Shoreline Park runs along the bluffs west of Santa Barbara Harbor, giving you one of the easiest big views in town: red-tile roofs behind you, the Channel Islands offshore, and the Pacific below the cliffs. It is a simple park, but a very useful one for walkers, families, and anyone who wants the coast without committing to a long hike.
Steps lead down toward the beach when tides allow, while the upper path links lawns, picnic tables, and viewpoints. Come near sunset if the sky is clear; the light tends to be kinder here than in the busier waterfront blocks around Stearns Wharf.