Santa Barbara City Guide

I was fortunate to go to college in the beautiful hills of Montecito, next to Santa Barbara.

When I had enough time to leave campus, and I tried to do it at least once a week, it felt like being on vacation. I’d bring a book and study on the beach, or go running. I’d shop with the money I earned from working on campus on State Street, or go out with my friends when we were sick of food at the cafeteria.

Santa Barbara is a great place for a quick trip from the Bay Area or Los Angeles. The food is fantastic and there is so much to do. Below I share some pretty photos from my last trip and some recommendations.

DO

• Shop on State Street – I love the easygoing beach vibe of Santa Barbara, and State Street is the main strip with lots of shops and restaurants.
• Alice Keck Memorial Garden – a really beautiful garden park with turtles, fish, and ducks. Right across the street is an epic castle playground. So if you have kids, this is the place to be.
• Butterfly Beach – The most beautiful beach. During low tide, you can really walk for miles. This is where I got engaged!
• Hiking – there are so many options for hikes by the beach and in the hills. I love the Hot Springs Canyon Trail. It’s challenging but there’s a beautiful view as you climb up.
• East Beach Volleyball – there are some permanent volleyball nets hung up on East Beach which are super popular. I’m not much of a volleyball person, but I love watching others play!
• Wine Tasting – So many good places to go wine-tasting downtown. Also, so many great cocktail bars! The above photo is a cocktail called “The Bee’s Knees” from The Honor Bar. We went to Butterfly Beach, then walked to Honor Bar and chilled out on the patio near the fireplace with our drinks.
• Santa Barbara Harbor – They had a fresh seafood festival when we were there last, and I got to try some AWESOME uni (aka: Sea Urchin). There’s a ton of cute boats in the harbor, so it’s a really fun place to walk around, snack, and shop.

EATS

• Jane Restaurant: Great cozy ambiance and delicious food. Famous for their coconut cake with anglaise sauce
• Zaytoon: Not pictured, but amazing. They have a huge and beautiful outdoor space with live music and Lebanese food. Favorite dish: Vegetarian platter with hummus, falafel, babaganouj, and lots of pita.
• Jeannine’s: Best brunch restaurant in the world IMO. Chocolate chip scones and delicious Banana Kahlua french toast.
• Backyard Bowls: extremely generous acai bowls at really reasonable prices. Their larger size will actually fill you up.
• Brophy Bros: Best clam chowder EVERRR and they have great fish & chips

STAY

• Stay near downtown State Street. We’ve Airbnb’ed with great success, and stayed at the local Best Western, which was just fine.
• I’ve always wanted to stay at the Montecito Inn, but haven’t! Must try soon.

Did I miss something? If you know of any other spots you would also recommend, leave a comment below!