Discover Santa Barbara: Best Things to Do, Where to Dine & Stay

Santa Barbara is California in soft focus – mountains leaning toward the sea, bougainvillea spilling over whitewashed walls, and that slow-living vibe we all need. Come for the beaches and wine country, stay for the gardens, galleries, and golden-hour concerts. This guide maps a perfect arc: market mornings in Montecito, art-filled afternoons by the ocean, and nights that end under stars with a cocktail in hand.

Discover Santa Barbara

Montecito Farmers Market

Each Friday from 8:00 AM – 11:15 AM, Coast Village Road turns delicious – growers, flowers, and fresh-baked treats line the street. It’s the kind of market where you chat with the farmer and leave with lunch.

Lotusland

Across 37 acres of fantasy planting and whimsical design, Lotusland blends rare botanicals with artful architecture. Advance reservations are required; the garden is generally open to the public mid-February through mid-November.

Hot Springs Canyon Trailhead

Discover trailheads that wind into the foothills – sweeping views of Santa Barbara and a horizon that seems to breathe.

Stearns Wharf

Completed in 1872, this is California’s oldest working wood wharf – sea breezes, pelicans, ice cream cones, and that classic postcard angle back toward the red-tile roofs of the “American Riviera.”

The Funk Zone

Once industrial, now creative: artist studios, cafés, tasting rooms, microbreweries, and galleries cluster a few blocks from the water. Come for a flat white, stay for street murals and sunlit conversation.

Santa Barbara Bowl

From April to October, shows unfold in a hillside amphitheater – music under open sky is hard to beat.

Casa del Herrero

An 11-acre Spanish Colonial Revival jewel by George Washington Smith – museum-quality craftsmanship, cinematic gardens, and a timeless Montecito hush.

Old Mission Santa Barbara & Rose Gardens

The “Queen of the Missions” (founded in 1786) presides over a broad lawn and rose garden with mountain views – a perfect place to spread a blanket and watch the light change.

Santa Ynez Wine Country

Country roads, chalky hillsides, and rows of vines – Santa Ynez is a slow-drive invitation. On the way back, stop at Cold Spring Tavern, an 1860s stagecoach stop tucked into the San Marcos Pass – BBQ smoke, live music, and a step back in time.

• Sunstone Winery: Lavender-lined courtyards and stone-cool caves evoke Provence with a Central Coast soul.
• Rusack Winery: Boutique calm for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay lovers.
• Demetria Winery: A hillside estate known for Rhône and Burgundy-style wines and a view that lingers.

Our Favorite Beaches

• Butterfly Beach (Montecito): A quiet, curving shoreline; at low tide you can walk to Hammond’s Beach.
• Hammond’s Beach: Low-key and beloved by locals – gentle waves, good for a mellow paddle.
• Santa Claus Beach (Carpinteria): Family-friendly stretch of pale sand and clear water.
• Loon Point Beach (Summerland): Follow the canyon path to a serene, tucked-away cove.

Where To Dine

Rosewood Miramar Beach – Oceanfront lawns, manicured gardens, and a spectrum of scenes: casual daylight bites at the Beach Bar, elegant Japanese at Ama Sushi, fine dining at Caruso’s, then live-jazz cocktails at the Manor Bar. Perfect for a sunset-to-night progression in one place.

San Ysidro Ranch – Vine-clad cottages, flowered paths, and that hushed Montecito magic. Dinner or brunch at The Stonehouse and a Prohibition-style Speakeasy with live music. Once the honeymoon retreat of John and Jackie Kennedy and the site of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh’s midnight wedding vows – romance literally written into the walls.

Lucky’s – Old-Hollywood polish in the heart of Montecito: classic martinis, prime steaks, white-tablecloth buzz.

Tre Lune – An elegant, old-world Italian favorite with unfussy classics and a brunch that feels like a weekend ritual.

Where To Stay

Villa Ayala

Set in Montecito’s emerald hills, Villa Ayala pairs privacy with resort-style amenities – just a short drive to restaurants, Butterfly Beach, and Santa Barbara. The estate’s centerpiece is its recreation suite: private tennis and pickleball, bocce, heated pool, hot tub, sauna, and a fully equipped home gym. The main house offers high ceilings, natural light, a double living room with fireplace, and a vine-draped loggia that invites long conversations by the fire. A guest house and two cottages add flexibility for families and friends. Outside, manicured gardens wrap multiple lounge terraces, an alfresco dining patio, BBQ station, and a courtyard hearth made for starry nights.

Santa Barbara is an elegant kind of easy – mornings at the market, afternoons in the gardens or the Funk Zone, and evenings that drift from seaside sundown to live music in the hills. When you’re ready to anchor the perfect week, explore our portfolio of luxury holiday villas in Santa Barbara.

FAQs

1) What’s the best time of year to visit?

Santa Barbara is famously mild year-round. Spring and fall are sweet spots for fewer crowds, while summer brings long beach days and a lively calendar.

2) Is Montecito walkable?

Coast Village Road is wonderfully walkable, with boutiques, cafés, and the Friday farmers market. Many trailheads and beaches are a short drive or rideshare away.

3) How far is Santa Ynez wine country?

Plan about 45–60 minutes by car, depending on which valley you’re exploring. It’s an easy day trip – pair tastings with a stop at Cold Spring Tavern on the way back.

4) Are the beaches family-friendly?

Yes – Butterfly, Santa Claus Beach, and Hammond’s are all gentle choices. Loon Point is quieter and feels delightfully secluded.

5) Can I see a concert outdoors?

Absolutely – the Santa Barbara Bowl runs April through October in an open-air amphitheater. Concert calendar: click here.

6) Do I need reservations for Lotusland and Casa del Herrero?

Yes – book ahead, especially in spring and summer. Lotusland requires advance reservations and timed entry; Casa del Herrero also operates by advance booking.

7) What’s a perfect “first day” itinerary?

Farmers market coffees in Montecito → Butterfly Beach walk → Lotusland or Mission & Rose Garden → Funk Zone tastings → sunset on Stearns Wharf → dinner at the Rosewood or San Ysidro Ranch.