Wow! It is no wonder why the California coastal cities like Santa Barbara are the biggest tourist attractions in the United States.
The entire state of California has all the attractions that would satisfy different kinds of tourists. The terrain and the landscape of this North Pacific state of America include:
- Terrific beaches
- Redwood forests
- Sierra Nevada national park
- Mojave Desert
Not only are the cities on the North Pacific coast but some of the inner cities near the western coast of California the best places to settle down finally in the United States.
Apart from Santa Barbara some of the other seaside cities of California that are always found on the bucket list of places to see in the United States include:
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Big Sur Coastline
- Santa Monica
- San Jose
In this article, we are going to see the best sightseeing attractions in Santa Barbara city that is a typical laidback Californian city with a great climate and the best wines in the world.
The city’s numerous Mexican style restaurants that serve the tastiest Mexican cuisine anywhere in America and the local wines are more than enough to tie a tourist in the city and make him yearn to stay in Santa Barbara forever.
Locational Advantage of Santa Barbara.
So, Santa Barbara sits right on the North Pacific coast and its eastern side is the Santa Ynez Mountains. The city is blessed with ideal soil and climate to cultivate wine-yielding grapes. The climate is like a typical Californian one with just the most pleasant weather all through the year.
Vineyard Visiting in Santa Barbara
Next to the food scene and beaches, the vineyards are the biggest sightseeing attractions in it because. Yes, you guessed it right! You can taste wines more than you can consume even though wine tasting means just a sip or two from a glass.
I always wondered how the breweries can afford to give so much wine for free!
Santa Ynez Wine Valley
Actually, the correct name is Santa Ynez Valley but since it is the wine country of Santa Barbara, I have inserted the word ‘wine’ before ‘valley’. If you have arrived in Santa Barbara with an organized tour company, then, don’t worry; your tour sightseeing itinerary would certainly include a tour of the wine country.
In less than an hour from the city center of it, you will reach the wine country’s lovely meadows, vineyards and little farm villages that paint you a perfect picture of a Californian wine village. You will be taken to see at least three wineries. Better go to these vineyard tours on an empty stomach.
What to Eat in Santa Barbara and Where?
As I mentioned above, you can eat the tastiest Mexican and Spanish food in Santa Barbara. Let us go over the names of good restaurants in Santa Barbara that you should visit when you go there.
Lark Restaurant
Call 805-284-0370 and inquire what’s their menu today. If you like what you heard, then, go to this best restaurant located in a busy but relaxed locality called Anacapa Steet.
You are assured of farm fresh vegetables that are used to cook vegetarian pasta. That is usually named on the menu card as “ricotta ravioli with charred strawberries”.
Another unique food that you should try in the city is the Frito Pie.
I was told this is a lip-smacking staple whose basic ingredients are tomato, corn flakes, onion, jalapenos, bell peppers, chili, and cheese.
You can’t return from Barbara town without eating the popular Mexican delicacy called ‘enchiladas’. It is available in almost all the restaurants except in Indian and Japanese food outlets. Try the enchiladas in Las Agaves and Las Arroyos.
For eating other Mexican foods that include Fajitas and tortillas, visit Rudy’s Mexican restaurant and Casablanca located at State Street.
The cakes are also well reviewed in travel blogs. Visit these two wonderful places to eat the spongy cakes of Santa Barbara:
- Crushcakes & Café
- Chooket French Patisserie & Event
For drinking the famous Santa Barbara wines if you have not done your part as a wine taster, go to Renegade Wines or Jamie Slone Wines. Your taste buds would thank me.
Best Beaches in Santa Barbara
The prime sightseeing attractions in Barbara are its pristine beaches that have always visitors, especially in the evenings when the breeze is just right to lounge on the beach.
Names of the superb beaches In Santa Barbara that can go are:
- West Beach
- Butterfly Beach
- Arroyo Burro Beach
- Venice Beach
- Hammond’s Beach
- East Beach-the most scenic beach
Surfing, aquatic bird watching, and swimming are some of the things you can do in Santa Barbara beaches. Whale watching is also carried out but not always. These whales appear in the ocean only during certain times of the year.
Important landmarks to see in Santa Barbara
- Botanical Garden
- Zoo
- Stearns Wharf
Where to stay in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is tourist destination all through the year. There is no dearth of staying options in the city that include beachfront resorts and cottages, luxury hotels, vacation rentals, and boutique hotels that are great for a couple on a budget.
Here are some hotels that you dig for your weekend holiday.
- The Ritz-Carlton Bacara
- Kimpton Goodland
- Four Seasons Resort
- Hotel Californian
- SantaBarbara Inn
- Wayfarer-the most affordable hotel in the city
- Best Western Beachside Inn
- Sandpiper Lodge
The Best Locality in Santa Barbara to Stroll And Shop
The famous downtown sometimes gets the top priority among the tourists after reading travel blogs like this. The downtown area is so full of cafes, restaurants, and shops that you will be very reluctant to leave the place. You would wish you can afford to stay in one of the hotels in downtown Santa.
Tourists enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and lured by the colorful and succulent pastries displayed in roadside bakeries, they don’t fail to eat some of them and drink aromatic black coffee too.
Overall, Santa Barbara is an ideal weekend getaway for the neighboring cities’ residents and an unforgettable place for the residents of other states in America.
