Things To Do
Santa Barbara Roasting Company
This is where we planned most of our wedding - they have the best (and cheapest) coffee in town.
Backyard Bowls
A great place for an acai bowl (bonus, it's located right next to Santa Barbara Roasting Company).
CAJÉ Coffee Roasters
A beautiful coffee shop that doubles as a wedding venue!
La Playa Azul Cafe
Our favorite Mexican restaurant. Their chimichangas are the best!
Bettina
This is where we take all of our guests when they come to visit. Our favorite pizza place! (We also saw Ellen DeGeneres here once which was exciting.)
Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio
Shalhoob's sandwiches are some of our favorites. Fabian always goes for the tri tip, and Jenifer prefers either the fried chicken or pulled pork. Show up hungry.
Arnoldi's Cafe
One of the oldest restaurants in Santa Barbara (founded in 1937!) This is our restaurant of choice when we're craving Italian. We also considered getting married here!
Lilac Pâtisserie
For our gluten-free friends, Lilac Patisserie is a dedicated gluten-free bakery and cafe, but you wouldn't be able to tell by the way their food tastes! In addition to sweets, they serve breakfast, lunch, and brunch entrees.
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
Walk to the top of the clock tower for 360 degree views of Santa Barbara!
Elings Park
The largest community-supported non-profit park in the US. Views of the ocean, plenty of places to walk or run around, and beautiful oak trees. We considered getting married here!
Douglas Family Preserve
Donated to the City in 1997, this large open-space area sits above Arroyo Burro Beach and contains walking trails and scenic ocean views. The park is a popular destination for dog owners, as dogs can enjoy the park without their leashes on.
Santa Barbara Zoo
An incredibly beautiful zoo overlooking the ocean and Channel Islands. Also, you guessed it, we looked into getting married here!
Lotusland
Recognized as one of the most iconic public gardens, Lotusland is celebrated for its extraordinary history, avant-garde landscape designs, sustainable practices, and mystique. Spanning over 37 acres, Lotusland proudly stands as home to many of the rarest, most fascinating plants in the world. Experience the awe-inspiring estate through a captivating Docent-led tour. Tickets for October tours go on sale at 9:00am Pacific time on July 23rd. If you know you want to go, please make sure to buy your tickets as soon as they go on sale, as they tend to sell out quickly.
MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
An fun, interactive museum, especially for kids!
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center
Part of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Located at the end of Stearns Wharf, this highly interactive aquarium offers you close encounters with marine animals from the Santa Barbara Channel.
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Newly renovated in 2018, the Museum boasts state-of-the-art interactive exhibits for all ages, paired with the Central Coast’s only planetarium, on 17 acres of oak woodland along Mission Creek. Learn about the Santa Barbara region’s unique and diverse natural history and then go outside to explore nature in the Museum Backyard.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
As the first botanic garden to focus exclusively on native plants, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has dedicated nearly a century of work to better understand the relationship between plants and people.