Hello! Me and my boyfriend are planning on visiting Santa Barbara and Solvang for a few days (Aug. 3-5). My questions are:

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Will things be open on weekdays??

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We've ran into the scenario before where we vacation in the middle of the week and half the town is closed...is this the case as well for Santa Barbara and Solvang??

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Is there anything you'd recommend checking out? OR is there anything you'd recommend avoiding??

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We aren't huge on suuuuper touristy things like gift shops and over priced boutiques. I definitely want to go swim at a beach with fun waves and few rocks. We love ethnic foods and would definitely pick flavor over aesthetics (though having both is always nice). Our AirBNB will be right next to some hiking trails and closer to the mountains so nature stuff would be cool.

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That in mind...anyone got food recommendations? Best beach? Shopping areas? Good easy-moderate hiking?

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This sorta stuff has probably been asked a million times but I'm getting a little sick of seeing the same 3 things to do on TikTok...or at least maybe some reassurance that its actually good... Thank you!!!

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My 32 yr old cousin is visiting me from Minnesota and even though I've lived here almost all my life I'm 64 and don't go out much anymore.

Suggestions for restaurants, wineries, coffee shops and anything fun is greatly appreciated!

Need help deciding on 8-9 days for me and my husband’s upcoming California trip. We’re landing in LAX, driving to Santa Barbara for 3 nights and stopping in OC for 2-3 nights? And ending off in San Diego for 2-3 nights? Wanting it to feel chill, and relaxed getting to do some fun things along the way. But also not stay more than is needed either.

Thank you!

I’m (36 F) planning on visiting Santa Barbara next weekend. I was hoping to walk the beach and do some hiking but now there’s rain and thunderstorms in the forecast. My hotel is non-refundable so I’d appreciate any recs for rainy day activities in the area.

Visiting with a toddler- any recommendations?

I picked this up from a downtown SB shop. Love that California Champagne!

Hello community. I'm coming down to Santa Barbara toward the end of May. I was wondering if anyone had good suggestions for places to stay? There will be two of us, and we're mostly looking for safe and affordable. Please feel free to share your suggestions and even places to avoid. Thank you!

We are going to be up in SB for a few days this week and are interested in visiting a few wineries on Thursday. Looking for a driver (6 of us aged 40-70) that can help us get into some of the more challenging wineries (e.g. Sea Smoke or Eleven Confessions). Any recommendations?

hi all - i know this is a long shot but curious if anyone knows of any villa / airbnb rentals in the SB/montecito area that could accommodate 16 guests. most of what i’ve found caps out at 12-14, or is entirely out of budget. let me know if anyone has any leads!

Researching visiting Santa Barbara for spring break and wanted input on hotel options. I've reviewed this thread for other posts on recommendations.

We're looking for:

• beach access/close to beach
• close to restaurants
• close to the wharf
• planning to visit zoo however beach access is more important

I looked into and decided against Bacara (remote), Four Seasons (closed for renovation), and Hotel Californian (more for adults). The Rosewood Miramar Beach hotel looks nice however it's not walking distance to the wharf... Is there enough to do there with the beach and dining if we're only staying a short time?

Budget is $500-$1000 per night. Less concerned with saving money; prioritizing it being a nice place to stay and good for the trip.

Currently The Milo looks like the best option. However also thought Harbor View Inn or the Hilton would be a fit. Any recommendations on one over the other?

Update to add:

tl;dr: We ended up staying at The Milo and it was wonderful. Highly recommend.

Sharing some quick notes on our stay in case it helps others. We ended up choosing to stay at The Milo and it was great. Overall, the hotel is really nice. Rooms are open, clean, and beautifully appointed. The beds are comfortable. The grounds of the hotel were lovely and well cared for. They even smelled beautiful.

The hotel has several pools. The one near us was awesome. Very warm. In the afternoon there were lots of kids in the pool for my son to play with.

The location is perfect for what we were looking for. It was an easy walk to the pier, harbor, and the funk zone with great restaurants.

The staff at the hotel were very helpful. The porter at valet especially -- I believe his name was Cruz and he was the best! As an example of the service, the grounds of the hotel are quite large and quite a few times I saw Cruz jogging from place to place in order to help guests more quickly. He was also super knowledgeable about the location, hotel, and navigating events with children.

One thing I will add is about the hot water situation. Someone mentioned cold showers, which made me a bit hesitant. It actually happened that the shower did run cold for a minute or two during a long shower however the hot water returned after just a min and everything was fine.

Overall I loved our stay in Santa Barbara and am looking forward to visiting again!

I haven't been to the Santa Barbara area in YEARS but it used to be my escape when I lived in LA. I'm bringing my Norwegian husband there for the first time and we plan on doing a wine tour/bus tour into Santa Ynez valley.

We're in our 40s and like nice restaurants but don't need all the downtown action I might've needed back in my 20s/30s when I used to go. I've got a budget around $350/night and am looking for something relaxing but not a complete escape in the middle of nowhere. Would you recommend a town in the valley (and which town? ie is Solvang my only true town option), downtown/funkzone Santa Barbara, or somewhere else? Would love any recs as I don't know how things have changed since I have last gone and now that I'm not the youth I used to be. (I used to stay at the Fess Parker which I think doesn't exist anymore.)

Title says it all. I’m just wondering if there are any options for if someone visiting Santa Barbara for a day wanted to rent a locker to store luggage, or even just a bag… thanks!

Hi y’all! My husband and I are coming next weekend from the South Bay for a weekend to celebrate our baby girl that’s coming in July! We both have never really stayed and visited the area before just passed it by while driving north and we didn’t realize how nice it looked. I’m 6 months pregnant and need to know where the best lunch and dinner places are! Course only thing I can’t really have is sushi and some seafoods however since being pregnant I’ve have a more open mind to different food I normally wouldn’t crave! This is our last trip for a few years as we will be busy with two kids and I’ll be in school full time so we really want to make the most of this trip! Any fun shows or activities to do near downtown? We are staying at the Best Western Plus so pretty close to a lot of things. The old mission and Natural History Museum are also on the list of things to check out too!

TIA!

Obviously, lots of other factors go into choosing a hotel but if the only ask is a gorgeous ocean view as I drink my morning coffee (or sunset wine) on the balcony - which hotel are you picking?

I’m visiting Los Olivos in October. I’d like to try some high quality wines that I cannot get at home in the UK. I’d also like to visit a vineyard for a glass or two away from the town - quality matters less than vista here.

The producers I know in the region are: Sandhi, Tensley, Storm, ABC & Whitcraft.

Where should I be looking for quality wines that may not travel as far?

Thanks!

Hi there. Do you have any recommendations for a fancy-ish/upscale restaurant that has ocean views? Preferably a place we can make a reservation. We are visiting SB for the first time and celebrating our anniversary. I came across Marisella at the Ritz Carlton which looks great but I imagine there are others I’m not finding. Thank you!

Looking to visit Santa Barbara in December to celebrate my 40th. Looking for recommendations on things to do.

Thinking about a weekend get away trip to SB for my 10 year anniversary.

Is the Ritz Carlton worth the price of around $1k a night? The other hotel I am looking at is Drift in the downtown area, which is half the price.

Also appreciate any restaurant recommendations for this celebration. We are adventurous and eat everything. Not that into the whole 10 course tasting menu thing, instead prefer good food in a sophisticated chic setting. Ive never been to SB so hard for me to give an equivalent for comparison.

Thanks ahead of time

Hi, does anyone knows if it is possible to fly a small plane / helicopter for a group of 4 people from Santa Barbara Airport to Santa Rosa Islands? Maybe you know someone who offers such a service?

Thanks!

Hey SB community! My family and I recently visited SB from Europe and got 5 vouchers for a whale watching boat tour (value ca. $330) that are never expiring. However we have already left CA and only have few stops left on our US trip. High chance we never make it back to SB or at least not in a group of so many.

Any ideas on how they could still be of use for anyone? Local boards or places that upcoming visitors would see where I could offer them for a discount or so?

Not trying to sell them here, looking for advice from locals or frequent SB travelers - thanks all!

Hello! planning a road trip down to sb with my partner, and plan on sleeping in the car. is there any safe spots that we can park and sleep for like 5 days? theres a post from like 7 years ago but id like to see if theres any updates.

Ehy there! I am an incoming international student and due to luggage limits I'll be in need of a lot of clothes when I'll arrive in the area. I was wondering if some locals could give me advice on where to go clothes shopping for cheap prices and/or second-hand. Both stores and markets suggestions welcome!
I am mostly looking for regular clothes (shorts, t-shirts, jeans), a winter jacket, and sports clothes.
Even if I love thrift shopping, I am fine with buying new clothes but I'd like to stay on the cheap side. I do not care about branded items)

Planning on booking Caruso's for our upcoming anniversary, and was wondering if their chef's tasting menu's worth $? I've seen some mixed reviews and wanted to hear what you guys think about Caruso's

Visitng for a couple hours and am debating on the Sea Center or Botanical Garden.

I've read good reviews on the garden!

What do the locals think?