Steph & Chase
Things To Do
The Funk Zone for Urban Beer/Wine Tasting
This is the happening place to be! We love Lama Dog + Topa. They are a half brewery (Lama Dog) & half winery (Topa). Other good spots: Wine Collective & Municipal Winemarkers. Places to eat there: Nooks, The Lark (farm to table), Lucky Penny (casual pizza), Shalhoobs (sandwiches) or Les Marchands (french open air), Helena Ave Bakery (breakfast).
Stearns Wharf for Fun & Views of the Coast
This heart of Santa Barbara downtown area. Beautiful views right on the water. There are restaurants, a Sea Center, a candy store (Chases' fav) and an ice cream parlor.
Jeannine's Bakery for Breakfast/Brunch
This is a favorite of mine and Chases'! He ordered 2 brunch items on his first visit to SB: Lobster Eggs Benedict & the pancakes. There are 3 locations! We recommend the Figueroa one if you are staying downtown. I am partial to the Coast Village Rd location in Montecito because then you can walk to my favorite beach: Butterfly Lane Beach!
Butterfly Beach for Sunset/Beach Stroll
Ahh, Butterfly Beach an absolute must! If you can, go at sunset. This is the beach in front of the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel. If you feel fancy stop in for a drink and peruse the property. The Coral Casino Beach Club is also pretty amazing!
State Street for Shopping/Strolling
This long street is the heart of Santa Barbara knwon as "Downtown" for shopping, restaurants, bars and al fresco! If you keep walking in the direction of the beach you will hit Stearn's Wharf. If you want a spectacular view check out the Courthouse and go to the top!
Activities for the Outdoorsy Types
There are plenty of activities to do such as: surfing, sailing, jet skiing, kayaking, golf or paddle boarding. Most of the aquatic activities can be found near/around Stearns Wharf.
Hikes for the Adventurous
There are so many hikes to choose from. You can always google them all but here are 2 that stick out: Inspiration Point- a relatively short hike that doesn't require a huge climb, making it a good option for kids. Views of the city, the ocean, and The Channel Islands. Lizard's Mouth- up by Goleta, and is less of a hike and more of a place to climb on rocks by the ocean and take in the views.
Favorites for Lunch & Dinner
A few of our fav spots: Honor Bar- amazing lunch spot in Montecito. La Super Rica Taqueria- (famous Julia Child taco spot!) cash only authentic taco place. The Lark- happening spot for tapas in Funk Zone. Make reservations in advance. Tre Lune- my Dad's fav brunch spot (huevos rancheros) but also a great lunch/dinner spot. Loquita- another great Spanish tapas spot. Arigato- our fav sushi spot! Via Vai, Tre Lune, Olio E Limone, Ca Dario- for Italian! McConnell's- a Santa Barbara classic for ice cream Boathouse @ Hendry's Beach- seafood/american right on the beach. Los Agaves- multiple locations for amazing Mexican food. El Encanto- for a drink/dinner in the hills with a view! Brophy Bros- for waterfront seafood. Lucky's- for steak dinner or lunch in Montecito. Lucky Penny- for pizza!
Santa Ynez Valley Wine Tasting
This is a runner up (some say even better wine tasting) than Napa. It is about a 40 min drive. Our top recco is to go to Sunstone Winery!
Handlebar Coffee Roasters for Coffee
Coffee: Breakfast Culture Club (so cool) AND Handlebar Coffee Roasters (the SB 'go to')