Santa Barbara is Iconic.

The gorgeous spanish style villas that line State Street, the impeccable restaurants, and the close proximity to Oprah Winfrey’s house all make Santa Barbara the top of our getaway list. With SB only being a 2 hour drive from LA, its very accessible. Take a look at our sunny Santa Barbara itinerary.

Coming from LA, we don’t suggest leaving during Friday night rush hour. Waiting until early Saturday morning is the best bet. Unless, you don’t enjoy driving along the 1 hwy looking out to the pristine Pacific Ocean.

Saturday Morning Serenade

The best brunch in town is at the Belmond El Encanto. If you’re feeling fancy, opt for the bellini brunch. You’ll start with family-style appetizers: rock shrimp roll, dungeness crab louie, and ahi tuna poke. Then comes your main course, embellished with a continuous pour of  bottomless Moet.

Name: Belmond El Encanto

Address: 800 Alvarado Place, Santa Barbara, California, 93103

Classic Charm

Take an afternoon stroll on State Street to work off those brunch calories. The old Spanish style charm draws in many international shops and businesses. For this reason, you’ll brush shoulders against people from all woks of life. Especially, the French. I’ve seen an invasion of macaron shops with the best being, Renaud’s Patisserie. That’s a must go!

Name: Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro

Address: 3315 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Bourbon and Belly Dancers

As nighttime hits, who doesn’t like live entertainment? The best place in Santa Barbara for a lively dinner is Zaytoon. It’s classic Mediterranean menu features kebabs, hummus, shwarmas, and pita Be prepared to fall in love with Middle Eastern food all over again. The constant up beat Lebanese music mixed with the boozy atsmosphere makes Zaytoon a perfect Saturday night hotspot.

Name: Zaytoon

Address: 209 E Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

To Rest (Then Play)

With so many full service resorts in Santa Barbara, its hard to choose where to stay. Our tops are: Ritz Carlton Bacara (Ritz recently bought this resort and rebranded), Belmond El Encanto, Spanish Garden Inn, Canary Hotel, Four Seasons. Ritz Carlton Bacara (shown above) is sprawled out across 78 beachfront acres and embellished with Spanish style private villas. It’s easy to enjoy the SB lifestyle. Have brunch at the hotel, then head to the mission!

Name: Ritz Carlton Bacara

Address: 8301 Holllister Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93117


Booking.com

Connect with Nature

It’s always sunny in Santa Barbara, so everyday is a great day to go visit the beloved Mission. It was established in 1786 and was the tenth of twenty-one California Missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans. Right now, its SB’s chief cultural and historic landmark embellished with a church, active parish, museum, and landscaped gardens beautiful enough for your next Instagram photo.

Name: Santa Barbara Mission

Address: 2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara 93117

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