Santa Barbara Travel Guide: Reviews, photos, & videos
Tucked in between Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific, the old Spanish mission town of Santa Barbara is a perfect picture of whitewashed stucco and red-tile roofs, and long stretches of palm-fringed, sandy beaches. As it has grown, Santa Barbara has climbed up hillsides, forming exclusive new neighborhoods on the terraces. A near-ban on new construction has seen home prices sky-rocket. Even a modest house is a million-dollar home.
Watch the sailboats go by alongside the pelicans at Stearns Wharf. Go for a dip at the popular Leadbetter Beach, or the quieter Refugio State Beach further north. Bike or walk along Cabrillo Bikeway, with palm trees on one side and the Pacific on the other. Visit charming Montecito, where you might run in to Steve Martin or Ellen DeGeneres in one of the village’s high-end shops and restaurants, or Oprah or John Travolta who also own houses here. Retrace the steps of Miles and Jack of ‘Sideways’ through California’s wine country.
Take Freeway 405 North. After 13 miles, take Highway 101 towards Ventura. Proceed north on Highway 101 until you reach Santa Barbara. Take the Garden St. exit (96B) toward downtown.
The Moreton Bay fig tree, over 130 years old, is a fixture in Santa Barbara and is believed to be the largest fig tree in the world of its species. It was reportedly planted by a young girl in 1876 who received a gift of a seed from an Australian sailor. The tree spans over 160 feet and can supposedly provide shade for up to 16,000 people.
When visiting Santa Barbara one place I always frequent along with an estimated 1.6 million others per year is Sterns Wharf. Built in 1872, Sterns is one of the only working piers left between Los Angles and the Bay Area. The venerable wooden landmark hosts everything from bait shops to fortune tellers and is center to a small port hosting dozens of live-aboard sail boats, artists, beach bums, dive boats, commercial and recreational fishing boats, characters selling souvenirs, and a host of other attractions. The 1,950 foot pier boasts several medium priced restaurants that serve good food and feature live music that gets people on their feet. There is plenty of space to drop a line along or at the end of the pier for fishing. A variety of fish run there including bonito, bass, halibut, and many other species. A big plus is that a license is not required to fish off the pier and several bait shops rent everything an angler may need so regulars and tourists alike can limit out most of the time. Also, there are charters and rentals available for going off-shore. Santa Barbara certainly offers a lot and Sterns Wharf is part of it.
A few years ago, while traveling the west coast of Canada, I met a future travel buddy. Over the past few years, it has turned into a travel group. We try to meet at least once a year and this year we all reconnected in California. We were driving along the coast, stopping in towns along the way. One of those stops was Santa Barbara. This is a place for everyone, unique shops (bargain silver outlet), a beautiful beach, easy to navigate, great food. While it does seem that it would attract those with more expensive tastes, it has a very casual, friendly and easy going attitude about it. Take the time to visit the Fig tree, which has a cute, romantic story. At the beach there is a paved trail, which makes this ideal for any traveling runners out there!
These two quaint little towns area on the southern tip of SB..Tremendous history and culture about. The mountain range and the beach are only separated by the 101 Freeway.
There are both private and public beaches, Padaro lane is my favorite as I spent my summers there as a child and now my kids get to do the same.
Food: when in Summerland you have to go THE NUGGET, this is a whole in the wall, no frills, eat on picnic tables type place. There is also a local shop that makes their own sausage, I suggest you try it out.
In Carp..(Carpenteria) you have to go THE SPOT for a burger, located on Linden just off the beach it is a local secret and in a shack, honestly....get there early or you wont have a seat. All seating is outside and the menu is deep, greasy and good....
OH.. Two random spots in SB that come to mind are SUPERICA, the best mexican food in the world...get there early the line is always long, you eat under a tent and have to find a table..while watching the family make their own tortillas...Lastly my favorite fish place is Brophy Brothers on the harbour in SB. Talk about fresh fish....on your way out stop by the fish market that just took their pick off the dock and take home some fresh fish for the grill.
Well, that is for now. See Ya'll later.
These are the only 5 things you need bring to Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara. When you go, forget about Sideways. Grab a winery map and have your own adventure. Combine an appreciation for wine with your taste for life, and the Valley welcomes you with open arms.
A certain essence comes with driving through the winding vineyards of the Valley; and finding the little wineries most had never heard of such as Rancho Sisquoc in Santa Maria, which may have the best Cabernet I’ve ever brought to my lips. Or, when I walked the beautiful vineyards of Zaca Mesa learning how grapes are grown and harvested. I even checked out the larger vineyards such as Firestone to understand the glamour that comes with selling wines. One night, we ate dinner at River Grill in Solvang while watching the sunset on the mountains.
The essence of the wine didn’t come from the idea of simply drinking wine. It came from the passion I felt when I heard the locals speak about their products and the taste that came through glass after glass. It’s the way they look out for one another because they want you to truly appreciate wine. Like Pinot instead of Cabernet? They’ll tell you where to go.
When the trip is over, give yourself a week to recover. Then, pour a glass from your favorite Santa Ynez product for yourself or two. Sit back and watch Sideways. You’ll have a different appreciation for it. More importantly, you’ll be dying to get back.
I am not a world traveller. I have been to a few places, none of which felt as much like home as Santa barbarra did.
We where travelling up the Pacific Coast Hwy to Carmel. We just popped into Santa Barbarra to see what was there and grap some lunch. We were there for 3 days before we managed to leave and continue our planned trip.
If you are anywhere near and can make a detour to Santa Barbarra then you must do so. There is something almost magical about it.
Last summer, my lady and I decided to take a trip to Santa Barbara to celebrate my birthday and spend some romantic time together before our lives became consumed by parenthood. She was just a few weeks pregnant with our first child (born this past April, happy and healthy!), and we were ready to see what Santa Barbara had to offer.
We drove up from LA (about 1 hour and 45 minutes) and checked into the Hotel Mar Monte, a comfortable, up-scale hotel nestled on the beach near the Santa Barbara Zoo. Our ocean view room was everything we could have hoped for – clean, fresh, spacious, and cozy. We didn't close our balcony door the entire time we were there; when you're from Colorado, you must take full advantage of the fresh ocean air and the rhythm of the waves!
Our first evening consisted of a leisurely stroll down State Street, Santa Barbara's main downtown district, full of unique shops, delicious restaurants, and lively (in a good way) bars. We happened to stumble across the Farmer's Market (Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings), which provided appetizing local snacks and enjoyable people watching opportunities. Dinner came in the form of take-out pizza from Giovanni's and some local pinot noir for me from the hotel bar.
The next day was what we had been looking forward to the most: wine country! Now, the pregnancy threw a curve ball at our wine tasting plans, but Luz was gracious enough to let me enjoy my birthday wish and drove me to a few vineyards up in the Santa Barbara hills. We hit Sanford and the Hitching Post, and headed back to town with several bottles in tow, which I promised to save until Luz was able to enjoy them with me.
Some State Street shopping came next, allowing me to duck into a few more local wineries (Santa Barbara Winery and Kalyra - both in downtown SB - and Carr, just a few blocks off State St). All were very tasty. Santa Barbara is famous for pinot noir, but each winery also had several other varietals that I hadn't heard of that were all quite enjoyable. All three had excellent wines and a very friendly staff, so I bought a few more bottles to take home with us!
On our third and final day, we grabbed breakfast at a cute little sidewalk café called Andersen's Danish Bakery. This delicious European style café offers coffees, pastries, omelettes, and more, including a delicious "surprise." I won't give too much away, but if you like homemade treats and other European confections, order the surprise! We spent that afternoon walking along the beach and the harbor, snapping pictures and just enjoying each other's company. It was a magnificent day. To top it off, we ventured to the Santa Barbara Bowl, a beautiful tree-lined outdoor venue overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and saw the Beastie Boys with a few thousand of our closest friends. What an amazing way to cap off our trip!
Overall, I would say that Santa Barbara is a perfect getaway for couples seeking some romantic time together. There is plenty to do, and when you don't feel like doing anything, there is plenty of beautiful scenery and people-watching to indulge in. The weather in late August was perfect, although the ocean was a bit too cool to swim in. If you get the chance, go! We just booked another trip there in a few weeks to introduce our new son to the ocean and - once again - celebrate my birthday. I'm liking the way this tradition is turning out!
The Old Mission in Santa Barbara is about a mile from downtown State Street and is one of my top five recommendations for places to see while in the area. It was founded in 1786 by Spanish Franciscans, the 10th mission to be established in California. The exterior is beautifully preserved and the self-guided tour inside takes you into museum rooms originally used as living quarters for missionaries and guests. The Moorish fountain in front of the Mission was built in 1808 and it still works! I last visited here on January 1, 2007 when Christmas decorations were on display. Bright red poinsettas lined the inside of the church. Despite being early winter, the day was a warm and sunny, typical, Santa Barbara day, and one of the reasons I will keep going back. There is a rich and diverse heritage here. The longer you stay, the more you become absorbed in it. The art and architecture of this historic place melds cultures from Moorish Africa, Mexico, Spain, Native American, Chinese, Sephardic Jews, and English. Not too many places in America can offer this variety.
Santa Barbara is on the ocean! Several visits in recent years have convinced me that it is a wonderful family friendly destination in any season. Best of all I enjoy the comfortable climate. In June we escaped the stifling 110 degrees F. temperature of Santa Clarita (North LA) by driving to 78 degree Santa Barbara, I especially enjoy the easy access to the harbor and to Stearns Wharf, one of the main attractions along the shore. Jan and I joined our son and his wife and two little girls on a two-hour coastal cruise on the 50 ft. catamaran Double Dolphin in August. It was a blast. Check out www.sbsail.com for information. The Santa Barbara Sailing Center offers sailing classes, sunset cruises, kayaking and lots of other activities. Earlier we had an al fresco lunch at The Endless Summer Bar-Café. The food was good and the service particularly kid-friendly. Next door is the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. We marked that for a later time when the restless grandkids are older. I’ll write about Stearns Wharf in more detail soon, as well as the historic (1786) Old Mission in Santa Barbara soon.
Dan and I went to Santa Barbara for a romantic weekend get away from the hustle and bustle of L.A. and just absolutely love love love this place!!! The town is elegant, sophisticated and beautiful. Its built at the base of the Santa Barbara mountains, so there are beautiful views everywhere of California-Mexican style architecture homes and the ocean down below. The city officials have worked really hard at keeping the town small and upscale and it shows. Development has come to a near halt. While there, we discovered the Sideways tour. Do you remember that really funny movie - Sideways - where the actors were on a quest to discover love and wine....or was it the love of wine? Ah yes! So we toured around Santa Barbara wine country with our little Sideways map and stopped off at the Firestone vineyard (see pic below), the Hitching Post (where they hooked up- see pic), the Ostrich Farm, and Solvang. And let's not forget, Los Olivos, where the pizza is so yummy and goes so well with.....water. By this time, we really had to sober up to catch the drive home into the beautiful sunset of Santa Barbara. But that's not all we did while there, we also stopped off a Refugio beach - a pretty little beach, the SB Courthouse, which is the most beautiful courthouse I have ever seen, the pier, and what we thought might have been Oprah's house. But we weren't really sure. There is really so much to see and do in SB! Its one of my favorite places!!!!
This quaint town next to the ocean is a picture perfect destination called Santa Barbara. A trip to this part of the country is not complete without a day’s excursion to wine country. Los Olivos where they filmed the movie Sideways in addition to Solvang and Santa Ynez are places that can't be missed. This is the best of wine country. Here you can sample some of the best wines in the world from hundreds of local vineyards, and the mountains and countryside that surrounds you is simply stunning. If you choose to stay the night you will be greeted by the sweet morning dew that envelopes the vines that produce this regions libation. Go, relax and enjoy...
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