I’ve typically mentioned Santa Barbara is the prettiest metropolis in the USA, and I assume till I see each one of many 19,000+ cities in America, I’m sticking to it. (I do have a delicate spot for New Orleans too although!)
The structure, the mountains, stunning seashores, the local weather, the wine – Santa Barbara actually is a metropolis that has all of it and even in per week right here, you wouldn’t handle to get by this complete record.
However in the event you’re on the lookout for nice concepts for among the finest issues to do in Santa Barbara, learn on…
It’s an incredible place to come back for a weekend away in the event you’re primarily based in Los Angeles or San Francisco – or make it your standalone California trip.
On this submit, I’ll reveal the perfect issues that can make you wish to guide a ticket to Santa Barbara this yr. Let’s get began!
Try downtown Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara has one of many cutest little downtown districts in Southern California. That’s why it’s earned my award for prettiest metropolis!
The format is extremely pleasant to pedestrians, so strolling round to the entire eating places and outlets is simple to do.
The buildings are all modeled within the Spanish mission model to honor the legacy that helped construct and develop the realm.
One thing you’ll be able to’t miss when visiting downtown Santa Barbara is the State Avenue Promenade Market. It takes place each Thursday between 3:00pm and seven:30pm.
There are tons of distributors out that promote all kinds of artisanal items. One place you need to cease at is Menchaca Sweets. They’ve bought among the most scrumptious chocolate that I’ve ever had at a farmers’ market, arms down!
The Moreton Bay Fig Tree!
A visit to Santa Barbara simply wouldn’t be full with a selfie in entrance of the sprawling roots of the oldest Moreton Bay Fig Tree in the USA.
The 120-year previous tree was planted in 1877 by Adeline Crabb, from a seed her good friend had bought from an Australian sailor a few years earlier and who had planted it close by. Adeline replanted it the place it’s at the moment and it was formally designated it a “tree of notable historic curiosity” in 1970 and is situated close to Stearn’s Wharf, adjoining to the Amtrak Station, 209 State Avenue.
The cover stretches over 170 ft and the reasonable Santa Barbara local weather should agree with it, as a result of this previous woman continues to be going sturdy.
Go to the weekly Arts and Crafts Present
Rain, hail or shine the Arts and Crafts Present goes on! Each Sunday (and Saturdays of main vacation weekends) on the waterfront from 10am till 6pm you’ll be able to come and browse high-quality arts and up to date items from native artists and artisans.
Situated ocean facet of W. Cabrillo Blvd between State St and Calle Cesar Chavez.
Lease e-bikes
You may guide a gaggle tour on an e-bike to see the perfect of Santa Barbara with a information, or simply head alongside and hire e-bikes for 2 hours or the entire day.
You may seize a map and discover by yourself from the downtown space, alongside the broad seashore dotted with palm timber, by the Funk Zone (the place it is best to cease and eat – extra information beneath), as much as the Mission and extra.
Do the City Wine Path
Transfer over Napa Valley, there’s one other wonderful wine tasting expertise in California! The City Wine Path exposes you to among the finest wine tasting experiences you will discover within the state.
With over 20 wineries to go to, you’ll undoubtedly wish to unfold your expertise over just a few days.
One factor that makes the wine path enjoyable to navigate is that it’s divided up into neighborhoods. Every neighborhood is coloration coded on the map to make it simple to see which of them you’ve lined and which of them you continue to want to find!
A good suggestion to get essentially the most bang on your buck is to hitch the City Wine Path membership. When you be part of, you get a free tasting at every of the wineries alongside the path if you first go to each. Plus, you additionally will get a ten% low cost on something you buy on the primary day that you just go to each!
Go to iconic Stearns Wharf
Inbuilt 1872, the two,300 foot lengthy Stearns Wharf grew to become the longest wharf between Los Angeles and San Francisco. At the moment, it’s the oldest working picket wharf in your complete state of California!
The most important downside you’ll have when visiting Stearns Wharf is selecting what to do. You’ll discover all types of eating places for scrumptious meals. There’s nothing fairly like chowing down on among the freshest seafood round on the Harbor Restaurant as you are taking within the view of the Pacific Ocean.
And when you’re achieved together with your meal, take a journey on the water taxi that embarks proper from the wharf. You’ll board Lil’ Toots and get handled to a 25-minute lengthy boat journey across the harbor.
As you cruise round, one in every of Lil’ Toots’ knowledgeable guides will inform you on the marine life in addition to the historical past of the realm to make the historical past come alive.
Santa Barbara Zoo
A massively widespread place to take the household is the Santa Barbara Zoo. The areas that greater than 140 completely different species stay in are thoughtfully designed to imitate the pure habitat of every animal group.
You’ll see every part from the elusive snow leopard to the ginormous western lowland gorillas.
There are additionally loads of alternatives to seize a chew to eat at any one of many many eating places and meals carts. Or, for these 21 and older, seize an grownup beverage like beer and wine!
Reservations are required to enter the zoo, so you should definitely plan forward. For these visiting with youngsters beneath 2, you don’t want to fret about getting a reservation on your little ones. Anybody older than 2 will want a reserved spot.
Santa Ynez Mountains
As I discussed above, top-of-the-line issues about visiting Southern California is the geographic and organic range.
Situated simply 40 minutes away from downtown Santa Barbara are the attractive Santa Ynez Mountains.
Among the finest trails to hike on within the Santa Ynez Mountains is the Lover’s Loop through the Grass Mountain Path.
This four-mile hike will take you thru a wide range of foliage like pink chaparral and coastal sage scrub together with a spectacular array of wildflowers. Plan on bringing loads of water for this one and attempt to get on the path early within the day as it will probably get fairly scorching, particularly in the course of the summer time.
The Santa Ynez Valley is dwelling to an incredible wine area and you’ll examine among the scrumptious wines I tasted on a Santa Barbara vineyard tour on this submit.
Santa Barbara Harbor
A standard theme is that there’s a lot to do! Santa Barbara Harbor holds true to this as effectively.
Take a stroll alongside the marina to view stunning boats moored alongside the dock and absorb among the most unbelievable views in Southern California.
Cease by any one of many outlets alongside the waterfront to seize a memento or a scrumptious meal. And, in the event you’re seeking to get out on the water, there are tons of actions to take pleasure in!
Santa Barbara Harbor hosts all kinds of out of doors leisure alternatives. You’ll find tons of outlets that supply kayak, stand-up paddle board, and snorkeling leases to get an up-close view of the marine life, or simply go for a stroll.
You too can constitution a scuba expertise to tour the depths of the harbor. And in the event you’re into fishing, there are a number of firms that can take you out to go deep sea fishing.
Whale Watching
One of the astounding experiences you’ll be able to have if you go to Santa Barbara is to go whale watching.
The Santa Barbara channel has among the most nutrient dense areas round, making it a great place for all types of marine life to stay.
The perfect time to go whale watching is between November and April. That is when the Pacific gray whales migrate by the realm heading south to Baja, Mexico.
Condor Categorical assure whale sightings yr spherical in Santa Barbara. They’ve seen humpback whales and even the biggest mammal on Earth, the Blue Whale within the space.
Preserve an eye fixed out for dolphins too, they love swimming alongside your boat and are an actual deal with to see.
Santa Barbara Museum of Pure Historical past
Trying to deepen your understanding of some of the biodiverse areas on the planet? You then completely should cease by the Santa Barbara Museum of Pure Historical past!
This wonderful museum will take you on a journey of the wealthy pure historical past of the realm. You’ll study how a lot the realm has modified within the final a number of thousands and thousands of years and uncover how dynamic the land really is.
Santa Barbara Museum of Artwork
Situated in downtown Santa Barbara the SBMA homes artwork spanning 4000 years masking Asian, American and Europe historical to fashionable artwork. The constructing itself is a relic, it was initially the Santa Barbara Submit Workplace (from 1914 to 1932).
At the moment it’s a formidable 60,000sq ft together with a number of galleries, a library containing 50,000 books, an auditorium for occasions, a restaurant and reward store.
You’ll discover the works of Degas, Picasso, Rothko, Van Gogh, in addition to historical Greek, Roman and Chinese language sculptures and antiquities. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday.
Courthouse Sunken Backyard
One of the stunning locations to go to in Santa Barbara is the Courthouse Sunken Backyard.
The backyard surrounds the previous courthouse and is dwelling to among the most attractive flowers you’ll discover in Southern California. Excursions can be found day by day promptly at 2 PM.
Don’t overlook to enter the Santa Barbara County Courthouse as effectively! This Spanish Colonial Revival model constructing was completed in 1926 and positioned on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations in 1982.
The arches, tiles, and gates all reveal a excessive diploma of expertise that can go away you in awe of how a lot effort went into creating a really exceptional constructing. Plus, you’ll be able to stroll as much as the highest of the clock tower to get a spectacular panoramic view of Santa Barbara beneath!
Previous Mission Santa Barbara
Make a journey again in time by visiting the Santa Barbara Mission.
This stunning church has served as a non secular heart ever since its building in 1786 by the Spanish and continues to host Catholic companies at the moment. Exterior of the sanctuary, you’ll discover a wide range of interpretive sights to be taught extra in regards to the wealthy historical past across the mission itself.
A can’t miss cease is the Mission Museum. Right here, you’ll have the ability to view thoughtfully made displays showcasing the work that friars put into making this a communal heart for generations.
Santa Barbara Botanic Backyard
This 78-acre backyard focuses solely on California-native crops. Planted in 1926, Santa Barbara Botanic Backyard has devoted almost a century of labor to higher understanding the connection between crops and folks.
Put on your trainers as a result of there are 5 miles of simple strolling trails criss-crossing the botanical gardens for a leisurely stroll previous big redwoods, cacti and exquisite flowers, plus nice views of the Santa Ynez mountains that wrap across the metropolis.
Go horseback using
Should you love horses, then you definitely’ll love a stunning morning journey alongside seashores and tree-lined trails, or sundown journey alongside Santa Barbara’s stunning shoreline.
Los Padres Outfitters enables you to design the itinerary you’d like on a non-public tour that fits all ranges of riders on their horses and mules. Or in the event you’re a real cowboy/woman you are able to do a multi-day journey.
Dine within the Funk Zone
The right place to eat is the Funk Zone neighbourhood, situated in a 3 block radius between the freeway (101) and the seashore in downtown Santa Barbara.
It was reworked from the “funky” smelling fish warehouses into a cool space adorned with murals and crammed with wine tasting rooms and eating places… award-winning eating places.
Our concierge recommended we strive The Lark and as luck would have it our Uber dropped us off simply throughout the street (we hadn’t requested him to take us any the place particular preferring to take a look round first.)
We had been really fortunate we bought into The Lark with out a reserving and loved their well-known shared plates and copied what our neighbors had been consuming – and really helpful – as their plates seemed scrumptious!
Assume crispy fried brussel sprouts with medjool dates, chilli and lime. We additionally had a fish dish that our new buddies had eaten and liked with lobster roe, fingerling potatoes and asparagus. Wonderful! And “from the ranch” we had the pork rillettes which was a smoked pork stomach and ham hock terrine model of dip in a jar served with crispy focaccia bread.
Once we went to pay our invoice, our neighbors – who had passed by now – had paid for our drinks and starters with out saying a phrase! The Lark was recognised per week later with a Plate award within the Michelin Information.
You’ll discover plenty of nice locations to eat and drink in downtown Santa Barbara, so don’t fear an excessive amount of in case your first selection is booked out.
For extra concepts take a look at these prime really helpful Santa Barbara eating places.
The subsequent night time we felt like Mexican and had a scrumptious meal at Santo Mezcal, again within the Funk Zone, however this time on the newly reworked ocean finish of State Avenue.
They do a unbelievable cocktail and the meals was good, however The Lark was nonetheless my favorite!
Try this record of Santa Barbara’s Michelin Star eating places.
Santa Barbara continues to be the prettiest metropolis in California, in the event you ask me. And it’s a beautiful place for a trip with the right mix of actions that can go well with nearly anybody.
From the picturesque views from the Santa Ynez Mountains to the wonderful wine tasting alternatives, buying, climbing, historical past and tradition, there’s certain to be one thing that you just love about this wonderful little city. So, the one query now could be what is going to you do first?!
Santa Barbara is my suggestion for a 2-night cease in the event you’re doing the Pacific Coast Freeway drive between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Right here’s my itinerary for that epic street journey, which features a free downloadable itinerary to print out.
I’ve lined 10 nice California seashores for tenting on this submit, which you may also like.
