Where to base yourself
Waterfront and West Beach. Hotels and motels across the road from the sand, close to the wharf, the harbour and the Funk Zone.
Downtown. Around State Street, near the courthouse, restaurants and theatres; a 15-minute walk to the beach.
Montecito. A wealthy, leafy village just east of the city with luxury hotels and quiet Butterfly Beach.
Goleta and Carpinteria. Cheaper chain hotels and motels 15 to 20 minutes away by car, useful when the city is full.
Food & drink
Local seafood includes spiny lobster in season, rock crab and the prized Santa Barbara sea urchin, sold on Saturday mornings at the harbour fish market. The city has excellent, unpretentious Mexican food — its taquerías are locally famous — and a strong farm-to-table scene supplied by the Tuesday and Saturday farmers’ markets. The Urban Wine Trail links some two dozen tasting rooms you can reach on foot.
Money-saving and safety tips
- The courthouse, its tower and guided tours are free, as are the beaches and the waterfront path.
- Midweek rooms cost far less than weekend ones; summer and university graduation weekends in June are the most expensive.
- Walk or use ride-hailing between tasting rooms rather than driving.
- The sea is cool and the afternoon breeze brisk; bring a layer for evenings on the waterfront.
- Highway 154 over the mountains is fast but winding and has a poor accident record. Drive it in daylight and with care.
Sample plans
One day
- Old Mission Santa Barbara in the morning
- The courthouse tower and lunch on State Street
- Afternoon on the waterfront and Stearns Wharf
- Evening in the Funk Zone
Two days
- Day one as above
- A full-day wine tour to the Santa Ynez Valley
- Or drive yourself to Los Olivos and Solvang with a designated driver
A stop on the coast drive
- Arrive by lunchtime from Los Angeles
- Courthouse, State Street and the wharf in the afternoon
- Mission first thing next morning before continuing north
Where to stay in Santa Barbara
Stay by the waterfront to be near the beach and the Funk Zone, or downtown for restaurants and the courthouse; the two are a short walk apart. Rates are highest in summer and at weekends.
