48 Hours in Santa Barbara | What to See, Eat, and Do
I recently had the pleasure of spending a long weekend up the coast in Santa Barbara, CA. This was my first time in this beautiful coastal city and I absolutely loved it! If you’re planning to grab some sun this winter or take a quick weekend getaway, here is a checklist for the perfect 48 hour trip to Santa Barbara.
Kyle and I decided to celebrate our anniversary with a short trip to close out the first month of the year. We chose to take the Amtrak Surfliner train and then rent a car, rather than driving. This was another first for me, and we both rally enjoyed the downtime during the long trip, and felt refreshed and ready to go once we arrived. Kyle is a surfer, so naturally he brought his board along with him. This gave us a great excuse to drive down the coast to find some of the area’s best surf spots and empty beaches.
Stay
Mason Beach Inn - Kyle found this cute little Inn and I instantly fell in love. It’s tucked into a residential area that just so happens to be walking distance to all the restaurants and shops downtown, the Funk Zone (more on that later), and the beach. The room was really cute and breakfast was served on their sweet little front patio area. This place is your quintessential SoCal hotel complete with Spanish style architecture and a beachy, laid back vibe. I would definitely stay here again, and I think I might try to schedule that soon so I can hit the pool next time.
See
Hobson Beach Park - This was my favorite beach, and we spent a good several hours hanging out here. There is a small parking lot for RV camping and a tiny beach right out front, lined with big boulders to create lots of little alcoves. This is a pretty popular spot with surfers and campers alike. And because it’s basically a camp grounds, there is a little cafe for beach food and cold drinks.
Santa Barbara County Courthouse - This was, by far, my favorite thing we did and is perfect for those of you who loves a good garden, impressive architecture, and bird’s eye views. Not to mention, it’s right off the main street and super easy to get to. Kyle and I spent a good amount of time just wandering through the massive archways and around the garden. The inside of the building was also pretty breathtaking, with classic Spanish architecture and winding staircases and hallways overlooking the garden. I would also highly suggest going up to the rooftop to see a stunning 360 view of Santa Barbara.
We took so many photos of this beautiful place that I’ll include those in a separate post so I can wax poetic a bit longer. So be sure to keep an eye out for that soon!
State Street - This is the main stretch of shops and restaurants in downtown Santa Barbara and it’s sort of a mix of everything. We loved walking down this street at dusk, just as everything started to light up. I even popped into Free People and Urban Outfitters for a bit of window shopping. Next time, I’d love to pay a visit to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and see a show at the Granada Theater.
Old Mission Santa Barbara - We caught the sunset right as we got to the Mission and it was really beautiful! The sunbeams drenched the grassy hillside where a bunch of groups had gathered for picnics. I loved the salmon pink color of the building. Next time I hope to stay longer and take a peak at the interior of the pink-trimmed building.
Drink
Night Lizzard Brewery - Living in San Diego, I am pretty well-acquainted with some really good local breweries. Finding this spot made me wish it were closer to home! We just happened to be passing by when we stumbled upon Night Lizzard, right on the main stretch on State Street, just as a band was starting to set up. The interior was really cool looking and the brews were delicious as well.
Paradise Springs Winery - Santa Barbara has sooo many options when it comes to wineries, wine bars, and wine tours, so you really can’t go wrong. We stopped by this spot on our way to dinner and it was really nice. There is some seating around a fireplace which is, of course, the optimal way to drink wine while on vacay.
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. - We were dying to check out the Funk Zone, a newer area in Santa Barbara, with a bunch of cool shops, restaurants and bars popping up. We landed on this little brewery, which was buzzing on a Saturday night. This place would be fun during the day as it has a cute little outdoor patio area that’s dog friendly.
Eat
Santa Barbara FishHouse - I was really craving some seafood and white wine when we arrived so this was our first meal, followed by a short, scenic walk down by the pier. This place felt like a typical coastal seafood restaurant, which I loved.
Toma Italian Restaurant - Kyle insisted that our one proper dinner date be at Toma, after hearing good things about it. While I love a good seafood pasta dish, I’m no expert on Italian. Luckily the food was delicious and the atmosphere very *romantic* while still feeling like a quaint little local gem. Isn’t that just the best restaurant atmosphere?
East Beach Tacos - This place was really good - and that’s coming from someone who has access to delicious tacos on the regular here in San Diego! You should know it’s, oddly enough, located adjacent to a batting range, with all outdoor seating. The menu had some really interesting fusion flavors, and I was honestly blown away that the best tacos I’ve had in a while were so far away from San Diego.
So there you have it, all the spots worth visiting, in my humble opinion, for the best 48 hours in Santa Barbara! Have you visited this cute coastal city? What are all your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments so I can put them on my itinerary for next time. Thanks for reading! xx Jessica