Best Things To Do In Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is one of my favorite destinations in Southern California. It makes for a great weekend trip, but also is a perfect place to travel to just for a day. What I love about Santa Barbara is even if I come to visit just for a few hours, I still feel as if I’m on vacation. If you’re doing a California road trip, or live in a nearby city and are looking for a fun place to spend an afternoon, make sure you stop in Santa Barbara!
This guide covers everything you need to have the most perfect day in Santa Barbara, including restaurant recommendations and popular city attractions.
A beach in Santa Barbara.
Where Is Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is 97 miles northwest of Los Angeles. It lies along the Pacific coast at the base of the Santa Ynez Mountains, facing the Santa Barbara Channel. There are a few different ways you can get to Santa Barbara.
One option is to fly into the small Santa Barbara Airport, which is usually reachable only by connecting flights (unless you’re flying in from a major airport like SFO or LAX). You could also fly into LAX, rent a car, and drive the iconic PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) up to Santa Barbara, which could take anywhere from 90-minutes to three hours depending on traffic. If you don’t want to rent a car and drive yourself, another great option is to take the Santa Barbara Airbus from the airport which is pretty affordable and about $55/passenger (depending on the day and time of year). You could also take the AMTRAK train to Santa Barbara which only takes about 2.5 hours and costs about $20 each way. With the train, you won’t hit any traffic either.
TIP: If you plan to fly to Los Angeles and drive to Santa Barbara, try your hardest not to land during rush hour traffic! Or if you do land at rush hour, maybe grab some food in Los Angeles before you start the drive up so you can avoid crazy traffic.
Where To Eat
Coffee & Breakfast
Oat Bakery is a highly-rated bakery with 4.9 stars and a must when visiting Santa Barbara. They serve a variety of homemade organic bread including focaccia bread, cinnamon buns, and spreads. The breads are so fresh that you’ll often times smell the fresh bread baking down the street. They also use all local produce and ingredients. I cannot recommend this bakery enough!
Cajé coffee shop has several locations but I highly recommend the one on State Street. First off, the space is absolutely stunning — so beautiful that it doubles as a wedding venue (photos above). Second, they have incredible coffee paired with staple breakfast items like bagels and avocado toast. They are a bit on the pricer side, but it is a cute space to enjoy a drink with a friend on a great outdoor patio.
Jeannine's Restaurant & Bakery is a great option for those looking for a traditional breakfast spot. They have all your comfort breakfast dishes including french toast, croissants, waffles, and more. Bonus points because you’ll also get amazing beach views at Jeannine’s.
Lunch & Dinner
La Paloma Cafe is an amazing spot for brunch and dinner. And I may be biased because I’m actually holding my wedding reception here, but it is so good! La Paloma is located in downtown Santa Barbara on a corner off of State Street, so you’re a bit away from the hustle and bustle, which I prefer because it doesn’t feel touristy. I love sitting on their cozy patio when I dine here. It is adorned with beautiful flowers and vines and just has the best vibes that make you feel like you’re on vacation. Their dishes are all made using fresh, natural ingredients and their menu has oak-grilled meats, seafood, and delicious cocktails (and one of the best margaritas).
Loquita is a popular and well-loved Spanish restaurant serving seasonal paellas, seafood, tapas, and delicious sangria. Their cocktail program is actually one of the best in Santa Barbara and pays tribute to Spanish classics. This dinner-only restaurant also has a beautifully designed patio that is super dreamy and romantic (pictured above). Because this restaurant is so popular, you’ll want to make sure you have a reservation. They usually have a line at the door before they even open because it is that good!
The Black Sheep is a highly-rated modern-classic California-French Pub serving small bites great for sharing, French onion soup, and a brown sugar creme brûlée. The restaurant is located in Old Town Santa Barbara in a building that has a rich French history dating back over a century.
You can’t go to Santa Barbara without getting some traditional Mexican food! The menu at Corazón Comedor features homemade tacos, tamales, enchiladas, and pozole, as well as a spread of salsas to complement each dish.
What To Do
The Santa Barbara Courthouse is an absolute must stop place when visiting Santa Barbara (photos included above)! This is actually where my wedding ceremony is and people often times scoff at the idea of a wedding being at a courthouse, but the Santa Barbara Courthouse is one of the most stunning pieces of architecture I have ever seen. Built in 1929, this courthouse will make your jaw-drop with beautiful tile mosaics, an amazing garden filled with palm trees and colorful florals, and views of the city and ocean from the top in the clocktower (which you can climb up to). The Courthouse is located about a block off of State Street.
Thousand Steps Beach is a great place to go if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Santa Barbara. Here you’ll find a multi-tier stairway which will take you from the top of the cliff at the end of Santa Cruz Boulevard down to a rocky beach. It is a great place for tide-pooling. There’s only room for a few cars at the top of the stairs, but you can easily find additional parking on the main road.
Hike Inspiration Point is a 3.5 mile out-and-back hike starting at Tunnel Trail, with a little under 1,000 feet of elevation gain. The other option is to start at Jesusita Trail, which makes the hike about 7-miles. It is a challenging hike with gradual incline the entire way, but you’ll be rewarded at the top with panoramic views of Santa Barbara’s coastline and the Channel Islands.
Stearns Warf is a popular tourist attraction and historic landmark, but to be honest it is not my favorite spot to go to in Santa Barbara just because it is so touristy and crowded. However, if it is your first time visiting the area, I do recommend going out to the end for a beautiful view. Typically in Santa Barbara you’re looking out at the ocean, but being out at the end of the warf offers a different perspective where you can see the entire city adorned with palm trees and mountains.
The Cabrillo Bike Path is one of the most popular bike paths in Santa Barbara (I pinned it below). It passes by several popular beaches in Santa Barbara and goes to Butterfly Beach in Montecito. It also passes by some of the most popular spots in Santa Barbara including the Stearns Wharf, East beach and the Santa Barbara Cemetery. The entire path is 4.5 miles long (9 miles round trip if you ride the entire thing). There are a ton of rental companies in downtown that you can rent a bike from, including eBikes along Cabrillo Boulevard near State Street.
