Santa Barbara Trip Recommendations

Disclaimer: All places mentioned are personal recommendations. This post is not sponsored in any way.

I recently rang in my 40th birthday with my husband, Blane, and pup, Howie, in Santa Barbara, California.

A popular getaway for Los Angeles locals, the quaint beachfront town features lots of delicious plant-based eats, fine wine, and pet-friendly fun that we explored over seven days and six nights.

If you’re interested in an oceanfront California getaway, I highly recommend giving Santa Barbara a shot. We flew straight in from Denver and didn’t even need to rent a car to enjoy all the coastal city had to offer.

Here’s a glimpse into our travels to help guide your Santa Barbara trip.

Settling in

We opted for a boutique hotel in downtown Santa Barbara for the first three days and started every morning with walk along the paved oceanfront path, followed by a quick run before people-watching at the beach.

Cauliflower tacos from Finney’s Craft House

It was easy to explore on foot, and we spent lots of time walking, wine tasting and eating all the plant-based food. My favorites were Finney’s Craft House for its patio and huge menu with a variety of dietary options (I recommend the Caesar salad and cauliflower tacos, healthy food is something I always crave after a day of airport travel), and Rusty’s Pizza, which delivers. We ate it in our cute courtyard before lounging with a movie. In between, we went wine tasting, using the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail as our informal guide.

Barbieri Wines in downtown Santa Barbara and Jamie Slone Wines provided particularly pleasant wine-tasting experiences. We enjoyed sipping rose from Barbieri, with its mix of indoor/outdoor seating and velvet floor stools. Jamie Slone staff was friendly and knowledgable, and its tasting room stays open a bit later than most others. Their chardonnay was excellent, too!

The loveliest lodging experience

Midtrip, we moved to the El Encanto, a Belmond Hotel, for a change of pace, and the property did not disappoint! We enjoyed a private little villa in the hotel, which overlooked the ocean and the city itself.

Howie was a big fan of our stay, especially with its special canine food menu. He enjoyed daily room service and a doggie bed, bag of goodies and fashionable bandana waiting for him upon arrival.

The hotel spared no special for us, either, since they knew I was celebrating my birthday. I was welcomed with a gorgeous set of flowers, a bottle of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries.

There was little reason to leave the resort, especially with its food! They had–hands down–the best avocado toast I’ve ever tasted (a breakfast staple for the rest of my visit) and were very accommodating with my vegetarian diet. We dined on the waterfront patio each night, enveloped in the serene views.

In between adventures

We spent a few hours at the dog-friendly Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, falling in love with all the plants and outdoor adventure. My favorite highlight was a private sunset sailing trip we booked with Capt. Pascal with Santa Barbara Channel Charters. We enjoyed champagne and the perfect seaside setting over our two-hour excursion.

Insider’s tip

We had no set plans for our vacation other than to explore and relax, so the only reservation we made was for our sunset sailing trip. While there are many dog-friendly places to eat and drink, I’d plan for dinner reservations. Locals told us that since LA residents flock to the gorgeous town for a seaside escape, Santa Barbara restaurants book out fast.

Location freedom at its finest

My family and I savored every moment of our Santa Barbara getaway. With every trip we take, I’m reminded of how fortunate I feel to have built a life where we can truly take time away to enjoy traveling together. It’s empowering to see where your life can take you when you trust your intuition and expand your mindset to believe you are entirely worthy and capable of living the life you want.
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