Curator’s statement
Santa Barbara is a wonderful gem of a town that gives that California feeling without all of the people and the traffic. I love the Spanish influence in the architecture, the beautiful beaches, mountains and the overall vibe. The food scene was diverse, plenty of bars to grab a drink and an extremely walkable town.
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Where to stay in Santa Barbara
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Things to do in Santa Barbara
Visit State Street to check out the shops and restaurants
Explore the Funk Zone and check out the murals
Take a short drive to beautiful Butterfly Beach
Visit the pier at sunset for the most amazing views
The Santa Barbara Farmers Market on Saturdays
Book a a sail with Santa Barbara Sailing
Take a hike! Inspiration Point or Seven Falls!
Wine tasting in the town of Los Olivos! I really want to visit this town again!
Day trips
About an hour drive from Santa Barbara and worth visiting at least once, is the town of Solvang. As you wander through the streets, you'll feel as though you've been transported to a quaint Danish town, complete with windmills and cobblestone streets. One of Solvang's highlights is its array of unique shops and bakeries offering the freshly baked aebleskiver, a Danish pancake-ball. If you go, please grab lunch at the Peasants Feast. Incredible!
Places to eat & drink in Santa Barbara
Breakfast/Brunch:
Handlebar coffee - this was our go to stop in the mornings! Great coffee
Oat Bakery - Organic, small batch bakery
Alessia Patisserie - the most beautiful croissants and eclairs I have seen!
Dart Coffee - literally the prettiest place for coffee
Dinner:
Loquita - we had a lovely dinner here! Tapas and wonderful cocktails
Bettina - wood fired pizzas and pasta
The Lark - locally sourced ingredients for incredible dishes
Lucky's - steaks & seafood
Drinks:
Shaker Mill - we loved this super cute cocktail bar
Aperitivo - great cocktails, could also be great for dinner
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Travel Advisor
Julie Fago
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For more travel tips, check out Fora Advisor Gianna Quattrini’s guide, Best Places to Stay in Santa Barbara.
This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to Santa Barbara.