Santa Barbara is known as the cream of the coast for a reason. It is centrally located between the Bay Area and Southern California, and is the perfect weekend escape from either location. This guide will help you plan for your weekend getaway here and will give you ideas on the best things to do in Santa Barbara.
Why visit Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara is home to the last untouched coastline in Southern California. There are stretches of beaches with beautifully empty bluffs looking over the Pacific Ocean, as if no one has discovered them yet. There is a lot of tranquility in Santa Barbara- trees hovering over the small highways, no tall sky rise buildings, and many secluded beaches. It also has a quaint downtown area with galleries, museums, shopping, and dining that also come alive at night.
When is the best time to visit?
Best Months: July-September are generally the warmest months with comfortable swimming temperatures in the ocean. However, hotel prices are also higher during this time of year since it is peak season.
If you don’t plan on spending much time at the beach, then you can find plenty of other things to do all year around.
Where to stay in Santa Barbara?
Stay oceanfront in Goleta
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort is perfect for those who have no desire to do much on their vacation, but it also has nothing short of things to do. Whether it is spending time by the pool, relaxing in the spa, or laying down at the beach down below, you will feel refreshed during your stay here. My favorite part of the hotel was going to the outdoor champagne bar up on the hill with an amazing view of the coast down below. While the ladies sip on wine in the resort’s tasting room, the men can keep busy at the 18-hole championship golf course right down the street.
Stay in downtown Santa Barbara
There is a variety of hotels downtown, in close proximity to State Street which is the main shopping hub of Santa Barbara. This is the most hustle and bustle in all of Santa Barbara that you will find. State street is also conveniently located less than a mile walk to the wharf.
Stay in Montecito
The location of Montecito Inn is within steps to the main street of Montecito, where you can find plenty of restaurants, clothing boutiques, and a fantastic bakery. Butterfly beach is very close to the Inn as well, which is where I enjoyed sitting back to enjoy a beautiful beach view during the day.
Stay in Ojai
Enjoy relaxing in the hillsides of Ojai about 25 miles from downtown Santa Barbara, where you will surround yourself with your own quiet thoughts laying poolside or taking a spa break.
What to do in Santa Barbara?
These are some of my favorite things to do during a trip to Santa Barbara:
Channel Islands National Park
Just off the shore of Santa Barbara are the Channel Islands. Here you can take a guided tour to find some of the best dolphin and whale watching, or rent a kayak through the caves.
Go wine tasting
Just inland of Santa Barbara is the Santa Ynez valley where several vineyards produce some of the greatest wines of California. I recommend taking a guided tour to try out a few wineries!
Visit a Museum
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History houses over 3.5 million specimens. I have frequented this museum and always leave seeing something new.
Turn it up in the Funk Zone
This area of Santa Barbara has artistic looking warehouses converted into tasting rooms, art galleries, restaurants, and shops. You might want to check out the the longest urban wine trail!
Relax at the beach
Santa Barbara has several beaches to enjoy. My personal favorite is Butterfly Beach.
Enjoy a brew
There are so many craft breweries in Santa Barbara. If beer is up your alley, you might want to check out some of the beer festivals Santa Barbara hosts throughout the year, including Brews on the Beach or Santa Barbara Beer Festival.
Walk through a garden
The Santa Barbara Botanical Garden is 78 acres large with 5 miles of trails to walk on.
Indulge in a spa
Relax on your weekend vacation by indulging in a spa at the El Encanto. If you don’t mind driving 25 miles to Ojai, you will find the motherland of relaxing spas here.
Go horseback riding
Saddle up for a horseback ride through the Santa Ynez Valley. See the ocean’s horizon as you’re trotting through the hills.
Take a day trip to Solvang
Solvang is home to the cutest Danish village in the Santa Ynez Valley, about a 45 minute drive inland from Santa Barbara. Picture yourself strolling past windmills, stopping in a handful of bakeries, eating at a sausage/beer garden, while admiring the Danish style architecture down every street.
I hope this guide comes in useful for your weekend to Santa Barbara! If you need additional ideas for a weekend escape, here are some other guides to help your planning:
- The Ultimate Couples Weekend Getaway in California
