Iconic
Montecito
San Ysidro Ranch
A storied 1893 hillside ranch of private cottages with fireplaces and outdoor showers, long beloved by honeymooners for its rustic seclusion and impeccable service.
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For families
Room for every age, the islands in reach.
Three pools, 78 acres and direct beach access keep every generation happy, with easy island adventure a ferry ride away.
Design This TripBase the family at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, where three pools, 78 acres and direct beach access keep every age happy, then build days around easy adventure.
Take the Island Packers ferry to Channel Islands National Park for sea caves and snorkeling, ride bikes along the Cabrillo waterfront, and let the kids explore the aquarium at Stearns Wharf.
Gentle trails, a festive table.
Cap an afternoon at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden's gentle creek trails, then gather for paella and gin tonics at Loquita, a welcoming room that suits a table full of generations.
What’s inside
- A multi-pool oceanfront base at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara
- An Island Packers ferry to Channel Islands National Park
- Bikes along the Cabrillo waterfront
- Gentle creek trails at the Botanic Garden
- Paella and gin tonics at Loquita
A sample rhythm
- 01
Settle in
A resort arrival, a first swim and an easy beach afternoon.
- 02
Island day
The Island Packers ferry to Channel Islands sea caves and snorkeling.
- 03
Waterfront and wharf
Bikes along Cabrillo and the aquarium at Stearns Wharf.
- 04
Garden and gather
The Botanic Garden's creek trails, then paella at Loquita.
The Santa Barbarawe’d build in
The pieces that fit this trip.
Where to stay
Montecito hideaways and Riviera classics.
Santa Barbara keeps its great hotels close to the sand and the hills, from cottage ranches in Montecito to terraced estates above the city.
Hilltop classic
Santa Barbara (Riviera)
Belmond El Encanto
A meticulously restored 1918 estate of bungalows terraced into the Santa Barbara hills, with sweeping ocean views, a lily pond and a refined Riviera atmosphere.
Visit official siteBeachfront grand
Montecito
Rosewood Miramar Beach
An opulent oceanfront resort on a private stretch of Montecito sand, with two pools, the Manor Bar and a polished residential elegance.
Visit official siteCliffside resort
Santa Barbara (Goleta)
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara
A sprawling 78-acre oceanfront resort with three zero-edge pools, a destination spa and direct beach access along the Gaviota coast just north of the city.
Visit official siteMoorish-chic
Santa Barbara (Funk Zone)
Hotel Californian
A stylish Spanish-Moorish hotel at the gateway to the Funk Zone, with a rooftop pool, Majorelle-inspired interiors and walkable access to State Street.
Visit official siteHistoric grand dame
Montecito
Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara
A landmark 1927 Spanish-Colonial estate on Butterfly Beach in Montecito, with lush gardens, a celebrated oceanfront setting and a storied Coral Casino beach club across the road.
Visit official siteOn the water
Whales offshore, the Channel Islands by ferry.
The harbor sends you out to blue whales in season and to five wild islands often called the Galapagos of North America, with sea caves and pristine snorkeling.
Whale watching shifts with the season: gray whales pass in winter, blues and humpbacks in summer and early fall. We time the trip to the run.
Whale watching
Santa Barbara Harbor
Condor Express
A high-speed catamaran running year-round whale-watching and dolphin cruises from the harbor, with naturalists aboard and frequent blue and humpback sightings in season.
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Santa Barbara Harbor
Santa Barbara Sailing Center
Private sailing charters, sunset cruises, coastal excursions and Channel Islands trips, plus lessons and yacht rentals from the harbor.
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Santa Barbara Harbor
Channel Cat
A 50-foot sailing catamaran available for private charters, coastal sails and sunset cruises along the Santa Barbara waterfront.
Visit official siteIsland ferry
Ventura / Channel Islands
Island Packers
The concessioner ferry to Channel Islands National Park, carrying visitors to Santa Cruz, Anacapa and the outer islands for hiking, kayaking and wildlife viewing.
Visit official siteWild island adventure
Offshore
Channel Islands National Park
Five rugged islands often called the Galapagos of North America, prized for sea caves, endemic wildlife, kayaking and pristine snorkeling.
Visit official sitePrivate yacht events
Santa Barbara Harbor
Celebration Cruises
Private yacht charters and dinner cruises from the harbor, popular for proposals, celebrations and small-group coastal outings.
Visit official siteThe landmarks
The Queen of the Missions, State Street, the wharf.
Red-tile architecture, a historic pier over the Pacific and oak-dotted vineyard back roads give Santa Barbara its unmistakable Spanish-Riviera sense of place.
Queen of the Missions
Santa Barbara (Riviera)
Old Mission Santa Barbara
The 1786 Franciscan mission known as the Queen of the Missions, with twin bell towers, a rose garden and a museum chronicling California's early history.
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Santa Barbara (Downtown)
State Street
The city's palm-lined main thoroughfare of red-tile architecture, boutiques, galleries and sidewalk cafes, anchored by the landmark county courthouse.
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Santa Barbara (Waterfront)
Stearns Wharf
California's oldest working wooden wharf, offering harbor and mountain views, seafood, an aquarium and a scenic walk over the Pacific.
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Santa Barbara (Waterfront)
Funk Zone
A walkable warehouse district near the beach packed with urban tasting rooms, murals, galleries, breweries and casual eateries.
Visit official siteSeafaring heritage
Santa Barbara Harbor
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
A harborside museum celebrating the region's maritime history with interactive exhibits, a working periscope and Channel Islands lore.
Visit official siteVineyard drives
Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country
The rolling oak-dotted countryside around Los Olivos, Solvang and Santa Ynez, laced with vineyard back roads ideal for a slow scenic drive.
Visit official siteOn foot
Front-country ridges and creekside canyons.
The Santa Ynez Mountains rise right behind the city, with short, steep climbs to panoramic island views and shaded canyon trails along year-round creeks.
Front-country trails offer little shade and run hot in midsummer. We schedule hikes for the cooler, clearer days of fall through spring.
Panoramic ridge hike
Santa Barbara (Mission Canyon)
Inspiration Point (Tunnel Trail)
A roughly 3.5-mile round-trip climb in Los Padres National Forest, rewarding hikers with sweeping views over the city, coastline and Channel Islands.
Visit official siteCreekside climb
Montecito
Cold Spring Trail
A classic shaded canyon trail following a year-round creek into the front-country mountains, with forks leading to ridgeline vistas and waterfalls.
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Montecito
Romero Canyon Trail
A popular front-country loop of trail and fire road climbing through chaparral to broad views of Montecito, the coast and the islands.
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Santa Barbara front country
Los Padres National Forest
The forest agency overseeing the Santa Barbara front-country trail system, with maps, conditions and permit information for area hikes.
Visit official siteNative garden trails
Mission Canyon
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
A 78-acre native-plant garden laced with gentle trails along Mission Creek, blending easy walking with redwoods, meadows and a historic dam.
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Farm-to-table terraces and Funk Zone tables.
The county's farms and fishing boats set the menus here, from a fireside dinner in a century-old citrus house to inventive shared plates near the beach.
Romantic
Montecito
The Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch
Set in a century-old granite citrus-packing house, this celebrated restaurant pairs estate-garden ingredients with a fireside terrace for one of the region's most romantic dinners.
Visit official siteWine-country bistro
Santa Barbara (Downtown)
Bouchon
An intimate downtown bistro devoted to local farms and Santa Barbara County wines, with a romantic patio and a deep, regionally focused list.
Visit official siteSpanish tapas
Santa Barbara (Funk Zone)
Loquita
A lively Funk Zone destination for authentic Spanish tapas, wood-fired paella and gin tonics, capturing the city's Spanish heritage in a festive setting.
Visit official siteSeasonal shared plates
Santa Barbara (Funk Zone)
The Lark
The anchor of the Funk Zone dining scene, set in a former fish market and serving inventive, shareable seasonal plates sourced from the Central Coast.
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Santa Barbara (Downtown)
Barbareño
A chef-driven restaurant celebrating the foods native to the Santa Barbara region, with a creative tasting-menu sensibility and hyper-local sourcing.
Visit official siteWaterfront seafood
Santa Barbara (Waterfront)
The Santa Barbara FisHouse
A longtime waterfront seafood favorite across from East Beach, serving fresh local catch, sushi and a patio steps from the sand near Stearns Wharf.
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Private Family Villa
Let’s design it around you.
Share what you can already picture. A concierge fills in everything still open and sends back a plan, not a quote.