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City in California, United States
Photo: Flickr user: tkksummers, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Santa Barbara is a city and metropolitan area less than 100 miles (160 km) from Los Angeles but vastly different in pace from its huge neighbor to the south. With a temperate climate and lush natural environs, the "Riviera of the West" is a pleasant day or weekend trip from L.A. Its wide beaches, highly rated wineries, and a large variety of shopping and dining choices enable the town of just 90,000 residents to enjoy the sort of cultural and social amenities which are usually found only in much larger cities.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Built in 1929 and the grandest building in the town. A working courthouse, this Spanish-Moorish castle has frescoes, murals and Tunisian tilework. The El Mirador Bell Tower provides great views of the city and the bay. The grounds contain a collection of palms and specimen trees from more than 25 countries, and a printed guide to the plants is available.
Known as "The Queen of the Missions," Santa Barbara's "Old Mission" is a superb example of California's Franciscan Spanish architecture. The tenth California Mission to be constructed, it was consecrated in 1786 as the first of Father Lasuen's nine missions. Today, Mission Santa Barbara is both a scenic wonder and a fine anthropological study of original native culture in the surrounding area. Santa Barbara is the only California mission with twin bell towers, owing to its status as a cathedral in the early days of California statehood. It also has had a longer continuous association with the Franciscans than any other mission, and a longer continuous history of choral music than any other mission. The headquarters of the mission system in the 1830s and 40s, it is where many of the archives of the California missions are held. Note the adjacent pottery kiln and tanning vat ruins. The mission also features a small but well-regarded rose garden. The mission continues to be used as an active church, with regular masses on Wednesdays, Sundays, and holy days. Admission to Masses is free, but a small donation is customary.
This large, well-presented museum is - literally - a hidden treasure. Highlights in the eleven exhibit halls include regional natural history, a life-size Blue Whale skeleton, and a rare skeleton of a pony-sized "pygmy mammoth."
A remarkably well-provisioned museum considering the size of the town, Santa Barbara's main art museum features a strong collection of Roman antiquities, as well as an impressive lineup of classical European and modern art. Frequently rotated exhibitions are among the strongest in California.
El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
A military fortress founded in 1782, only parts of which remain. Some parts are gradually being rebuilt.
This picturesque 1872 wharf - the longest deep-water pier between Los Angeles and San Francisco - has lots of history. It is named after its builder, local lumberman John P. Stearns. Badly damaged several times by fire, it has been repeatedly rebuilt and today features more than a dozen shops and restaurants, and one of the best views in California from the end of its pier. There's also a small public aquarium, the Sea Center, that's associated with the Museum of Natural History. You may see brown pelicans at the end of the wharf. There's a bait and tackle shop, and no fishing license is required to fish from the wharf. It was once owned by Hollywood legend James Cagney.
The Karpeles Library is the world's largest private holding of important original manuscripts & documents. Among the items on permanent display in the museum is an original Stone copy of the Declaration of Independence, a replica of the globe used by Columbus (sans the Western Hemisphere), handwritten scores by a dozen leading composers, and the computer guidance system used on the first Apollo lander flight to the moon.
Small but well-represented with over 600 animals, the zoo has provided entertainment for all ages since 1963 and is the largest zoo between Los Angeles and San Francisco (unless you count the Monterey Aquarium).
Located on in the foothills just above the city, the Garden features exquisite exhibits of California native plants displayed in beautiful landscaped settings. Walk along a meadow, through a canyon and redwood forest, across a historic dam, and along ridge tops that offer sweeping views of the Channel Islands. Established in 1926 as an educational and scientific institution, it is the oldest botanic garden in California dedicated to the study, conservation, and display of native flora.
Features original Reagan Ranch artifacts matched with state-of-the-art, interactive, multimedia exhibits that highlight the history of Ronald Reagan's quarter-century at Rancho del Cielo and the accomplishments of his presidency. Over six hours of dynamic multimedia exhibits provide access to exclusive speeches, interviews, radio addresses, and original video presentations. The centerpiece is a -long interactive "timeline" that gives users the ability to explore the "Western White House" during the 1980s.
Roughly bounded by State St to the west, Micheltorena Street to the south, Olive and Laguna Streets to the east, and Constance Ave to the north, this area was where most well-to-do residents lived when Santa Barbara first started to attract that class. As a result you'll see large, impressive houses in a variety of architectural styles, including late Victorian, Craftsman, Mission Revival, Romanesque, and even including a couple of eye-catching Mid-Century Moderns. As anywhere if you're looking at residential architecture, please respect the residents' privacy.
Santa Barbara has numerous private and public golf courses located in and around the city. Hidden Oaks and Twin Lakes are nine-hole courses that provide budget prices for a round of golf. For those wishing to play 18 holes without spending a lot, the Santa Barbara Golf Club, located at 3500 McCaw, provides reasonably priced rounds. For those wishing to spend more, Sandpiper Golf Course, located north of Goleta on Hollister, or Rancho San Marcos, located about 15 mi up the 154, provide a world class golf experience.
From the Mesa to the Santa Ynez Mountains, the unique geography of Santa Barbara provides amazing opportunities to see panoramic views and abundant wildlife. Hiking guides and maps are easily obtained at any local bookstore, well-equipped newsstand, or selected stores in tourist-heavy locations such as downtown. Examples include the Douglas Family Preserve, a great off-leash open space that often serves as the backdrop for numerous weddings, and East Camino Cielo Road off of Highway 154, which has several spots one can park and find a little trail to hike on, or even just sit and enjoy the view.
Santa Barbara offers year-round flying, and some of the best flying in the United States. You can fly solo on your first day at Elings Park. Tandem Flights are also available from the Mountains, the Beach, or the Elings Park Training Hill.
There are numerous beaches in the area fit for surfing and several companies that rent surfboards. Although the surf tends to be much smaller in the summer, it is perfect for beginners. There are also several nice long board breaks that are suitable year round.
Cruises, kayak and paddleboard rentals, learn to sail, you name it. Or just take a pleasant stroll along the breakwater. Lil' Toot, a bright yellow water taxi, runs back and forth between the Harbor and Stearns Wharf every 30 minutes. If you're lucky, you'll see one of Santa Barbara's sea urchin fishing boats come in. In years past, almost all the catch ended up in Japan, but uni has caught on in the west, and some of the crews will even sell the spiky but tasty little creatures right off the pier, and show you how to crack them open.
Santa Barbara has a number of wineries all within blocks of downtown and mostly within the area known as the Funk Zone for its earlier, funkier roots as the industrial part of town. Some smaller wineries have set up shop, many in converted industrial buildings, in the Funk Zone, which is in the blocks just east of State Street and between the waterfront and the Highway 101 overpass. This up-and-coming part of the city now features a large number of wineries, including Santa Barbara's Urban Wine Trail, restaurants, craft breweries and craft distillers, making it a popular destination for foodies and those wishing to escape the shopping scene on State Street. Most wineries have tasting rooms and are open to the public.
For those who want to escape the city limits and get out in to wine country, the Santa Ynez Valley is just a short drive north of Santa Barbara, accessible either via U.S. Highway 101, or by State Highway 154. Here in north Santa Barbara County are hundreds of wineries and vineyards, and the fall harvest period is an especially scenic time to make the trip. Most of the wineries are part of the Santa Barbara County Vintner's Association. Pinot noir, and to a lesser extent, chardonnay, are the signature varietals of Santa Barbara wine country. Just pop up to Solvang, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos or Buellton and enjoy. The region takes responsible consumption very seriously, and since the February 2008 launch of the CHP Designated Driver Program, DUI checkpoints have been frequent. Consider hiring a limo or signing on for a wine tour.
Daily wine tasting excursions depart from most area hotels, and you can pick from several different approaches. The Grapeline Wine Country Shuttle, (888) 8-WINERY, offers a flexible day aboard shuttles. Stagecoach Wine Tours offers wine tasting tours in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County. Cloud Climbers Jeep Tours offer a wine tour in open air jeeps. Sustainable Vine, +1 805 698-3911, focuses on the producers employing sustainable practices,Golden Rooster Transportation & Wine Tours offers wine tours in limousines and party bus vehicles. Golden Limo Santa Barbara offer limousines and conduct wine and other tours. Destination Drivers offers wine tour planning and referrals to local drivers.
Santa Barbara winery.
Find some free parking on the side streets from Cabrillo Boulevard after passing State Street (i.e. on Bath Street and Yanonali St). Then walk on the sidewalk or the beach to State Street. At the intersection of Cabrillo Boulevard and State Street you will find the pier which will give you great views of the city. After walking on the pier, take State Street up past the train station. Shops and restaurants line up State Street up and down providing a great visitor experience. Take a right on West Carrillo St and go one block and then take a left on Anacapa St. This should get you to the Santa Barbara Courthouse (details above under See) opposite the public library Main Branch, where you can enjoy the pleasant views from its tower. Next, walk up the street to Anapamu St and take a left. This will put you back on State Street. If you're not tired yet you can keep walking up State Street to Mission St and take a right. If you follow the street to Laguna St and take a left and after three blocks take a right on Los Olivos. This will get you to the Santa Barbara Mission. After visiting the mission and the delightful rose garden in front of the Mission, you can walk back to Cabrillo Boulevard or take the shuttle back to the waterfront.
The Santa Barbara Visitors Center gives out a nice free guide to Santa Barbara that includes a suggested self-guided walk that's about 1.2 mi long in total. It features historic red-tiled adobe buildings in Downtown Santa Barbara but also helps visitors to get a sense of the lay of the land and see some of the stores and restaurants on State St. and a few paseos. Not to be viewed as a substitute for the easy walking tour listed above, as that is a longer walk and encompasses parts of the city not included in this one.
The cinema has 5 screens for good movies in downtown Santa Barbara with decent seats.
Santa Barbara Art Walk; the Beach Show
Every Sunday, over 100 local artists display their work on Cabrillo Boulevard along the beach. The "Art Walk" stretches for several blocks along the ocean and begins at the intersection with Stearns Wharf. Everything must be handmade by the local artist or craftsperson you will meet, no assemblage or "buy and re-sell" is allowed. Fine art features paintings, sculptures, photographs and prints made personally by the artist. Functional art is featured in the fields of ceramics, leather, fine and craft jewelry and more. This show offers a great opportunity to have something custom made. The Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show is also adjacent to the "Funk Zone" and offers a great opportunity for fun before or after you go wine tasting!
The cozy theatre has big screens. It sells discounted tickets on Tuesdays.
Offers relaxation meditations and meditation classes.
A 2,000-seat single screen movie theater, used mainly for blockbuster films, but also hosts occasional live performances. Also has a restored theater organ, that is used occasionally for solo performances or to accompany silent movies. Even if nothing special is going on, it's worth catching a flick there just for its charming interior design, with a faux "Spanish" village around the walls and a dark blue ceiling that even has a few pinpricks of light to represent "stars"
California's oldest continuously operating theater is an elegant, intimate venue that hosts a little bit of everything, from chamber music to folk to ballet to jazz.
Still often referred to as the "County Bowl," this 6,000-seat amphitheater hosts some surprisingly big-name acts for a city the size of Santa Barbara, including Bob Dylan, Norah Jones, and Radiohead, and you'll get to see them in a smaller venue than you might if you caught them in L.A. or San Francisco.
Home of the Ensemble Theatre group. Also hosts various other performances and films.
Opulent theater hosting musicals, opera, ballet, and the Santa Barbara Symphony
UCSB brings performers, authors, and other lecturers to town. Some performances are on the UCSB campus, others are in town at some of the venues mentioned above.
Upper East Side Park covering two city blocks. Includes a popular community designed playground, and picnic tables popular for family celebrations (no alcohol is allowed, though). The western half of the park has a somewhat sketchy reputation for being a hangout for drug addicts, but it has been cleaned up a lot in the mid-2010s.
Across the street from Alameda Park. Something of a cross between a park and a botanical garden, it features a large pond with ducks and turtles, as well as numerous differently themed plantings, most with labels describing the different plant species. Local wags sometimes refer to it as "Alice Keck Park Park," but you'll often hear it just called "Alice Keck Park" since many people are unaware that "Park" was Alice's last name.
It offers a blufftop walk with stunning views overlooking the ocean.
This is a long, narrow park that stretches along East Beach. Features pedestrian and bike paths, as well as a skate park.
Small rural park that contains the trailhead for Rattlesnake Canyon, one of the most popular local hikes. Its name comes from the sinuous nature of the trail, not any particular concentration of rattlesnakes, although like anywhere in the California backcountry, you should be alert for them.
Separated by Stearns Wharf, for all practical purposes these are one continuous beach, usually referred to just as East Beach. This is Santa Barbara's most popular beach, and most easily accessible from the tourist amenities on State St. Popular sand volleyball spot.
On the other side of the harbor from West Beach and near Santa Barbara City College, this beach tends to be less crowded than East Beach. It usually has a fairly mellow break that is suitable for beginner surfers.
Almost universally referred to by locals as "Henry's" or "Hendry's" beach, and more isolated than the downtown beaches. Dogs are permitted to be off-leash, and one end is a nude beach, where you'll often see nude dudes frolicking.
Tucked away in Montecito by the fancy Biltmore Hotel, and something of a hidden gem. Depending on tides and fluctuations of the sand, some parts of the beach may not be easily accessible. Though you'll often see off-leash dogs here, unlike Arroyo Burro beach, this isn't officially sanctioned.
Tucked away between Miramar and Butterfly in Montecito, this beach is a hidden gem. To get there park at Miramar beach parking and then walk along the path adjacent to edge cliff drive, cross over the creek. It is also accessible from butterfly during low tide. While the waves here are subpar is it a great place for families, sunset watching and is a popular date spot among locals.
Held annually towards the end of January/beginning of February - an eleven day celebration at several historical theaters, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival welcomes some of the biggest names in Hollywood with awards ceremonies and world premier screenings. SBIFF has gradually built a reputation for its growing program that features some of the industry's top distributors in attendance. Individual tickets are available for the tribute events.
In 1974 friends of local artist Michael Gonzalez dressed up in costumes and ran down State Street, without a permit, to celebrate his birthday. Several decades later this has turned into a civic celebration of the first day of summer. There's a carnival-like parade on State Street, and a festival with live music in Alameda Park. Check the website for exact dates.
Fiesta
In the 1920s, the Chamber of Commerce decided that there should be a reason to visit Santa Barbara in August, and so invented "Old Spanish Days." Nowadays it's universally referred to as "Fiesta" and is still held in early August. In modern times it's probably more popular among locals than among visitors, but worth a look-in. There's a parade, "El Desfile Historico," that features pretty impressive costumes and horsemanship. De La Guerra Plaza downtown becomes "El Mercado," with live bands and stalls selling food. "El Mercado Del Norte" in MacKenzie Park has a county fair ambience with carnival rides. "Las Noches de Ronda" is the collective name for numerous performances around town of traditional Spanish and Mexican performances such as flamenco dances and mariachi bands. There's also a horse show and rodeo at the Earl Warren Showgrounds.
Innovative taco spot with great tacos, good prices and a weird location attached to batting cages. Don't let the location fool you, this place stands out in a city bursting with great tacos. While classic taco staples like carnitas and carne asada are on the menu, the real gems are the Asian inspired tacos, reminiscent of the LA food truck scene. The triple play, 3 tacos of your choice for $11.50, is the way to go and is what most people order. Be warned the parking lot is poorly designed and always crowded.
Very popular breakfast and lunch place. The best breakfast in town. Delicious sausages. Good price. Another location at 1924-A De la Vina St.
Stop by for a cheap, charbroiled sidewalk burger at this regional chain, which has roots in Santa Barbara. Also 216 S. Milpas St. and 5735 Hollister in Goleta. (+1 805 962 7472).
The restaurant serves popular and very good Mexican food.
Outdoor, sidewalk dining that is healthy and good. If there is a vegan/vegetarian in the group, they will be happy here. Part of a small regional chain; there's another location further out at 361 Hitchcock Way.
Burgers, seafood, and other simple but tasty meals right at the harbor. You can take your food around the corner to sit on the beach or the sea wall and enjoy the ocean view while you eat.
Good variety of sandwiches, part of a local chain.
Very good tamales, chimichangas and burritos. Charming family-owned business. A total of six locations.
Once named "Best Mexican Food in the Country" by the New York Times. You won't come here for the atmosphere. There is no sign on the building, and seating is first come-first served, but you'll be happy you stood in the long line forming outside the door once you taste what's served up here. Julia Child is said to have named this her favorite Mexican restaurant, but other reviews call it pleasant but not extraordinary. Cash only. After you order, keep the tab with your order, and wait in the dining area for your number to be called.
Two Locations. Big burritos, vegetarian recommended even for those die-hard carnivores.
Favorite local pizza chain. Pizzas have quality toppings and a thin but fluffy crust. 7 other locations around town (see website). The Carrillo St location has the most character, as it's in an authentic Tudor-style building that used to be a pub. Great place to take the kids. They also deliver.
Café specializing in waffles, including a delicious vegan waffle loaded with veggies.
Good sushi. They don't take reservations and are usually packed Thursday through Saturday nights with people queuing up. While they serve also US-style sushi combinations like grilled stuff and with funny sauces on top, they have a great choice of traditional sushis and rolls with for example mackerel, salmon, tuna or yellowtail. The choices of sake are excellent.
The restaurant serves local seafood. One can either have a breakfast, brunch or dinner. For the happy hour selection there is a designated outdoor seating area. Its choices include cheeseburger, tuna and black mussels plus local wine choices.
Breakwater at the Harbor, great seafood, known for seafood and particularly clam chowder, the setting cannot be beat. Longstanding local favorite.
Located off of Highway 154 near wine country (from downtown Santa Barbara, the trip is approximately 15 mi, and may last as long as 30 minutes or so), this historic rustic tavern, restaurant and coach stop is a touch of Old West and a world away from the glitz of lower State Street. Stop for lunch at this family-friendly historic tavern and restaurant that's also popular with the weekend biker crowd. The place serves up some of the best tri-tip sandwiches on Sundays, when outdoor live music from local bands is usually on tap as well. Great location and great food. It also offers a fun atmosphere on weekend nights with live music. It can be very crowded especially on Sunday when various car and motorcycle clubs will stop by.
The watergrill is found on 113 Harbor Way, A great cut of beef. Try anything with artichokes.
Los Agaves is one of the favorites of Milpas and often earns the coveted Best Of Santa Barbara award from the Santa Barbara Independent in the Mexican food category. Many of the dishes are seafood-centric, and the seafood enchiladas are a regular favorite. The restaurant was so popular in its Milpas Street location that it opened a second location in Santa Barbara in 2013. The new location is located on upper De La Vina St, in the Mid-Town District.
A great example of typical mid-range Santa Barbara cuisine, with an innovative, California-French menu and lovely atmosphere. The salmon with Thai curry sauce is a good bet.
This place celebrates the cuisine of New Orleans. It has a fun, yet laid back atmosphere with great service. Try the Caribbean coconut shrimp.
Santa Barbara's best affordable Italian food from local producers. Often a local band plays during dinner.
Good "off State St." bar. Serves great food late at night, focus on local ingredients.
Not perhaps the most authentic Mexican food, but very tasty and popular. Excellent margaritas.
Rustic little spot with mostly counter seating. Excellent views. Probably the best food on the wharf, but it's shellfish only - if it's got scales and a backbone, it's not on the menu.
Progressive, New American food. Excellent cocktails.
Quaint little Italian joint, serving homey Italian classics and espresso. Has a lovely patio. The bocce courts out back have some fairly serious league play.
Delicious Italian restaurant in a little strip mall on upper State St. They also do catering and takeout.
As the name implies, Wine Cask has an extensive wine list, much of it drawn from co-owned and neighboring Margerum Wine Co. The French-inspired menu is quite pricey, and the restaurant is a favorite among the city's movers and shakers. It is located in the gorgeous El Paseo building, one of the city's earliest Spanish Colonial Revival structures. If you're looking for a cheaper taste of the menu and a more casual atmosphere, try Intermezzo Bar + Café, the bar area off to the side. They offer delicious, fresh-baked flatbreads.
Upscale Italian. Excellent wine list. The Dover sole, when available, is particularly good. Also has a lower-priced pizzeria connected to it.
Innovative California French cuisine. Extensive local wine selection. Affiliated with the Wine Cask
Sportsbar with Irish music. Good lamb stew.
Neighborhood beer and wine joint with good music. Meet the locals out back in the outdoor smoking area or over rounds of pool inside. It is a former bike shop turned into a comfy bar. It can get very crowded.
The place has a wide selection of wines per glass. It's the bar of the upscale wine cask restaurant. It serves simple food plates too.
Yes, it's an Irish pub, or "A Traditional Irish Bar." Free peanuts, karaoke, a fireplace and dixieland jazz bands on the weekend. Guinness flows freely.
This upbeat bar and steakhouse severs the stiffest drinks on State St. Have a couple at the beginning of the night.
The revamped location of the old Santa Barbara Brewing Company; still features good quality beer but has a significantly more interesting and better, though still reasonably priced, food menu. The name refers to its bicycle themed decor.
Jazz/live music club above Victoria Court.
Danceclub.
Small, friendly bar with a very English vibe. Popular spot for watching European soccer. Sometimes keeps fairly oddball hours to accommodate important matches in distant time zones.
Very perfect café and pastries, the place is ideal for breakfast. On the happy hour they serve wine for special prices. It established itself in 1976 and expanded since. One can dine here too. Many people stop by for pastries on the go.
Great place to start the day with a breakfast. It offers poached eggs, delicious omelets all accompanied with their bread or home made pastries.
The café serves fine espressos, chocolate chais, various leaf teas and also fine pastries. One can buy great coffee beans.
The Handlebar is owned by two former pro-cyclists. They bring that same focus and dedication to detail to in-house roasting, espressos, brewed coffees, teas and their selection of baked goods from local bakers. You'll find baristas and extremely friendly stuff doing excellent coffee together with fine croissants.
Good breakfast with large selection of leaf teas. Serves great sandwiches to go.
The juice shop sells pressed fruity juices with several possible supplements for the go. The local chain has 12 shops in and around Santa Barbara.
Selling handcrafted local ice creams from Santa Barbara since 1949. Dairy-free options available.
Delicious ice cream with creative flavors. Great dairy-free/vegan options.
Basic simple hotel room with bed, private bath, small pool, and TV. Has air conditioning, but noisy in window units. Friendly staff. About 75 yards (68 m) to the beach. This was the world's first Motel 6.
This sweet motel is run by a charming young couple, with a foible for mid-century design. Free wireless internet and some books on design or art are likely to be part of the rooms set up, as much as TV and a coffee and muffin in the morning.
In addition to conventional guest rooms, there are two-bedroom units (good for families), as well as one- and two-bedroom apartments include a full kitchen. Free wireless internet in guest rooms and in lobby.
Pillow-top beds, 32" LCD HD TVs, free breakfast, free parking, free Internet, king beds, jacuzzi rooms, queen beds and 2 double beds. Free breakfast and cookies and milk every evening. Heated pool & spa, his and hers sauna.
A Mediterranean-style villa two blocks from the beaches and yacht harbor.
Offers lodging accommodations including suites and apartments with small luxury hotel amenities and bed and breakfast charm near local tourist attractions.
Located near the beach, Amtrak Station, golf and wineries. Offers lodging accommodations reminiscent of the romantic American South and a variety of hotel packages.
The Inn by the Harbor is an enchanting Spanish colonial hotel and resort offering vacation packages from wine country to whale watching. Extended stay lodging is also available.
Santa Barbara bed and breakfast. King- or queen-size bed, private bath, whirlpool tub, fireplace, balcony/patio, high speed Internet, etc. Free on-site parking, complimentary continental breakfast.
"European-style" hotel smack in the middle of Santa Barbara's busy downtown shopping area. $129–219, ask about midweek specials.
Beautiful gardens and freshwater lagoon. Complimentary deluxe continental breakfast, Wifi, parking, free offsite fitness center & airport shuttle. AAA 3 diamond.
Guest rooms for two or three. Also lists all-female or all-male dorm rooms for up to five, and a shared kitchen. Free wireless internet. Close to the beach and the "funk zone". Whimsical animal-themed decor. Very close to the Amtrak train station.
14-suite Bed and Breakfast on East Beach in Santa Barbara. Charming inn with fireplaces, whirlpool tubs & bicycles.
Well appointed open-air motel with free bike rentals, beach towels, and breakfast included. Bright with a beach vibe, quite a bit more elegant and charming than what the word "motel" usually brings to mind.
A boutique hotel near State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. Amenities include function space for meetings and wedding receptions, spa service, and dog friendly accommodations. Also has a great rooftop bar with wonderful views, exclusively for hotel guests.
The Cheshire Cat Inn features three stately Queen Anne Victorians, an elegant Coach House, three cottages, all surrounded by flower-filled gardens and patios. The Inn is located in a residential area, one block from Santa Barbara's main shopping street. Each of the sunny guest rooms and cottages is uniquely furnished and ranges from the elegant to the whimsical. Some are larger split-level junior suites with private balconies; others have in-room Jacuzzi tubs and fireplaces. Amenities may include TV/DVD, ironing boards and refrigerators. All the rooms have private baths and telephones. Breakfast is served daily and is included in the rate.
Good views and a favorite with the glitterati, like Diane Lane, Barbra Streisand, and Sharon Stone.
oceanside resort. Enter off Calle Puerto Vallarta.
Boutique 4-diamond family friendly beachfront hotel. All rooms and suites have a patio or balcony.
All-suite hotel adjacent to the beautifully restored Sexton House, an 1880s architectural landmark. Meeting space and conference facilities.
Secluded and dripping with luxury, competes with the Rosewood Miramar for the title of fanciest (and most expensive) Hotel in Santa Barbara. "Hotel ranch," with room, suite and villa accommodations, dining, day trips to local beaches and wineries, guided hiking.
A historic Italianate Victorian manor considered one of the best preserved and restored homes of its era in California. Guestrooms inside the estate house, private English style cottages and four rooms in the Carriage House. Landscaped gardens, wood-burning fireplaces and personalized service. All rates include daily gourmet breakfast, evening wine tasting and hors d'oeuvres and complimentary parking. Rates from $235 to $615.
Located directly on the beach, the Miramar competes for the title of most luxurious (and expensive) hotel in Santa Barbara and is a favorite among celebrities. The price is steep but the location is unbeatable with some rooms having direct beach access and Coast Village Road a short walk away. The only downside are the train tracks that bisect the property and the noise that comes with them.
The retail shop has a big choice of wet suits and surf boards.
The market hosts vendors who sell local eggs, fresh fruits, vegetables, oils and many other organic products. There is also a Tuesday evening market on State Street and markets on other days in other nearby towns.
2 Peas in a Pod
This stand sells extraordinary homemade jams and marmalade. Mama recommends the sweet and spice Jalapeño along with cheese. The nectarine, blueberry are delicious too. One is always welcomed to taste on their stand. Their fresh berries are excellent too and vary in taste according to season.
The bicycle shop has been around since 1914, they sell bikes, do service (not snobby) and charge reasonable prices. They also have a running store in their bike shop.
A family-owned business, it has been in this location for more than 15 years. It carries the largest collection of Italian pottery in the west and at discounted prices.
This outdoor shop sells good for camping, kayak, rock climbing, skiing and many other activities. They have a great selection on site.
By train
260px|right|thumb|[[Coast Starlight operates daily between Seattle and Los Angeles.
By bus
The Greyhound station is downtown, at 224 Chapala, next to the Amtrak station.
By car
There is only one major highway in and out of Santa Barbara: US 101, which is coterminous with Highway 1 for over 30 miles (48 km) both north and south (well, east, but down the coast) of the city.
By car
Santa Barbara is fairly easy to drive around, and in most areas parking is rarely difficult to find, either in a municipal garage or on the street.
By foot
With a mild climate, walking is a great way to get around town, but might be inconvenient outside of downtown and the funk zone.
By taxi
Taxis are plentiful but expensive, but given the relatively compact size of downtown Santa Barbara, they're viable if you don't need to go out too far into the suburbs.
By bike or inline skate
Bicycling is a nice way for a visitor to see Santa Barbara. There's a lovely bike path along the waterfront, and a large chunk of downtown State Street is car-free.
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Santa Barbara · Regional · SBA
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