Westmont College Parents & Families Guide
Santa Barbara, CA · For families of students far from home
Westmont College is a small residential college in a quiet Montecito neighborhood next to Santa Barbara. Most families fly into Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), about 25 minutes away, and first year families return for New Warrior Family Weekend, Oct 30 to Nov 1, 2026.
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Westmont Parents & Families: Far From Home
A private group for parents and families of Westmont students who live far from home. Ask questions, share tips, and get answers from families who've been there.
Coming up
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Fall Holiday 2026Add to calendar: Fall Holiday 2026Source: Important Dates for Academic Year 2026-27 (Westmont Office of the Registrar) | Mon, Oct 12 to Tue, Oct 13, 2026 |
| New Warrior Family Weekend 2026Families of first year and transfer studentsAdd to calendar: New Warrior Family Weekend 2026Source: New Warrior Family Weekend | Westmont College | Fri, Oct 30 to Sun, Nov 1, 20268 AM |
| Thanksgiving Holiday 2026Add to calendar: Thanksgiving Holiday 2026Source: Important Dates for Academic Year 2026-27 (Westmont Office of the Registrar) | Wed, Nov 25 to Fri, Nov 27, 2026 |
| Last Day of Fall 2026 ClassesAdd to calendar: Last Day of Fall 2026 ClassesSource: Important Dates for Academic Year 2026-27 (Westmont Office of the Registrar) | Fri, Dec 11, 2026 |
| Fall 2026 Final ExamsAdd to calendar: Fall 2026 Final ExamsSource: Important Dates for Academic Year 2026-27 (Westmont Office of the Registrar) | Tue, Dec 15 to Fri, Dec 18, 2026 |
Quick answers
Key dates
- Family Weekend: Oct 30 to Nov 1, 2026
- Thanksgiving break: Nov 25 to 27, 2026
- Commencement: May 8, 2027
Getting there
- Nearest airport: SBA, about 25 min by car
- Also: LAX, about 1 hr 30 min by car
- Where families stay: Montecito (Coast Village Road), Summerland and West Beach and waterfront
Move in & move out
- Move in: Aug 26, 2026
- Move out: May 7, 2027
Health & safety
- Westmont Health Center: (805) 565-6164
- Westmont Campus Safety: (805) 565-6222
- Urgent care: Cottage Urgent Care, Montecito
A hillside campus in Montecito
Westmont's mailing address says Santa Barbara, 955 La Paz Road, but the 111 acre campus sits in a quiet residential Montecito neighborhood. That setting explains a few rules families notice right away. Under its Conditional Use Permit with Santa Barbara County, Westmont does not give first year students campus parking permits, and students are not allowed to park on nearby streets such as Cold Spring Road and La Paz Road.
Getting here from far away
Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) is about 25 minutes from campus, according to Westmont's page for out of state parents. LAX is about 90 minutes without traffic, and the Santa Barbara Airbus runs scheduled trips between LAX and Santa Barbara. Westmont offers a free shuttle to SBA at Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break and the end of the year, but it does not provide rides to or from LAX.
How the year runs
Westmont uses two semesters plus an optional Mayterm. Fall 2026 classes began Aug 31, fall finals are Dec 15 to 18, and residence halls close at noon the next day. Spring classes start Jan 11, 2027, spring break is Mar 15 to 19, and commencement is Saturday, May 8, 2027. Two shorter pauses are worth marking early: a Fall Holiday on Oct 12 and 13, and an Easter Break from Mar 26 to 29.
Where students live
Westmont has six residence halls: Page, Clark, Armington, Emerson, Van Kampen and the Global Leadership Center. Some juniors and seniors live at Ocean View, a 22 unit apartment complex about three miles from campus. Housing (Room 212) and Parent Relations (Room 206) are both in Kerrwood Hall.
Family weekends
Westmont holds two. New Warrior Family Weekend, for families of first year and transfer students, runs Oct 30 to Nov 1, 2026, with no registration fee. A spring Parent & Family Weekend for all families took place Mar 27 to 29 in 2026, timed with Spring Sing at the Santa Barbara Bowl; the 2027 dates were not posted when we checked.
Your first call
The Parent Relations office is in Kerrwood Hall, Room 206. Reach it at (805) 565-6056 or parents@westmont.edu for family weekend questions, Parent Orientation and the Parents Council.
What else is in this hub
The pages that follow lay out the full 2026 to 27 dates list, flights and where parents stay, move in and move out, health and safety resources around Montecito, and a who to call directory.
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Questions Westmont parents ask
Is this the official Westmont College parent group?
No. Far From Home is an independent parent community supported by College Cubbies. For official information, visit the Westmont College parent and family page.
When is Westmont's New Warrior Family Weekend in 2026?
Friday, Oct 30 to Sunday, Nov 1, 2026, for families of first year and transfer students. There is no registration fee, but Parent Relations asks you to register in advance, especially for the Saturday brunch.
When is Westmont commencement 2027?
Saturday, May 8, 2027, according to the registrar. The 2026 ceremony ran 9 a.m. to noon on Thorrington Field; check the commencement page for the 2027 time and place.
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