Santa Maria travel guide

Santa Maria Tourism | Santa Maria Guide

You're Going to Love Santa Maria

With a population of 99,553, Santa Maria is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Santa Maria deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

When to visit Santa Maria

Santa Maria in January
Estimated hotel price
$108
1 night at 3-star hotel
Santa Maria in January
Estimated hotel price
$108
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Santa Maria in July, when the average temperature is 62.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 73.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 39.2 °F, with an average temperature of 51.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in February, when precipitation is around 2.8″. In contrast, June is usually the driest month of the year in Santa Maria, with an average rainfall of 0″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Santa Maria

Plane

When flying to Santa Maria, you’ll arrive at Santa Maria Public (SMX), which is located 6 km from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Santa Maria departs from Seattle and takes around 8h 18m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Santa Maria.

Car

Another option to get to Santa Maria is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 218 km from Santa Maria. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Santa Maria Amtrak Bus Stop, located 1.8 km from downtown Santa Maria. Santa Maria Transit Center is also a commonly used station, and is 0.9 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Santa Maria, you’ll arrive at Santa Maria Public (SMX), which is located 6 km from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Santa Maria departs from Seattle and takes around 8h 18m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Santa Maria.

Car

Another option to get to Santa Maria is to pick up a car rental from Los Angeles, which is about 218 km from Santa Maria. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in Los Angeles.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Santa Maria Amtrak Bus Stop, located 1.8 km from downtown Santa Maria. Santa Maria Transit Center is also a commonly used station, and is 0.9 km from the city center.

Airlines serving Santa Maria

Lufthansa
Good (4,700 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,594 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (491 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,601 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,116 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,963 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,435 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,948 reviews)
Finnair
Good (862 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,725 reviews)
Avianca
Good (1,327 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (775 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (5,786 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Good (313 reviews)
Southern / Mokulele
Okay (8 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Santa Maria

Average rates range from around $117 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $203 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Travelodge by Wyndham Santa Maria and Days Inn by Wyndham Santa Maria.

Where to stay in popular areas of Santa Maria

Most booked hotels in Santa Maria

Hampton Inn & Suites Santa Maria
2 stars
Excellent (9, 505 reviews)
$168+
Best Western Plus Big America
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1390 reviews)
$139+
Radisson Hotel Santa Maria, CA
3 stars
Good (7.9, 1077 reviews)
$107+
Historic Santa Maria Inn
3 stars
Good (7.8, 846 reviews)
$109+
Holiday Inn & Suites Santa Maria, An IHG Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.4, 693 reviews)
$114+
Motel 6 Santa Maria
2 stars
Good (7, 1320 reviews)
$72+

Renting a car in Santa Maria

Renting a car in Santa Maria costs $62 per day, on average, or $125 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in Santa Maria.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Santa Maria (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Santa Maria is Full-size (Class Full-size SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Chevrolet Cruze or similar) are, on average, 53% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Santa Maria costs $62 per day, on average, or $125 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in Santa Maria.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Santa Maria (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Santa Maria is Full-size (Class Full-size SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Chevrolet Cruze or similar) are, on average, 53% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.