Santa Barbara
What are some fun things to do in Santa Barbara?
My wife and I are planning a 4 day vacation in Santa Barbara. Any suggestions on things to do during the day? Nightlife? Restaurants?
I've lived in Santa Barbara for the past 15 years and can honestly say that it is one of the best places in the world to visit.
Start your trip at Stearns Wharf. Visit the wine tasting room. It costs around $5 for 5 tastes of local wines. Then, walk to the end of the pier to look in the hole in the middle of the pier. There are beautiful starfish there. If you spend a few dollars, you can get your parking ticket validated.
Next, drive up State Street and visit Historic El Paseo. There is a free museum there. There is also an awesome Sunday Brunch (and great Friday night happy hour) at the restaurant there.
Paseo Nuevo Mall has a good Nordstrom and Macys in an outdoor mall setting. A few blocks up State Street will take you to the Museum of Art. Being originally from a big city, I was pleasantly surprised by the incredible collection here.
Great restaurants include Montecito Cafe, Taj cafe, Pierre La Fond, Aldos, and Restaurant Kai.
Next, drive up State Street and take a right on Mission Drive. Then, take a left at the dead end and you will end up at the Mission. It offers a great self-guided tour and includes many indigenous artefacts and history of how life was 200 years ago. As the previous poster recommended, visit the natural history museum. It is small but nice.
On your next day, go wine tasting. (Bring a designated driver or hire a car if possible) Drive along San Marcos Pass and have lunch at Cold Springs Tavern, a historic stage coach stop.
When wine tasting, focus on the three "B"s Brander for Sauvignon Blanc, Bridlewood for Chardonnay, and Beckman for other Rhone Varietals. Pack a picnic lunch and have a "Sideways" trip.
Be sure to visit Red Rock in the Los Padres National Forest. If you like horseback riding, go to Rancho Oso. Drive along Alamo Pintado Road to see the miniature horses. On the way back, visit the Ostrich farm and feed an Emu.
Also visit Nojoqui Falls on your way back to Santa Barbara. It has a beautiful walkway.
Nightlife: Soho has great live bands, concerts in the park on Thursday nights are popular during the summer, and you really can't beat seeing a concert at the Lobero or Arlington. These locations draw famous musicians in a small setting.
Have a wonderful trip.
 |
 MC PHOTO agd 970 TV Program SANTA BARBARA Television Shows Santa Barbara $14.99 Time Remaining: 7h 57m Buy It Now for only: $14.99 |
 LINN CLARKE SANTA BARBARA 35mm 4 Transparency LOT 377J $24.99 Time Remaining: 9h 10m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 MC PHOTO aid 803 Terry Lester Actor SANTA BARBARA $14.99 Time Remaining: 12h 27m Buy It Now for only: $14.99 |
 Press Photo Jail Building Santa Barbara County Court $24.88 Time Remaining: 22h 14m Buy It Now for only: $24.88 |
 B W Photo N0427 Clock Tower Santa Barbara 1950s $4.98 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 22m Buy It Now for only: $4.98 |
 B W Photo N0428 Clock Tower Santa Barbara 1950s $4.98 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 23m Buy It Now for only: $4.98 |
 Montecito Country Club Santa Barbara CA Photo $6.00 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 7m Buy It Now for only: $6.00 |
 Photo N10809 Santa Barbara Earth QuakeHotel Arlington $7.98 Time Remaining: 1d 15h 33m Buy It Now for only: $7.98 |
 1996 Press Photo Louisa sorel santa barbara soap star $21.00 Time Remaining: 2d 7h 40m Buy It Now for only: $21.00 |
 1964 Santa Barbara California Flames Destroy Santa Barbara Home Press Photo $13.88 Time Remaining: 2d 8h 56m Buy It Now for only: $13.88 |
 1991 Press Photo Sam Sweet Santa Barbara California $19.88 Time Remaining: 2d 9h 47m Buy It Now for only: $19.88 |
 1969 Crude Oil on Beach Santa Barbara CA Press Photo $18.88 Time Remaining: 3d 6h 11m Buy It Now for only: $18.88 |
 1962 Santa Barbara California model of the Santa Barbara Mission Press Photo $28.88 Time Remaining: 3d 10h 43m Buy It Now for only: $28.88 |
 1933 Santa Barbara California Santa Barbara Biltimore Press Photo $28.88 Time Remaining: 3d 10h 52m Buy It Now for only: $28.88 |
 Photo CLARA JOEL Near Santa Barbara 1921 $15.00 Time Remaining: 3d 14h 13m Buy It Now for only: $15.00 |
 Photo CLARA JOEL Near Santa Barbara 1921 $15.00 Time Remaining: 3d 14h 13m Buy It Now for only: $15.00 |
 1937 Press Photo Jessie Livermore Jr Santa Barbara Dorothea Mother Socialite $24.88 Time Remaining: 3d 22h 7m Buy It Now for only: $24.88 |
 Photo H4815 Spanish Mission Santa Barbara $4.98 Time Remaining: 4d 6h 3m Buy It Now for only: $4.98 |
 House at 914 Anacape St Santa Barbara CA photo picture $4.25 Time Remaining: 4d 6h 46m Buy It Now for only: $4.25 |
 MARIA ELLINGSEN SANTA BARBARA 35mm 4 Transparency LOT $25.00 Time Remaining: 4d 7h 22m Buy It Now for only: $25.00 |
 SANTA BARBARA 35mm 6 Transparency LOT Pina Di Cola 664B $24.99 Time Remaining: 4d 8h 21m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 1976 Press Photo Drilling Rig Hondo Exxon Santa Barbara California Platform $33.88 Time Remaining: 4d 12h 32m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 |
 1959 Press Photo Visiting Santa Barbara is Soviet Premier Khrushchev $27.88 Time Remaining: 5d 8h 40m Buy It Now for only: $27.88 |
 Santa Barbara Parking Lot in California1982 Photograph By Bruce Weber Notecard $4.95 Time Remaining: 5d 12h 24m Buy It Now for only: $4.95 |
 NICOLAS COSTER SANTA BARBARA THE BAY SOAP OPERA ORIGINAL RARE UNSEEN PRESS PHOTO $34.99 Time Remaining: 5d 18h 56m Buy It Now for only: $34.99 |
 1990 Press Photo SANDSTONE MISSION SANTA BARBARA $13.88 Time Remaining: 6d 10h 58m Buy It Now for only: $13.88 |
 ROBIN MATTSON SANTA BARBARA 35mm Transparency LOT 104J $24.99 Time Remaining: 6d 12h 21m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 JANE ROGERS SANTA BARBARA 35mm 4 Transparency LOT 101J $24.99 Time Remaining: 6d 12h 21m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 1958 Press Photo Paul Muni dies at the age of 71 at home in Santa Barbara CA $33.88 Time Remaining: 6d 12h 33m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 |
 VINTAGE FRAMED SANTA BARBARA PHOTOS PAIR $11.99 Time Remaining: 6d 17h 55m Buy It Now for only: $11.99 |
 1968 Press Photo Santa Barbara Christopher Sandoval $31.88 Time Remaining: 7d 20m Buy It Now for only: $31.88 |
 1964 Fireman Killer Brush Fire Destroys House Santa Barbara CA Wire Photo $15.00 Time Remaining: 7d 6h 2m Buy It Now for only: $15.00 |
 1969 Danny Herring Santa Barbara HS Press Photo $13.88 Time Remaining: 7d 6h 35m Buy It Now for only: $13.88 |
 1971 Randy Palomino Santa Barbara Press Photo $13.88 Time Remaining: 7d 8h 8m Buy It Now for only: $13.88 |
 Press Photo Santa Barbara Court house William Mooser company building $27.88 Time Remaining: 7d 8h 34m Buy It Now for only: $27.88 |
 1989 Press Photo Marcy Walker A Martinez Santa Barbara $19.88 Time Remaining: 8d 3h 34m Buy It Now for only: $19.88 |
 1976 Press Photo Santa Clause Helen White Barbara Kent $29.88 Time Remaining: 8d 22h 6m Buy It Now for only: $29.88 |
 1958 Santa Barbara California Court House Wire Photo $21.00 Time Remaining: 9d 5h 30m Buy It Now for only: $21.00 |
 1969 Press Photo Workmen oil Santa Barbara Harbor water $18.88 Time Remaining: 9d 11h 33m Buy It Now for only: $18.88 |
 1937 Press Photo Wells Fargo Santa Barbara Ed Penn Joel $14.97 Time Remaining: 9d 21h 53m Buy It Now for only: $14.97 |
 1969 Press Photo Oil Slick Santa Barbara Harbor $31.88 Time Remaining: 10d 43m Buy It Now for only: $31.88 |
 1970 Press Photo Margaret Head and actress Santa Barbara $27.88 Time Remaining: 10d 8h 26m Buy It Now for only: $27.88 |
 B W Photo P3434 BUILDING IN SANTA BARBARA $5.98 Time Remaining: 10d 9h 7m Buy It Now for only: $5.98 |
 B W Photo P3436 SANTA BARBARA MISSION $5.98 Time Remaining: 10d 9h 12m Buy It Now for only: $5.98 |
 1984 Press Photo Dame Judith Anderson in Santa Barbara NBC $33.88 Time Remaining: 10d 13h 3m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 |
 1987 Press Photo Air Supply on Santa Barbara $33.88 Time Remaining: 10d 13h 5m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 |
 1934 Press Photo Livermore Shooting Scene Santa Barbara $33.88 Time Remaining: 10d 22h 42m Buy It Now for only: $33.88 |
 PAGE MOSELEY SANTA BARBARA 35mm 4 Transparency LOT 724A $24.99 Time Remaining: 11d 4h 30m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 1989 Eric McArthur UC Santa Barbara Press Photo $13.88 Time Remaining: 11d 6h 58m Buy It Now for only: $13.88 |
 BW PHOTO R5861 View of mission in Santa Barbara $5.98 Time Remaining: 11d 7h 9m Buy It Now for only: $5.98 |