“Cool Car Free Discounts” Announced

The Santa Barbara Car Free Project invites visitors to make “green” travel choices and save up to 50 percent at more than 50 hotels, activities and restaurants throughout the year with “Cool Car Free Discounts.” Mary Byrd, manager of this award-winning sustainable tourism project at the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District says, “Car Free vacations are not just good for our air and our planet, they are relaxing and fun. And our discounts can save travelers a lot of money.”

“Cool Car Free Discounts” are available for visitors who do one or more of the following: Show Amtrak train ticket to Santa Barbara with current date; Show Santa Barbara MTD (Metropolitan Transit District) Bus Pass with current date stamp; Arrive at hotel or activity by bicycle; or download/print/present a Santa Barbara Cool Car Free Discounts Certificate. Certain restrictions apply, see website for details.

Through December 31, 2012, visitors can receive discounts from 25 hotels including: Beach House Inn & Apartments, Best Western Beachside Inn, Best Western Plus Encina Lodge, Best Western Plus Pepper Tree Inn, Brisas del Mar, Cabrillo Inn at the Beach, Canary Hotel, Casa Del Mar Inn, Cheshire Cat Inn Bed & Breakfast, Eagle Inn, Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort, Franciscan Inn, Holiday Inn Express-Hotel Virginia, Hotel Oceana, Hotel Santa Barbara, Inn by the Harbor, Inn of the Spanish Garden, Lavender Inn by the Sea, Mason Beach Inn, Old Yacht Club Inn Bed & Breakfast, The Orchid Inn, Ramada Limited Hotel, Santa Barbara Inn, Simpson House Inn and the Upham Hotel. (Some restrictions apply; rooms subject to availability.)

Activities and restaurants offering special discounts include: Aldo’s Italian Restaurant; Blue Agave; Café Los Arcos; Captain Jack’s Santa Barbara Tours; Celebration Cruises; Cloud Climbers Jeep & Wine Tours; Condor Express (whale watching); DeeTours; Eos Transportation; The Grapeline Wine Country Shuttle; Lil Toot (water taxi); Louie’s Restaurant; Lucky Cab (hybrids); Roadrunner Shuttle; Santa Barbara Bikes-to-Go; Santa Barbara Maritime Museum; Santa Barbara Pedicab; Santa Barbara Sailing Center; Santa Barbara Trolley Tours; Santa Barbara Walking Tours; Segway of Santa Barbara; South Coast Railroad Museum; Stagecoach Company Wine Tours; Sunset Kidd Sailing Cruises; Sustainable Vine Wine Tours; Wheel Fun (bike rentals) and Wine Edventures.

In addition, when registering at www.SantaBarbaraCarFree.org, visitors can receive 20 percent savings on Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin (and linked buses) to/from all nine Amtrak stations in Santa Barbara County (Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Solvang, Buellton, Lompoc, Surf, Guadalupe & Santa Maria) valid for travel through December 19, 2012. (Three-day advance purchase required; blackout dates and restrictions apply, see Car Free website for details and to make reservations).

For complete information on the 2012 “Cool Car Free Discounts” offer and hundreds of car free options including a free, colorful map— call 805-696-1100 or visit www.SantaBarbaraCarFree.org.