Entry No. 28 — the Santa Barbara file — filed under: stargazing

Camino Real Marketplace Telescope Nights

Once a month, Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit volunteers roll telescopes out into the parking lot of an ordinary strip mall — between the movie theater and the chain restaurants — and aim them at the sky for anyone walking by with a shopping bag.

The move: Grab dinner at the marketplace, then linger in the lot on the third Tuesday to peer through amateur telescopes at planets and the moon alongside families out for a grocery run — the least scenic, most sincere stargazing spot in the county.

• 📍 Goleta
• 💸 $
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 7004 Marketplace Drive, Goleta, CA 93117

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: sbau.org · Official site

last checked: 2026-07-20