Santa Barbara exudes an enchanting ambiance as a classic laidback coastal town in SoCal. A friend who attended university there jokes that she’s lived in two places with ideal climates – the Bay Area and Santa Barbara – shaping very high standards for wherever we ultimately settle down. Santa Barbara’s positioning between the mountains and shore limits sprawl and cultivates a singular landscape.
The mountains and ocean also make it so that Santa Barbara can’t sprawl out too far away, which means the city is compact enough to explore within a short period of time. However, with an excellent culinary scene, beautifully golden sandy beaches, and more shopping opportunities than your wallet can handle, it will keep you returning for additional visits. This guide will aid you in deciding where to lodge in Santa Barbara, and some of the best activities to try during your stay.
Interested in lodging with Airbnb in Santa Barbara? Wonderful choice! Click here to view my curated list of the finest Airbnb alternatives in Santa Barbara for your stay.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post, like hotel links, are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we make a little bit of money if you click through and book. That being said, we would never recommend something to you that we don’t stand behind 100%.
Travelling to California? You won’t want to neglect our other detailed California travel guides.
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- Places to Reside in San Francisco
The Best Areas to Stay in Santa Barbara
While Santa Barbara encompasses a reasonably compact city area, some nuances exist regarding accommodation selection. It`s also worthwhile noting that Santa Barbara generally involves higher costs to visit. Both hotels and Airbnbs will demand more than most other West Coast cities.
If your budget is limited, one suggestion is to stay at the Agave Inn. We chose to remain there and obtained lodging for just over one hundred dollars per night, which is an excellent value in Santa Barbara. Though the accommodations are compact, they are tastefully decorated. Furthermore, you won`t spend much time inside since you`ll want to explore Santa Barbara! It`s somewhat more distant, approximately two miles from the shoreline on State Street, but still very doable. We walked down to the Funk Zone through leafy neighborhoods and it was quite pleasant. You could always drive or take a rideshare instead if a two mile walk does not appeal to you.
When pricing is about equal, we generally opt for staying in an Airbnb over a hotel. In this case, since our booking timeframe was relatively last minute, the choices available for our dates through Airbnb were quite limited when we were searching. Thus, we decided on a hotel. But upon taking another look afterwards, I realized that Santa Barbara offers numerous excellent Airbnb options – they were simply all booked up at the time we were looking.
If we were able to do it again, we would select an Airbnb option. Similar to this bright and cozy apartment just off of State Street.
There is one gorgeous hotel located in Goleta, which is a 10 minute drive from downtown, that is worth considering: The Kimpton Goodland. Its style evokes an ideal seaside retreat despite not truly being on the beach. It offers dining and drinks at a restaurant and bar along with poolside service, a fitness center, and complimentary bicycles for touring the town. Guest rooms include record players and yoga mats. For those seeking such amenities, the small distance outside of town may be acceptable.
Downtown – Best Location for First Timers
The State Street Corridor north of the freeway in downtown Santa Barbara is the best place for initial visitors to stay in Santa Barbara. It is near the beach, a shopping center, and offers a wealth of dining and drinking establishments. The restaurants range from food trucks to upscale fine cuisine. There are several museums, art galleries, and theatres to satisfy one`s cultural interests.
Given that Santa Barbara is already an expensive city, the central location means you`ll pay a slightly higher rate but it isn`t overly noticeable.
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Here are some of the finest things to do in Downtown Santa Barbara.
- Indulge in the premium coffee offerings in Santa Barbara at Dune Coffee Roasters and Handlebar Coffee Roasters. These locally operated cafes prioritize delicious and sustainably produced coffee beans.
- Sample the finest completely gluten-free baked goods in Santa Barbara atLilac Patisserie. This patisserie provides breakfast, lunch, and dessert options, and stopping here at least once during a stay is recommended. Their brunch menu is exceptional, though their mouth-watering cheesecakes after exploring the city are also worthwhile.
- Find the freshest local produce at the Santa Barbara Farmers` Market. Those with kitchen access should visit the Santa Barbara Farmers Market on Saturdays or Wednesdays to shop an abundance of locally grown produce. Even without kitchen access, attend to immerse yourself in the atmosphere, enjoy fresh fruits, and experience the lively market sounds. Surrounding restaurants and bars are often busy on Saturdays due to the market.
- Sample an ice cream at a local institution.McConnell`s Ice Cream has served Santa Barbara for 70 years as a family operation committed to using quality local ingredients in imaginative flavor combinations. It`s one of Santa Barbara’s lesser known gems but well worth any wait times.
- Learn about Santa Barbara`s history at theSanta Barbara Historical Museum. This museum outlines Santa Barbara`s story from the days of Native American civilization through the 19th Century Spanish settlement, Mexican governance, and Arts Movement eras. Temporary exhibitions complement the core exhibits.
Best Places to Stay in Downtown Santa Barbara
The area along State Street is where you’ll find most places to stay, and it’s a perfect location for being central to everything to do and see in Santa Barbara.
The M Lounge (1 Bedroom Rental)
This contemporary apartment offers a private terrace along with luxurious extras like a rainfall shower and bathrobes. Guests have the spacious lower level exclusively with a bright living and dining area and separate bedroom.
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Cozy Earthy Nook with Panoramic View (1 Bedroom Airbnb)
This light-filled lodging is among four situated in a renovated Victorian residence. It is decorated in a charming fashion with an extensive kitchen and dining room. It lies 10 to 15 minutes from downtown Santa Barbara on foot and has many restaurants and bars in the vicinity.
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Private Tiny Studio Close To State St, Beach, & Funk Zone (Studio Airbnb)
This tiny house location is directly in the core of Santa Barbara. It is just a few moments on foot from State Street and all the restaurants, bars, and cafés situated there. While the place is small, it offers outstanding value, and furnishes a kitchenette with an induction cooker in case you want to cook a handful of meals for yourself. The TV has Netflix, Starz, and HBO and there is street parking.
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Charming downtown property in the heart of Santa Barbara (2 Bedroom Airbnb)
You will have full autonomy of this spacious and beautifully decorated house. It has two bedrooms and a sofa bed, plus a large backyard with patio furniture. The kitchen is a state-of-the-art preparation area with a dual entry refrigerator, six burner stove, and double oven with a warming compartment. Guests can use the washing machine and clothes dryer.
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Newly Established Boutique Accommodations – Casa Castillo (2 Bedroom Airbnb)
This minimal room is one of five units in a blend of a boutique hotel and an apartment complex. It provides ample kitchen and dining areas and 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The whole property underwent renovation in May 2020 and was furnished with Keurig appliances and California King beds in each of the bedrooms.
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Canary by Kimpton (Downtown)
While the Canary by Kimpton offers a unique design that blends sophistication and location seamlessly, its premier feature is the rooftop swimming pool allowing beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and ocean, ideal for relaxed evenings swims. An outdoor fireplace is also onsite permitting guests to cuddle up and admire the celebrities in the night. The lodging provides perks such as complimentary bicycles and organized wine occasions to permit visitors to sample regional wines. Interior spaces in this boutique hotel are masterfully crafted with hand-painted tiles, four poster beds, and hardwood floors. You`ll pay a slightly higher price for the available facilities and setting.
Agave Inn – Excellent Value Hotel
On our latest trip, we thought this was a good inexpensive choice for a stay in Santa Barbara. The Agave Inn is decorated with a modern Mexican motif using bright wall and bed coverings, Mexican movie posters, and cacti. All rooms have a microwave and family rooms include kitchenettes. The heart of downtown is around a mile and a half away, which is the tradeoff for the reasonable pricing available here.
The Funk Zone – The Best Part of Santa Barbara
We love the Funk Zone, and find ourselves coming here every single time we find ourselves in Santa Barbara. The Funk Zone is basically ten blocks of industrial buildings which have become a paradise for the city’s creatives. Unfortunately, because it is so small and filled with warehouses, there really aren’t that many places to stay here.
But if you plan to spend much of your time wine tasting and perusing the racks of the many vintage stores, this is your best option. It is home to some of the finest restaurants in the area, offering good value food from all over the world. There is always something to do in the Funk Zone, with all sorts of wine tasting rooms, restaurants, fun street art, and boutique shops, just waiting for you to chance upon them.
It also happens to be a short distance from the beach and Stearns Wharf, and a brief walk to the heart of State Street and Downtown Santa Barbara.
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A few engaging activities to enjoy while staying in the Funk Zone include:
- Valley Project highly recommends sampling the many excellent local wines crafted in and around Santa Barbara`s Funk Zone region. I`ve tried several wines on trips here and favor Valley Project the most. It serves an array of top-notch wines grown locally.
- Lily`s Taqueria is renowned for its authentic gluten-free soft tacos, which are so popular that lines regularly extend outside. While waits can be lengthy, the line moves efficiently and the tacos are worth savoring.
- Loquita provides an authentic Spanish dining experience with tapas, meats, seafood and paella made from local ingredients. It offers numerous gluten-free selections and a superb wine list.
- Indulge your sweet tooth at Chocolate Maya. Choosing only the finest sustainable ingredients, Chocolate Maya handcrafts many delectable truffles and confections to enjoy guilt-free.
- Create one-of-a-kind artworks at Funk Factory`s paint splatter chamber. Customize beautiful canvases as gifts or transform clothes and accessories into wearable works of art using provided supplies.
Best Places to Stay in the Funk Zone
2 Blocks to Beach, Downtown, Funk Zone (2 Bedroom Airbnb)
This modern sophisticated beach home was highlighted in Conde Nast as one of the best Airbnbs in California. It drew inspiration from the owner’s travels and the surrounding area. The Spanish-style house is outfitted with top-tier appliances and fluffy down bedding. There are lavish touches like heated floor tiles in the bathrooms, an Apple TV with Netflix, and a fully stocked gourmet kitchen, and even a washer and dryer.
Here is an excellent map showing all the local artisans on Salt Spring Island – from food to art and design. Download it as a PDF to have with you during the trip.
The Wayfarer
The Wayfarer, which is somewhat of a blend of a hotel and a hostel, provides an abundance of common spaces for guests to mingle and share their travel experiences. The hostel encourages guests to interact through a shared kitchen, an outdoor heated pool, and a lounge with guitars, board games, and a small lending collection. The pool also includes a pool lift to ensure accessibility for all guests. They have four same-gender hostel rooms and 27 private hotel-style rooms.
Hotel Indigo
Hotel Indigo is one of my preferred moderately priced hotel chains, and the location in the Funk Zone offers a contemporary lodging well-suited for visitors of all types. It provides two-hour bicycle rentals and car-free packages aimed at motivating guests to travel in a manner more mindful of the environment. The property also has several outdoor common areas ideal for relaxing with a cool beverage after exploring the day away.
The Waterfront- Best combination of Beach and City
The coastline includes East Beach and West Beach, where the city meets the palm tree-lined, golden sands stretching along the shore. The coastal region extends for one and a half miles with a small park connecting the two beaches.
West Beach has many tourists and a busy night scene. It is the best area to stay in Santa Barbara if you are only there for a short time. It also has numerous restaurants boasting romantic ocean views. East Beach is much more laid back and allows visitors to experience local life. It’ll be quieter, with local eateries and bars.
If you’re searching for a more affordable (but no less flavorful) choice for Mexican cuisine, head to For All Things Good in Bed Stuy. Honestly, it was a close second to Claro in terms of our favorite meals we ate in NYC.
The following were some of the best things to do along the waterfront.
- Spending a day relaxing at the beaches is worthwhile as Santa Barbara`s shorelines have much to offer. Either East Beach or West Beach would make for a nice outing, with East Beach being well-suited for families and containing a nearby park, while West Beach is steps away from shopping, dining, and nightlife like the Funk Zone area, as well as additional beaches.
- Taking a stroll along the pedestrian walkway of Stearns Wharf is a classic Santa Barbara activity. No matter the day, people can be found soaking in the ocean breezes and browsing the shops lining the pier. Those seeking refreshment have a few seafood restaurants and a wine tasting room to choose from, the latter providing scenic sunset views.
Best Places to Stay on the Waterfront
A couple of really solid hotel and Airbnb options will have you a few blocks from the beach and not too much further from the Funk Zone and Downtown.
tranquil Retreat; Artist Studio
This artist`s lodging, technically situated in Montecito but within walking length of Santa Barbara along the shoreline, feels welcoming and inviting. It includes a patio comprising a fireplace for prolonged evenings outside and ample books for visitors to read. Most significantly, it lies merely four blocks from Butterfly Beach, and the hosts furnish coast towels, boogie boards, and kayaks for visitors to employ. The Airbnb furthermore highlights an outdoor shower, ideal for rinsing off the sand subsequent to a beach outing, or for a bit of star-gazing while enjoying a comforting warm shower just before bed.
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Shoreline Retreat – Newly Renovated, Walk to Beach
The ultimate Santa Barbara escapade, this beautiful home is situated just a 6 minute drive from the shoreline. Large bifold doors open from the living room to a sizable garden with a hot tub and fire pit. The home is decorated exquisitely and boasts a gourmet kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances.
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Harbor House Inn: Coastline Hotel
The Harbor House Inn is run and owned by a local family, distinguishing it from many other accommodations on this list. Despite modest shared spaces, it offers free bicycles for exploring the surroundings. All rooms include tea/coffee makers and SmartTVs with streaming services, some with full kitchens. West Beach and its collection of eateries and bars are merely a block away.
Hotel Milo: Stylish and Hip Hotel by the Beach
Situated right alongside West Beach, the Hotel Milo is absolute paradise. It is a building in the typical Spanish Colonial style common to Southern California utilizing modern beach-chic blue and white interiors. The sprawling grounds feature beautiful gardens offering guests a selection of pools to make use of. Most rooms overlook the gardens, but some room types afford ocean views.
Carpinteria – Best Quiet Beach Getaway
While technically not situated in Santa Barbara, this location merits inclusion here for a specific reason: it offers a perfect setting for a quieter beach vacation where day trips to downtown Santa Barbara remain convenient.
Carpinteria is just a ten minute drive away from Santa Barbara, yet offers a much more relaxed beach scene for those seeking some peace and quiet. It is far more of a small beach town, but its legendary surf and proximity to Santa Barbara attract plenty of visitors. Spend your days wandering the roadways of this charming little beach town, uncovering treasures in the antique stores, or visiting one of the beachside boutiques. In October, Carpinteria is home to the California Avocado Festival and boasts the world`s largest vat of guacamole for the event.
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Here are some of the finest things to do while living in Carpinteria:
- Spending a day exploring the stunning white sands and tidepools inhabiting myriad marine life at Carpinteria State Beach offers scenic coastal beauty. Low tides unveil the wildlife calling this shore home.
- Traversing the rugged coastline vistas and seal sanctuaries within Carpinteria Nature Preserve delivers an enjoyable family excursion amid cliffside walks. Well-timed visits may glimpse baby seals.
- Absorbing the ambiance over coffee and healthy fare at Lucky Llama Coffee attracts an eclectic mix of locals and travelers alike to savor relaxing java.
- Sipping hard ciders, meads, and kombuchas amid tapping presentations enhances visits to Apiary Ciderworks and Meadery, promising post-beach bliss.
- Booking whale watching cruises from Carpinteria via expert companies like Condor based on reputable reviews regularly sight majestic marine life inhabiting local waters year-round.
Best Places to Stay in Carpinteria
In Carpinteria, Airbnb offers many great beachfront lodging choices to consider.
Idyllic Beachside Flat (Airbnb)
This compact seaside apartment contains every amenity required for a beach vacation. There is an outdoor table and chairs, a tub/shower combo in the bathroom, and a well-stocked kitchen with a sizable refrigerator. However, its primary benefit is the direct access it offers to the sandy shoreline. You can walk straight onto the sand from the patio area.
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Ocean View Tiny House, 1 Mile from the Beach (Airbnb)
Located amid an avocado orchard, this tiny house with an ocean view, linked at this site, has everything needed for a blissful holiday. While the indoor area may be small, the tiny home is attached to an outdoor deck of equal size with a propane barbecue and plenty of seating. Large windows in the kitchen open up onto the patio where there is a breakfast bar and stools to generate more space. If the weather is bad (foreshadowing: it most likely won’t be), stools tucked under the kitchen counter can be brought out so you can look out the kitchen window while dining.
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Iconic 1974 Airstream on an Organic Ranch (Airbnb)
This lodging is solitary of its type. The vintage trailer offers an artistically decorated industrial interior. The steel of the trailer is softened with hardwood, cowhide leather, and gorgeous green settings of the avocado orchard. Affixed to the trailer is a spacious patio with outdoor furnishings and plants. It is covered to permit use in all weather conditions. The proprietors have fashioned a small rock and cactus landscape around the trailer with tables and chairs and benches to allow outdoor living. It’s in the hills above Carpinteria, not on the beach, but we couldn’t resist incorporating it on this list.
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Exquisite Carpinteria Beach Cottage (Airbnb)
This seaside cottage is a visual delight. Decorated mainly in white with wooded features and splashes of navy and green, it contains a spacious kitchen with a breakfast bar alongside a two-door refrigerator and all the essentials needed to create a feast. While cozy, it includes touches of luxury such as a rainfall showerhead, a widescreen television, and a coffee machine
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Other Great Places to Stay Around Santa Barbara
These two places don`t match any of the four key areas I wanted to ensure were included. Both are located in the nearby city of Goleta, approximately a 10-15 minute drive from downtown. You`ll probably need a vehicle, so if you don`t plan to rent one, you should look for lodging closer in.
Breathtaking Couple’s Getaway in SB w/ Fireplace (1 Bedroom Airbnb)
This cozy one-bedroom apartment features everything needed for a stay in Santa Barbara. It has air conditioning for the summer, two fireplaces for the winter, and board games. It is a brief 10 minute drive from Downtown Santa Barbara and has space in the driveway for parking as well as plentiful street parking.
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Goodland by Kimpton (Goleta)
The Goodland by Kimpton is situated on the outskirts of Santa Barbara, in the neighboring city of Goleta, but it is only ten miles away from bustling downtown Santa Barbara. It is an eccentric hotel with a vintage motif, decorated with memorabilia and collectibles. There is even a vintage record shop onsite. Each of the rooms come furnished with a record player and a selection of LPs hand-selected by the hotel`s owner. The hotel provides yoga classes and fun events like trivia nights for guests.”
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Whether visiting Santa Barbara for a weekend or a weeklong beach getaway, it will likely capture your heart. There is so much to see and do, and beaches aplenty to unwind on. My advice is to embrace the relaxed lifestyle, sample all the foods your capacity allows, and soak up the beautiful California sunlight.
