About Santa Barbara Water Taxi

A bright-yellow paint job, black trim, and a checkerboard motif adorn the Lil' Toot, traits it shares with New York taxicabs—but most cabs don't have a stash of life vests for adults and children aboard. The star of the Santa Barbara Water Taxi, Lil' Toot (named for its recognizable whistle and absolutely not for anything else) safely shuttles up to 19 passengers back and forth from Stearns Wharf to Santa Barbara Harbor. Captained by one of the company's Coast Guard–licensed pros, the ship—which uses a meager 4 gallons of fuel per day—also sets out on longer sunset voyages.