We have a special connection to Earth Day here in Santa Barbara. Find out more here.

Come to Earth Day Car Free and stop by the Santa Barbara Car Free/Air Pollution Control District booth and enter to win prizes, including pairs of tickets on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner®, which is celebrating its 10th Anniversary, and the  25 millionth passenger in 2010. Think of it: taking 25 million people off the road between San Diego and San Luis Obispo in the past decade. Enjoy free wifi in the Surfliner Business Class. Other prizes will include: Axxess cards from Traffic Solutions; free passes to the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum; a free kayak or bike tour for one or walking tour for four from Pedal & Paddle of Santa Barbara; and more prizes to be announced soon. The Grand Prize will be round-trip tickets for two including roomette accommodations from Santa Barbara to Portland or Seattle on the Amtrak Coast Starlight®. Along the route, you’ll enjoy a gorgeous backdrop of dramatic, snow-covered peaks, lush forests, broad valley and miles of stunning vistas. The Dining Car offers fresh cuisine served on china with glassware and table linens, and the Parlour Car offers wifi.  See more about the Coast Starlight on this page of Amtrak's site.

How to Come Car Free

Take the bus: Buses from all over town stop at the MTD Transit Center. From there you can either walk to Alameda Park (5 blocks)or take Line 2 to Santa Barbara Street (walk 2 blocks), or Lines 6 or 11 to State and Sola (walk 1 block). The electric shuttle also stops near Alameda Park. For schedules and routes and to find the closest bus stop call 963-3366 (answered by MTD staff weekdays 6am-7pm, Saturdays 8am-6pm or Sundays 9am-6pm) or visit www.sbmtd.gov,

Walk: Earth Day’s location makes it easy to get to without a car. Alameda Park is only a 30 or 40 minute walk from the Mesa, Upper State Street, or Milpas Street, and can be easily reached from lower downtown and the harbor either entirely on foot or with help from the MTD Downtown/Waterfront shuttle. So lace up your walking shoes and get some exercise while you make this a car-free day!  

Bike: To plan your route, check out the online bike maps at www.trafficsolutions.info. Try linking up with the oceanfront bicycle path along Cabrillo Boulevard, or the bike lanes on Bath, Castillo and State Streets. You’ll find valet bike parking at the corner of Santa Barbara and Sola Streets, and you can get a free bike checkup from local bike mechanics and the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition. Bici Centro is leading bike rides to Earth Day from several locations including UCSB and Carpinteria. Check back on this page for more info; also see the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition website.

Check out www.trafficsolutions.info  for online bike maps, and a full menu of car free options!