of Key West. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. If you have five days, this is a great place to go. Five days is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Santa Barbara is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Key West or Santa Barbara?

Many travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and nightlife when visiting the beautiful town of Key West. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. Plenty of people spend one week in the area when traveling.So, one week is just the right amount of time to spend here. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Santa Barbara is a great place to explore. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This coastal town offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, The Best 2-Week Tours from New York City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Key West and Santa Barbara, we can see that Key West is more expensive. And not only is Santa Barbara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santa Barbara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Barbara and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Key West would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Key West than you might in Santa Barbara.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Key West Expensive? and Is Santa Barbara Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Key West or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Key West. When comparing the sizes of Key West and Santa Barbara, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Key West or Santa Barbara?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Key West or Santa Barbara in the Summer?

Both Santa Barbara and Key West are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Key West because of the beaches, snorkeling, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences. Also, the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Santa Barbara this time of year.

In the summer, Key West is much warmer than Santa Barbara. Typically, the summer temperatures in Key West in July average around 84°F (29°C), and Santa Barbara averages at about 65°F (19°C).

In July, Key West usually receives more rain than Santa Barbara. Key West gets 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 0 inches (1 mm) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Key West or Santa Barbara in the Autumn?

Both Santa Barbara and Key West during the autumn are popular places to visit. The shopping scene, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Key West this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Santa Barbara for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

In October, Key West is generally much warmer than Santa Barbara. Daily temperatures in Key West average around 80°F (27°C), and Santa Barbara fluctuates around 62°F (17°C).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Key West. Key West usually gets more rain in October than Santa Barbara. Key West gets 5.1 inches (129 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 0.5 inches (13 mm) of rain this time of the year. Also, June to November in Key West is the hurricane season.

Should I visit Key West or Santa Barbara in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Key West and Santa Barbara. Many travelers come to Key West for the shopping scene and the cuisine. Furthermore, many visitors come to Santa Barbara in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Key West is much warmer than Santa Barbara in the winter. The daily temperature in Key West averages around 70°F (21°C) in January, and Santa Barbara fluctuates around 52°F (11°C).

In January, Key West usually receives less rain than Santa Barbara. Key West gets 1.7 inches (43 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 3.2 inches (82 mm) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Key West or Santa Barbara in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Key West as well as Santa Barbara. Many visitors come to Key West in the spring for the beaches, the small town charm, and the natural beauty. Additionally, most visitors come to Santa Barbara for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty during these months.

In the spring, Key West is much warmer than Santa Barbara. Typically, the spring temperatures in Key West in April average around 77°F (25°C), and Santa Barbara averages at about 57°F (14°C).

Key West usually gets less rain in April than Santa Barbara. Key West gets 0.8 inches (21 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 1.1 inches (27 mm) of rain this time of the year. Also, the hurricane season in Key West is June to November.

Typical Weather for Santa Barbara and Key West