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 groups
A hillside cluster, taken over.
Reunions, milestones and offsites, on a Riviera built to host the whole group at once.
Design This TripGather the group at Belmond El Encanto, taking over a cluster of hillside bungalows with Riviera views and a private chef-led dinner on the terrace.
Charter a yacht through Celebration Cruises for a harbor sunset, then spend a full day in the Santa Ynez Valley with private tastings at Stolpman, Sanford and Fess Parker, linked by scenic oak-lined back roads.
Shared adventure, unhurried meals.
A round at The Alisal Ranch or a guided hike in Los Padres gives the group shared adventure, while long, unhurried meals at Bouchon keep the conversation going.
What’s inside
- A cluster of hillside bungalows at Belmond El Encanto
- A Celebration Cruises yacht charter at sunset
- Private Santa Ynez tastings at Stolpman, Sanford and Fess Parker
- A round at The Alisal Ranch or a Los Padres hike
- Long, unhurried dinners at Bouchon
A sample rhythm
- 01
Gather
Arrivals and a private chef-led dinner on the El Encanto terrace.
- 02
Harbor sunset
A Celebration Cruises yacht charter along the waterfront.
- 03
Wine-country day
Private Santa Ynez tastings linked by oak-lined back roads.
- 04
Play and linger
Golf at The Alisal or a Los Padres hike, then dinner at Bouchon.
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 siteIn the vines
Sta. Rita Hills Pinot and the Urban Wine Trail.
Cool-climate Pinot and structured Syrah define the valleys an hour inland, while a walkable trail of tasting rooms keeps the wine country steps from the beach.
Estate Pinot and Syrah
Sta. Rita Hills (Lompoc)
Melville Winery
A benchmark Sta. Rita Hills estate known for cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah, with a Mediterranean-style tasting patio amid the vines.
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Sta. Rita Hills
Sanford Winery
One of the founding estates of the Sta. Rita Hills, farming the historic Sanford and Benedict vineyard and pouring elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
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Los Olivos
Fess Parker Winery
A family-owned Santa Ynez Valley landmark with a sweeping vineyard terrace, well known for Syrah, Rhône blends and a relaxed wine-country welcome.
Visit official siteSyrah specialist
Ballard Canyon
Stolpman Vineyards
A leading Ballard Canyon estate celebrated for structured, age-worthy Syrah and Roussanne, with both a vineyard and a Los Olivos tasting room.
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Santa Barbara (Funk Zone)
Municipal Winemakers
A flagship of the walkable Funk Zone Urban Wine Trail, pouring approachable, characterful wines with a casual, design-forward vibe steps from the beach.
Visit official siteDowntown winery
Santa Barbara (Funk Zone)
Santa Barbara Winery
The city's oldest winery and an Urban Wine Trail cornerstone, offering tastings of estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a working downtown facility.
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Oceanfront links and Santa Ynez fairways.
Golf here runs from a clifftop public course often compared to Pebble Beach to a working guest ranch framed by sycamores and grazing cattle in the valley.
Oceanfront public links
Santa Barbara (Goleta)
Sandpiper Golf Club
A dramatic clifftop public course along the Pacific, often compared to Pebble Beach for its ocean-hugging holes and sweeping coastal views.
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Solvang
The Alisal Ranch Golf
A scenic 18-hole course set on a working guest ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley, framed by sycamores, oaks and grazing cattle.
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Santa Barbara (San Marcos Pass)
Rancho San Marcos Golf Course
A Robert Trent Jones Jr. course in the Santa Ynez River valley along Highway 154, blending native terrain with mountain backdrops.
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Santa Barbara (Goleta)
Glen Annie Golf Club
A public hillside course in Goleta with ocean and island views from elevated tees and a popular grill overlooking the back nine.
Visit official sitePrivate heathland gem
Montecito
The Valley Club of Montecito
An acclaimed private 1929 Alister MacKenzie design, regarded as one of the finest and most exclusive courses in Southern California.
Visit official sitePrivate hilltop club
Montecito
Montecito Club
A historic private club restored with a modern Tom Fazio course and clubhouse, offering ocean views above the Montecito coastline.
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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.
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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 Group Retreat
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.