Santa Monica/West Hollywood/Cruise/Santa Barbara

Question

Hello, wondering if anyone can offer any advice. Planning a trip for next June centred around a cruise from LA on Saturday 20 June until Saturday until 27 June. We were planning to do it in the order Santa Monica or Venice Beach 3 nights, West Hollywood 3 nights, after the cruise 2 or 3 nights in Santa Barbara.

We definitely won’t be driving so will have to get the train to Santa Barbara and Uber/Lyft the rest of the time. I haven’t fully looked into how long it will take us to get to SB from cruise port including the train but it’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit. My husband thinks it will be a bit of a mission.

We would have to get from SB to LAX on our last day.

Would it be better to fit both locations in LA and SB in before the cruise and go straight to the airport after the cruise? Really not sure what to do.

This is our second visit. We stayed in downtown LA the first time.

Thanks

Answer

Your proposed itinerary—Santa Monica/Venice Beach, West Hollywood, cruise, then Santa Barbara—is feasible but does require careful planning given you won’t be driving. Timing and connections, especially between the cruise port and Santa Barbara, will be the main consideration.

Here are some points to consider for your June trip:

Santa Monica/Venice Beach (3 nights) – Staying here first is convenient for exploring the beaches, boardwalks, and local dining. You’ll have easy access to public transport and Uber/Lyft for short distances.
West Hollywood (3 nights) – Great for nightlife, shopping, and celebrity spotting. West Hollywood is compact, so Uber/Lyft is ideal, especially with no car.
Cruise departure from LA (20 June) – Most cruise terminals are in the San Pedro/Long Beach area. Uber/Lyft from West Hollywood or Santa Monica is about 45-60 minutes to the terminal depending on traffic.

Post-cruise considerations:

Getting to Santa Barbara from the cruise port without a car involves either taking a shuttle to Union Station or Long Beach, then the Amtrak train north to Santa Barbara. Travel time is around 3–4 hours total, including transfers, which can be tiring after a cruise.
If you plan to go directly from Santa Barbara to LAX for your flight home, allow at least 3–4 hours travel time by Amtrak or bus plus an extra buffer. It can make your last day stressful.

Alternative itinerary options for easier logistics:

Option 1: Do all Los Angeles stays before the cruise and fly out from LAX after. This avoids the post-cruise travel to Santa Barbara, which is the most complicated segment without a car.
Option 2: Skip Santa Barbara or shorten it to one night post-cruise, and plan for a private transfer or rental car for the day of departure if you really want SB. This is less relaxing but keeps the timing manageable.
Option 3: Reverse the plan: Santa Barbara first, then LA, then cruise. This allows you to relax in LA without post-cruise travel stress, but you’d need to figure out return transport to LAX on the day of your flight.

Given you won’t be driving, the first option (LA before the cruise, fly out after) is probably the most stress-free, especially with Uber/Lyft connections and the cruise departure from LA. Santa Barbara is lovely but may be better suited for a future trip if minimizing transport hassle is a priority.

Additional tips:

Check Amtrak schedules early—trains to Santa Barbara can fill up quickly in June.
Consider booking private shuttles if you decide to do SB post-cruise, to reduce waiting and transfers.
Use Uber/Lyft for airport connections rather than public transport after a long cruise.

Overall, prioritize comfort and convenience given the no-car scenario. LA pre-cruise with direct airport departure afterward is likely the easiest and most relaxing plan.

Santa Monica/West Hollywood/Cruise/Santa Barbara

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