What Is There to Do in Santa Barbara

Looking for the all-time things to do in Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is the quintessential California beach urban center, with tall skinny palm trees, endless ocean views, and beautiful sandy beaches. Just Santa Barbara isn't just a beach destination.

Home to stunning architecture, fascinating historic landmarks, a vibrant arts and culture scene, hikes and outdoor activities aplenty, and succulent food and wine options, Santa Barbara has something to offer every type of traveler.

Boats in Santa Barbara Harbor, California
Santa Barbara Harbor at dawn

Juxtaposed between the picturesque Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Sea, Santa Barbara is located in the southern function of California's Central Coast and is often described as the American Riviera.

Non and then large that it'due south frenetic and not then small that there isn't plenty to do, Santa Barbara is the Goldilocks California city, perfect for family unit vacations, couples escapes, solo jaunts, or group getaways.

In this commodity, we've rounded upwards the best things to do in Santa Barbara, from iconic attractions and landmarks to saucepan-list experiences and delicious dining. And if you are looking for places to stay in Santa Barbara, we have suggestions for accommodations too.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Things to Do in Santa Barbara, CA
Where to Stay in Santa Barbara

Things to Practise in Santa Barbara

Admire Old Mission Santa Barbara

One of the most photogenic of the California Missions, Old Mission Santa Barbara was founded in 1786. It was the tenth mission built in Alta California by Franciscan friars.

The Santa Barbara Spanish Mission is known as Queen of the Missions.
Former Mission Santa Barbara has a cute facade!

Old Mission Santa Barbara is one of the pinnacle Santa Barbara attractions, and deserves top billing on your itinerary for the city.

You can take cocky-guided tours of the museum, church, gardens, and cemetery. Guided tours are also offered once a mean solar day, and offer insights into the mission's history and artifacts. There is as well a gift shop to browse.

Snap photos of the beautiful facade with its dusty pink accents, admire the cute Moorish fountain in front, and stroll the rose gardens if yous visit during bloom fourth dimension.

Get hours and admission data for the Santa Barbara Mission here.

Explore El Presidio de Santa Barbara Country Historic Park

The Spanish Crown sent both soldiers and missionaries to expand their empire in Alta California. El Presidio de Santa Barbara is the last of four military outposts built by the Castilian, and ane of the must-visit places to visit in Santa Barbara.

The Chapel at El Presidio de Santa Barbara in California
The chapel at the Santa Barbara Presidio

Founded in 1782, the Santa Barbara Presidio acted equally the military headquarters and governing middle for the region. The complex was constructed by the Chumash, the native people of the area, under the supervision of Spanish soldiers.

Today the complex is a state celebrated park, and you can explore information technology on a self-guided bout. Ii buildings are restorations of the original, while others have been reconstructed.

Get information on hours and access for the Santa Barbara Presidio here.

Bout the Santa Barbara County Courthouse

Ane of the many beautiful celebrated landmarks in Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Canton Courthouse is an elegant Castilian Colonial building that was finished in 1929. It is a working courthouse.

Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara's Spanish Colonial County Courthouse

The beautiful white building is topped by a red-tiled roof, and surrounded by gorgeous grounds, with palm copse and other plantings. It has a sunken garden and a decorative chief archway, and a clock tower with an arched viewing gallery.

Inside, y'all will find cute tile work, old chandeliers, and a gorgeous landscape room, with painted walls and ceiling. If the inside of the Clock Tower is open when you visit, do non miss the hazard to see the mechanism and to view the landscape depicting the history of timekeeping.

Accept in the Views from the Clock Tower

You can climb upwards the steps (or take the elevator) to the viewing gallery of the Clock Belfry at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse for spectacular views in every direction.

From the Clock Belfry viewing gallery, y'all can get a full appreciation of the red tiled roofs of the city. Taking in the 360-degree views on a nice weather condition day is 1 of the best things to practise in Santa Barbara.

Ocean View from the Santa Barbara Clock Tower in California
The stunning Ocean View from the Clock Tower

While the side looking towards the Pacific Ocean is spectacular, brand sure y'all walk effectually and take in the views from the other three sides likewise. The red tiled roofs and white facades make for awesome photos.

Practise the Santa Barbara Red Tile Walking Tour

The self-guided Red Tile Walking Bout in downtown Santa Barbara is a loop walk that takes you by many of the beautiful buildings in the city. If y'all do it early in the solar day, you can view them in relative solitude, and get swell photos.

Entrance to the Santa Barbara County Courthouse in California
Start the Red Tile walking tour at the Courthouse

The tour starts (and ends) at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, and takes you past such icons as the beautiful Public Library, the Hill-Carrillo Adobe, the Plaza de la Guerra, where the start city council meeting was held, and the Rochin Adobe, fabricated with salvaged bricks from the walls of the Presidio.

The walking bout covers about twelve urban center blocks, and there are lots of restaurants along the way, should you experience the need to fuel up. Many of the buildings along the route can be toured, if you want to delve deeper into Santa Barbara's past.

If you don't feel like walking, this pop 90-minute Santa Barbara trolley tour is a great way to get an overview, with a commentary that will tell you a lot nearly the city'south history and sights.

Catch Some Rays at Due east Beach

East Beach is one of Santa Barbara's many sandy beaches. It is a wide swathe of sand that stretches east of Stearns Wharf, and the Cabrillo Boulevard biking and walking path runs alongside, fringed by super alpine palms.

East Beach in Santa Barbara, California
East Embankment is wide and sandy

Water sports, beach volleyball, and sunbathing are popular East Beach activities. It is a great beach for walking as well: you lot will see birds at the waterline and beautiful sunrises if you are upwards early. At depression tide, you can walk south all the way to Butterfly Beach in Montecito!

People watching on E Embankment and forth the adjacent Cabrillo Boulevard biking and walking path is ane of the most fun things to do in Santa Barbara.

In that location'south plenty of street parking, and a paid lot likewise. East Embankment is large so information technology never feels crowded. There are restrooms and picnic tables.

Stroll Stearns Wharf

Stearns Wharf is one of Santa Barbara's near popular attractions, with shopping, dining, and fun activities for kids and adults alike. The historic wharf dates back to 1872, and is 2,300 feet long.

Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara California
Historic Stearrns Wharf in Santa Barbara

For a fun narrated h2o taxi ride (kids will dear this!), accept Lil' Toot from Stearns Wharf to Santa Barbara Harbor and dorsum: rides are offered every afternoon and run every half hour. Whale watching and other ocean cruises also depart from Stearns Wharf.

Stroll the wharf to browse the gift shops, and, if y'all savor seafood, stop for clam chowder or fresh seafood dishes at the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company.

Don't forget to snap photos of the city from the wharf: you lot get beautiful views of the palms and the buildings nestled upwards confronting the mountains.

Visit the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is i of the near visit-worthy botanical gardens in California, with its focus on native plants. In the spring, the wildflower meadow is full of vivid orangish California poppies and many other varieties of wildflowers.

The wildflower meadow at the Botanic Garden in Santa Barbara, California
The wildflower meadow at the botanic garden in flower

The garden offers views out to the Channel Islands on one side and the Santa Ynez Mountains on the other. Trails wind through the 78 acres of the garden, which is divided into sections such as the Redwood Grove and the Arroyo Section.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is home to the celebrated Mission Dam and Aqueduct, which dates dorsum to the early 1800s. The dam and aqueduct were congenital by the Chumash to supply water to the Santa Barbara Mission. The garden contains several other historical landmarks as well.

Enjoy Funk Zone

To enjoy the hip side of Santa Barbara, head to the Funk Zone, the area between Highway 101 and the Pacific Sea next to the Amtrak Station. The colorful commune is known for its lively ambient.

Hurry Home Mural by Phoebe Brunner in Santa Barbara California
Hurry Abode by Phoebe Brunner PC: Charlie

You volition find a plethora of vino tasting rooms, eateries, bazaar shops, and fine art galleries in the walkable Funk Zone. Enjoy craft brews at Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company, or mitt-crafted spirits at Cutler's Artisan Spirits, Santa Barbara's kickoff post-Prohibition distillery.

The Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail covers shut to ii dozen downtown Santa Barbara tasting rooms, many of them in the Funk Zone, within walking distance of i another. Y'all can download a map here.

While eating and drinking are a must in the Funk Zone, permit for time to walk around and admire the many murals that add color and a unique vibe to the district. Many local artists have contributed.

This 3-hour Funk Zone tour offers a swell introduction to the commune, if yous want to feel information technology in an efficient way and sample its best in a few hours. The small-scale group tour offers tastings of snacks and drinks, plus tips on the all-time photo spots, and lots of information on Santa Barbara from your guide. Book this tour now!

Stroll Country Street

State Street is one of the chief streets in downtown Santa Barbara. The gracious palm-lined street makes for a delightful stroll any fourth dimension of the day. With lots of one-of-a-kind boutiques, art galleries, eateries, and tasting rooms, State Street offers first-class people watching.

Arlington Theatre Santa Barbara California
The Arlington Theatre PC: Alex

You will likewise find lots of beautiful architecture on and just off Land Street. Look for historic theaters similar the Granada Theatre, the tallest building in Santa Barbara, and the Mission Revival style Arlington Theatre, originally built in 1930.

Don't miss La Arcada Courtyard, with its former earth ambience, beautiful fountains, and tile work. La Arcada is dwelling house to many height-notch fine art galleries, shops, and restaurants.

Join a Downtown Santa Barbara Nutrient Tour

Santa Barbara is a fun destination for food and drinkable, and a tour is a nifty way to sample some of the metropolis's offerings if it's your start visit to Santa Barbara and y'all desire some local guidance.

This downtown Santa Barbara food tour is popular and well-reviewed. You lot will visit 5 or 6 tasting locations to sample local favorites, and 1 wine tasting room. Your guide volition offer recommendations on other places to try during your visit. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are offered. Book this tour now!

Snap a Photo of the Moreton Bay Fig Tree

Santa Barbara's Moreton Bay fig tree (Ficus macrophylla) is located correct adjacent to the Amtrak train station. Listed in the California Register of Big Trees, the tree is one of the largest fig copse in the land.

Moreton Bay Fig Tree in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara's massive Moreton Bay fig tree

Manner dorsum in 1876, a sailor from Australia presented a fig tree sapling to a local girl, who planted it at 201 Country Street. Afterward she moved away, her friend Adeline Crabb moved it to its present location.

The Australian native thrived in the spot and was terminal measured equally having a girth of over 40 anxiety and a canopy of over 175 anxiety. Information technology'southward the nearly famous of Santa Barbara's dozen or so historic and specimen trees.

The enormous Moreton Bay fig tree is definitely one of the unique things to run across in Santa Barbara, specially if you are a plant and garden lover.

Enjoy Seafood with a View at Brophy Bros.

Located at the Santa Barbara Harbor, Brophy Bros. offers stunning views of the mountains and the harbor. Definitely opt for a table on the outdoor patio for the all-time ambience, specially if you visit on a beautiful bright day.

Brophy Bros. are known for their comforting mollusk chowder, but yous will notice other toothsome offerings on the menu as well, from hearty cioppino to the fried buttermilk calamari.

Get Interactive at MOXI

MOXI, the Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, is a must-visit in Santa Barbara. Located in the Funk Zone, MOXI offers super fun interactive experiences for all ages, and exploring it is ane of the best things to do in Santa Barbara with kids.

MOXI Museum in Santa Barbara California
MOXI Museum in Santa Barbara PC: MOXI

The 3-floor museum features several themes, all related to science, technology, engineering, arts or math. In the Innovation Workshop, you tin can pattern and examination your creations. In the Audio Studios, create sound effects for popular film clips.

Build a race car and race information technology on the Speed Track. Bask fabulous views over the city at the Sky Garden, where you can walk on the drinking glass Heaven Deck and view the city through different scopes.

Get information on hours and access here.

Visit Another Santa Barbara Museum

If you enjoy museums, Santa Barbara has many wonderful museums to find. Hither are some of our favorites:

  • Santa Barbara Museum of Art has several exhibition galleries and an impressive library. Collections are eclectic, ranging from 19th century European paintings to Asian art, antiquities, and gimmicky and modern art. Docent-led tours are offered, or yous can tour the galleries in your own. Discover hours and admission information here.
  • Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is located forth Mission Creek and offers indoor and outdoor exhibits focused on regional invertebrate and vertebrate creatures, as well as collections related to Native American peoples, especially the Chumash. The Sea Center, located on Stearns Wharf, focuses on marine animals from the Santa Barbara Channel. Find more data here.
A butterfly at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History in California
A butterfly alights on a bloom at the Museum of Natural History
  • Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is located in the Santa Barbara Harbor. Information technology is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history of the Santa Barbara Channel and the bounding main in full general, with visual exhibits (paintings and models), events, and lectures. Plan your visit.
  • The Carriage and Western Art Museum, located in Pershing Park, is a unique museum to observe in Santa Barbara. The museum has a beautiful collection of saddles, bridles, and carriages. You tin see Edward Borein's stunning friezes of life in the American West here. Admission is free. Cheque hours of operation.

Pose for a Photo at the Chromatic Gate

If yous want to walk through a rainbow and take some colorful photos for Instagram when yous visit Santa Barbara, look no further than the Chromatic Gate, located at Arco Circle along Cabrillo Boulevard!

Chromatic Gate Santa Barbara California
Chromatic Gate in Santa Barbara PC: Manon

The rainbow-hued art installation is the work of Herbert Bayer, an Austrian and American creative person and architect, who spent the final decade of his life at Montecito. The gate is 21 feet tall and looks stunning on a clear brilliant 24-hour interval against a blue sky.

Get Birding at the Andree Clark Bird Refuge

The Andrée Clark Bird Refuge is a must-visit if y'all enjoy birding. The 42-acre park has a large lake, a modified estuary with brackish wetlands and marshes. In that location are three islands in the lake.

American Coots in California
You may see American coots at the Andree Clark Bird Refuge

At that place are pathways forth the northward shore of the lake, with three viewing platforms from which to wait for birds and wild fauna. Bring binoculars or a zoom lens, to be able to see birds up close and get good photos.

Several dozen bird species have been spotted at the Refuge, including ducks and mallards, California gulls, blackness-crowned night herons, American coots, grebes, sparrows, teals, doves, woodpeckers, and hummingbirds. Yous can as well encounter turtles and other wild fauna.

View Wildlife at the Santa Barbara Zoo

The Santa Barbara Zoo is small-scale, but contains shut to 150 species, including animals, birds, reptiles, and insects. Animals from all over the world can be viewed in open up, natural habitats.

A flamingo at the Santa Barbara Zoo in California
Flamingos are a popular attraction at the Santa Barbara Zoo

"Run across the Animals" encounters are 30-minute educational experiences where you lot tin ask questions and feed Masai giraffes, view condors being fed, or toss fish to penguins.

You can also ride C.P. Huntington trains around the perimeter of the zoo, or take a guided walking bout. Visit the zoo website for hours of operation and to buy tickets.

Hike a Santa Barbara Trail

Outdoor enthusiasts accept plenty of hiking trails in and around Santa Barbara from which to choice, from easy strolls to rigorous workouts. Hither are some Santa Barbara hikes to consider. Note that some trails are as well mountain biking trails.

A view from La Cumbre Peak in Santa Barbara California
A view from La Cumbre Tiptop
  • Inspiration Indicate offers magnificent views and can be reached via ii trails. The shorter hike starts at Tunnel Trail forth a paved admission road and so climbs uphill through chaparral to the elevation, which offers panoramic views of the urban center and the sea, and the Channel Islands. The hike is 3.5 miles round trip, with 800 feet of elevation gain.
  • Lizard's Mouth is simply 0.25 mile 1 way, and leads to a viewpoint with spectacular views over the urban center. The namesake rock that looks like a lizard with its rima oris open is towards the dorsum of the outcropping. The viewpoint is a great place to watch the sun set.
  • La Cumbre Peak is a long twenty-four hours hike that leads to the highest indicate in Santa Barbara, at 3,995 feet in a higher place sea level. The meridian can exist accessed via Tunnel Trail, with views over the metropolis en route and 360-degree views from the top. The total circular trip is nearly ten miles.
  • 7 Falls is also accessed from Tunnel Trail and information technology is a short, moderately difficult hike with a corking photograph op at the end. Some rock hopping and sloshing are required to get to the falls. The total length is virtually 2.5 miles round trip.

Go Lunch at the Santa Barbara Public Market place

When in downtown Santa Barbara, head to the Santa Barbara Public Market for tiffin. The metropolis'south food hall is located just off Land Street and offers a diverseness of quick and succulent options.

With a noodle bar, pizzeria, sushi, falafel bar, and Mexican all under ane roof, the Public Market is the perfect choice if yous are in a group and tin can't agree on a single cuisine. Finish with yum ice cream at Rori'southward Artisanal Creamery, i of ii fabulous local ice cream places in Santa Barbara.

Relish Santa Barbara Harbor

Santa Barbara Harbor is beautiful, with rows and rows of colorful boats reflecting in the still water, and a variety of birds, from gulls to pelicans, circling overhead.

Walk to Point Castillo at Santa Barbara Harbor
The Point Castillo walkway at dawn

I of the best things to do at Santa Barbara Harbor is the walk to Point Castillo and dorsum. The one-mile walk offers spectacular views of the ocean. It is peculiarly scenic at sunrise, with fishing boats out in the h2o on one side, and the mountains and harbor on the other.

During the day, there are shops to browse, splendid eateries, and a diversity of outfitters that offering equipment if yous want to go kayaking or stand up-up paddleboarding, besides as guided excursions on the h2o.

Cheque out this highly-rated harbor kayak tour in Santa Barbara! The 2-60 minutes bout offers views of the metropolis and the mountains from the water, and the opportunity to spot marine life and birds. Prior kayaking experience is not required. Volume the bout at present!

Enjoy McConnell's Ice Cream!

McConnell's is a Santa Barbara institution. Established in 1949, McConnell's serves scrumptious water ice foam fabricated from natural ingredients. Information technology's a sweetness treat you must not miss when you lot visit Santa Barbara, although they now accept locations in several cities in California.

Double Peanut Butter Chip Ice Cream from McConnell's in Santa Barbara California
Double Peanut Butter Bit! PC: Erica

Endemic by 3 generations of three different families, McConnell's offers numerous flavors, some that incorporate local flavors similar Eureka lemon. We love the decadent chocolate, rich coffee, and simple sweet cream, but you really can't become incorrect with any season!

If y'all love to indulge your sweetness molar, sampling McConnell's ice cream is undoubtedly i of the almost fun activities in Santa Barbara yous can practice! Find Santa Barbara locations hither.

Catch a Show at a Historic Theater

"Dinner and a show" is delightful in Santa Barbara, where a number of theaters offering music shows, dance performances, films, plays, lectures, and more. What'due south more, the theaters are beautiful in their own right, with art, architecture, and design that volition captivate yous.

  • Lobero Theatre, which opened in 1873, is located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara's Theatre Commune. Although its old-world amuse stays intact, technological improvements allow for outstanding performing arts experiences, from music to ballet.
Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara California
Beautiful Lobero Theatre! PC: Lobero
  • The Granada Theatre dates back to 1924 and is as well located in downtown Santa Barbara. The theatre hosts resident performing arts companies, including the Santa Barbara Symphony, merely besides hosts touring productions. Its stunning and opulent interior volition leave yous gawking.
  • The Arlington Theatre features beautiful compages and a ceiling that replicates a starry nighttime sky. The theatre opened in 1931 as a movie palace, merely today it hosts a variety of shows, from films to plays, music, and comedy. The Arlington Theatre has been a venue for the almanac Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Enjoy Retail Therapy at Paseo Nuevo

An outdoor shopping complex just off State Street, Paseo Nuevo makes for a fun and lively wander, with its Spanish architecture and beautiful white facades.

Paseo Nuevo has many familiar stores, plus local boutiques and restaurants. The complex has beautiful terraces, public art installations, courtyards and fountains, making information technology a great identify to even simply walk in the evening.

Don't forget to pose for photos on the colorful Spanish tiled steps at Paseo Nuevo! If you lot visit on a Sabbatum, you may catch the weekly Makers Market place, where local artisans showcase their wares.

Visit Butterfly Beach

Butterfly Beach, in Montecito Village, is one of the well-nigh beautiful beaches in the region and a must for your Santa Barbara itinerary. It is just a 10-infinitesimal drive from downtown Santa Barbara. You lot can even bike to Butterfly Embankment!

Sunset at Butterfly Beach in Montecito California
Sunset at Butterfly Embankment

The sandy beach is perfect for sunbathing or strolling. Swimming, surfing, kayaking, and stand-upwardly paddleboarding are other popular activities at Butterfly Embankment. Look for whales and dolphins in the water, and birds at the waterline.

If y'all enjoy watching the sun set over the water, caput to Butterfly Beach in the evening. Sunrises at the beach are too beautiful, if y'all are an early riser.

Explore Ganna Walska Lotusland

Garden lovers rejoice! Other than the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, you tin can as well visit Lotusland in Montecito. Lotusland is the creation of Madama Ganna Walska, a Polish opera singer who bought the estate in the early 1940s.

An Asian Lotus in bloom at Lotusland in Montecito California
Asian Lotus in blossom PC: Lotusland

Several themed gardens are laid out artistically over the 37-acre estate. The water garden boasts lotus blooms in the summer, along with water lilies and taro. You volition find plants from many parts of the world in the garden.

Visitors tin have self-guided tours through the gardens, and browse the garden souvenir shop. The garden allows picnics on its beautiful main lawn on special days. Get information on hours and access on the garden website.

Bout Casa del Herrero

Besides in Montecito, Casa del Herrero (House of the Blacksmith) is a must-visit if you lot enjoy local history. The home is considered ane of the best examples of the Spanish Revival style in the state. Casa del Herrera is designated a National Historic Landmark.

Congenital in the 1920s for George Fox Steedman and his family, the home was designed by George Washington Smith. The manor features gorgeous Moorish-inspired gardens. Inside, you will too fine art from 15th and 16th century Kingdom of spain collected by the Steedman family unit.

Tours of the property are offered with accelerate reservation. Notice hours of operation and admission information here.

Bike the Cabrillo Boulevard Biking Trail

Biking is an extremely pop action in Santa Barbara. Locals and visitors bask biking the flat and easy Cabrillo Boulevard Wheel Path, one of the well-nigh beloved biking routes in the city.

The Cabrillo Boulevard Bike Path in Santa Barbara California is flat and easy.
The Cabrillo Boulevard Bike Path is flat and easy

About 4.five miles long, the biking route connects Leadbetter Embankment in Santa Barbara to Butterfly Beach in Montecito. It passes by Stearns Wharf and East Beach, the Andree Clark Bird Refuge, and the Santa Barbara Cemetery.

Of course, yous can ride merely a office of the route. For extra fun, rent a surrey bike if yous are visiting as a family! We saw lots of folks pedaling the route in quadricycles and eastward-bikes. You will find bicycle rental places in the Funk Zone, close to the beach: Cal Declension Adventures is a highly-rated bike rental place.

Prefer a structured tour? Check out this highly-rated e-bike tour of Santa Barbara! The 2.5-60 minutes bout covers historical landmarks, Land Street in downtown Santa Barbara, and the oceanfront. Volume this bout now!

Go Whale Watching

The Santa Barbara Aqueduct is home to myriad marine life, including several species of whales, dolphins, and sea birds. You lot tin go whale watching in Santa Barbara year round.

Humpback in the Pacific Ocean
Humpback fluking in the Pacific Body of water!

In the wintertime and early spring, yous can run into Pacific grayness whales pass past on their migration. Come up winter, they migrate from the Arctic Seas to the warm waters of Baja California. In the jump, they make the long journey back to their feeding grounds in the Arctic.

From tardily bound until early fall, you volition likely encounter humpback whales or blue whales, and the occasional minke whale or fin whale. A variety of dolphins tin also be spotted.

Enjoy a Special Dinner!

If you are a foodie, you lot will be spoiled for choice when information technology comes to fine eateries to effort in Santa Barbara. Nosotros've visited several times now, and we all the same feel overwhelmed by the number of nifty restaurants in this city. Here are some of our favorite places to eat in Santa Barbara:

  • Located in the Funk Zone, The Distraction features a menu inspired past seasonal local ingredients, with lots of vegetable-forward choices. The menu changes often, but we think you lot will like whatsoever you cull. Try some of the craft cocktails too!
  • Loquita offers flavorful minor plates, including classics similar pan con tomate and patatas bravas, equally well equally paella (with a vegetarian selection) and succulent desserts you will non be able to resist. Their cocktails are superb.
  • For wonderful vegan and vegetarian choices, consider Mesa Verde. The Mediterranean-inspired card features an array of colorful salads, sandwiches, and bowls. We love their Mediterranean basin.
  • Toma Restaurant & Bar is a waterfront Italian eatery with a carte inspired by local ingredients. We've had excellent pastas hither, also every bit flavorful seafood dishes. They likewise offer meat dishes and flatbreads.
  • Bouchon Santa Barbara offers French-inspired wine country cuisine, with ingredients sourced locally. The carte features a variety of meat and seafood mains. Their wine pairings are impressive.

Photo Beautiful Churches

Santa Barbara is a lensman'due south paradise, with its many pristine beaches, spectacular west coast sunrises and sunsets, and amazing architecture. While we've covered some of these photo spots already, we wanted to highlight some of the beautiful churches nosotros came across as we drove around the city.

The Santa Barbara Greek Orthodox Church is located high in the hills above the city. Information technology reminded usa so much of Greece, with its white facade and blue domes!

Santa Barbara Greek Orthodox Church
Santa Barbara Greek Orthodox Church

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church building in Montecito is a historic church dating back to the mission era in California's history. The original adobe chapel, dedicated in 1877, stood a little to the due east of the nowadays church.

The current church, with its Southwest pattern that combines Pueblo Indian and Spanish Colonial, was consecrated in 1938. It has a lovely little garden.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montecito, California
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montecito

Take a Twenty-four hours Trip!

Not just is Santa Barbara a fabulous destination in its ain right, it is also shut to some cute vino country towns and other natural areas. Nosotros take a total commodity with all the best mean solar day trips from Santa Barbara, but here are some quick snapshots of a few of our favorites!

  • Solvang, in the Santa Ynez Valley, offers a little bit of Denmark in America. While its giant windmills and Danish architecture volition keep yous snapping photos, Solvang is likewise a quality food and vino destination, with numerous tasting rooms in the walkable downtown.
  • The Santa Ynez Valley is a picturesque valley with six charming little towns to explore. Solvang is the largest, but you will love the Wild West feel of Los Alamos, the artisanal eateries in Los Olivos, the wine tasting in all the towns, and the beautiful little museums in the region. This highly-rated tour (past hybrid cycle), or this minor group vehicle tour is a great style to experience the best of Santa Ynez Valley in a day.
Santa Ynez Valley in California
The Santa Ynez Valley is a delight to explore!
  • Aqueduct Islands National Park is the definitive day trip destination from Santa Barbara for nature lovers. A trip offers spectacular views, the opportunity to meet plenty of wild animals, marine life, and birds, and a chance to really get away from it all. Ferries leave from Ventura or Oxnard.

Where to Stay in Santa Barbara, CA

Hotels in Santa Barbara, CA

Harbor Firm Inn features studio units in a highly-rated property located one block from Westward Beach, between Stearn'due south Wharf and the Santa Barbara Harbor. Rooms are spacious and well-appointed, and wifi and parking are free. Beach gear and bikes are gratis during your stay. Book a stay hither!

Santa Barbara Inn offers upscale, beautifully-furnished guest rooms in a property but beyond the street from Due east Beach. Bathrooms are big and well-appointed and outdoor spaces are super relaxing, with fire pits and views of the h2o. Some rooms take total ocean views, others have partial views. Book a stay here!

Special occasion splurge? Cheque out the Belmond El Encanto, which offers suites and bungalows dotted about vii beautifully-landscaped acres with stunning views over Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean. The hotel features a large zero-edge outdoor pool and an onsite spa. Book a stay here!

Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara California at Sunrise
Stearns Wharf at sunrise

Holiday Rentals in Santa Barbara, CA

This gorgeous Westward Beach belongings is close to the beach, harbor,wharf, and Funk Zone. The two-bedroom, two-bath home sleeps up to half dozen persons. The dwelling house is well-appointed and has patios and a large backyard with fruit and avocado trees. Beach gear and supplies are offered for your stay. Book a stay here!

This cute cabana in Montecito is the perfect romantic retreat. The one bedroom, one bathroom unit has a pool only out the front door, and lush landscaping surrounding it. The unit is beautifully furnished, and the outdoor spaces for relaxing are exquisite. Book a stay here!

This beautiful home in West Embankment is conveniently located to Stearns Wharf, the Funk Zone, Country Street, the harbor, and the beach. The 2-bedroom, one bathroom cottage is comfortably furnished, with a modern kitchen and bathroom, and outdoor spaces for relaxation. Book a stay here!

*****

Now that you have discovered all the best things to do in Santa Barbara, discover out how to put many of these exciting landmarks and experiences together with our action-packed itinerary for the perfect Santa Barbara weekend!

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Discover all the best things to do in Santa Barbara, California! The best beaches, beautiful historic landmarks, great food and drink, shopping, and more!

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Source: https://roadtrippingcalifornia.com/things-to-do-in-santa-barbara/

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