Over two years living in LA and this was my very first trip to Santa Barbara! I didn’t know what to expect but I must say the coastal, SoCal town did not disappoint!

We sight-saw so many of Santa Barbara landmarks like the Public Market, the Courthouse and The Arlington Theater. Tours of the Courthouse start in the Mural Room and run Monday through Friday. If you plan to visit on your own, like we did, the Clock Tower closes a bit earlier than the rest of the complex - around 4:45 pm - so be sure to plan for enough time to see it. The 360° view of Santa Barbara is a can’t-miss!

We strolled the 1.5 mile stretch of State Street, wandering in and out of shops, coffee houses and bars to see what the local fare is like. Favorites included Handlebar Coffee Roasters, The Shopkeepers, The Blue Door and Shaker Mill.

We made a pit stop off State Street to eat a Thai-Vietnamese lunch at Tyger Tyger. Using bold flavors and exotic spices, Tyger Tyger’s food is inspired by street food carts of Southwest asia in a casual counter-service cafe. The restaurant shares space with its sister business, Monkeyshine, and locally owned, Dart Coffee Company. We enjoyed an order of Shrimp Summer Rolls, Crispy Chicken Wings, Crispy Rice Salad and a special noodle dish in honor of the Chinese New Year.

At the end of State Street, we ended up on Stearns Wharf with the sun shining overhead. We were lucky enough to enjoy warm weather during our time in Santa Barbara. We grabbed a fresh bag of gummy candy from the wharf candy shop then parked it on a bench to enjoy the people watching.

The Deep Sea Wine Tasting Room on the wharf offers 360° views of the Pacific Coastline, Channel Islands, Santa Barbara Harbor and the Riviera. We sipped on two-wine tasting flights but you can also enjoy wines by-the-glass or bottle.

On our walk back up State Street, we took a peek at the Hotel Californian and my - it is a sight-to-see! This gorgeous hotel has the quintessential Cali-Mediterranean architecture and landscaping, not to mention, the hotel is home to a handful of notably delicious restaurants like Blackbird and Goat Tree. A night at Hotel Californian can set you back a pretty penny; this property sits at the higher-budget end of noteworthy hotels in the area.

After squeezing in a day of sightseeing, it was time to venture to our hotel - The Ritz-Carlton Bacara. While this hotel sits a bit farther out of downtown Santa Barbara, it provides the perfect escape for a night away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The hotel is situated beachfront and provides beautiful ocean views from the guest rooms, restaurants and spa rooftop. The Ritz falls in to the middle-budget category of noteworthy hotels in Santa Barbara. The front desk took care of DINEvent by upgrading us by four-room categories! We felt right at home in our two-room suite with a fireplace and French doors that opened up to the ocean. Our room was sensational!

We took advantage of the fitness center and spa amenities like the sauna, steam room and whirlpool, before enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail at The ‘O’ Bar & Kitchen, the hotel’s lobby bar. For dinner, we indulged in Carbonara and Pepperoni pizzas at Bettina, a local Italian favorite. Bettina serves Neapolitan-style pizza made with fresh, seasonal California ingredients. We felt right at home amidst the carbs and chilled red wine.

The next morning, Jake rose early to capture the sunrise, then woke me in time to dine a la carte at The Bistro. The Ritz’s property features a nature walk along the Haskell Beach shoreline, as well as clay tennis courts, spin classes, horseback riding and biking. I especially enjoyed the hours of work I completed pool-side with a blueberry fizz in hand.

I really enjoyed our time in Santa Barbara and would love to return in the summer months so we could enjoy a day at Summerland Beach. In addition to the spots we visited, I’ve included a list of spots below we’d like to hit on our next trip to SB!

Santa Barbara, California

Hotels

Caffeine

Breakfast

Lunch

Cocktails

Dinner

Sweets

Sights

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