A Day Trip to Santa Barbara | Itinerary, Restaurants, Wine Tastings & More!

The perfect itinerary for a day trip to Santa Barbara, CA. Discover what to do, where to eat, what order to do it all in, and more!

Santa Barbara...wow! Why on earth did it take me so long to visit? This city won my heart the moment I landed in its adorable airport. It's one of those places you almost don't want to talk about. What a shame it would be if Santa Barbara became discovered by the masses and then lost all the qualities that make it so special.

I wasn't sure what to expect on our first trip to Santa Barbara. We didn't know many people who had visited...but those who had raved about it.

Well, let me tell you, my expectations were exceeded and both Jake and I left very impressed. We've already returned once since the writing of this post and I know this is a place we will revisit many times. It's one of those places I would move to in a heartbeat if the opportunity arose.

A big perk of Santa Barbara is you can easily add it as a day trip if you're spending time in LA or enjoying a relaxing retreat in neighboring Ojai. 

Personally, I recommend spending at least one night, better yet, two or three.

Santa Barbara has an amazing selection of resorts with incredible pools and boutique hotels. Combine that with a variety of hiking paths, beaches, and wineries in Los Olivos and Santa Ynez...you could absolutely extend a day trip to Santa Barbara to a four-day vacation.

This is a great place to bake in a few extra days to really enjoy the SoCal lifestyle.

If you're short on time or not sure if it warrants several days, a Santa Barbara day trip is a great way to get your feet wet.

This Santa Barbara itinerary will give you a feel for this sunny destination and make sure you hit all the best spots. You'll spend time exploring downtown and State Street, bike down the boardwalk, explore the Funk Zone, and hit up some of my favorite coffee shops and restaurants. 

Let's dive into the perfect day trip to Santa Barbara!

This map shows the sights, restaurants, wine bars, and coffee shops to visit during your day trip to Santa Barbara. Click the icon on the top left to see a list view of each pinned location. Select the top right button to enlarge the map. Click the star to save to your own Google Maps account. To access this map once saved (after clicking the star), open Google Maps (on your phone/computer/tablet), click the menu button, go to "your places", select "maps", and you will see this map listed.

• Blue - sights and areas to explore
• Black - restaurants and coffee shops
• Purple - wine rooms, breweries, and cocktail bars
• Yellow - recommendations for additional time in Santa Barbara

Arrive in Santa Barbara around 8:00 am

Wherever you're coming from, aim to arrive in Santa Barbara around 8:00 or 8:30 to ensure you have a full day of exploring. LA to Santa Barbara will take around 2 hours. Ojai to Santa Barbara is about 45 minutes.

Coffee and Pastries

There are a number of quality coffee shops in Santa Barbara. In fact, my first blog post on Santa Barbara was my five favorite coffee shops.

Stop at Handlebar Coffee Roasters for a local vibe and the perfect flat white.

Conveniently next door is an amazing little pastry shop, ALESSIA Patisserie and Cafe. Everything is good, especially the croissants. 

Mix and match sweet and savory and share. I recommend the ham and cheese croissant, pistachio cream, and chocolate. They also serve quiche, avocado toast, macarons, eclairs, and delicate cakes and pastries.

Another favorite coffee shop is Caje Coffee Roasters. There are several locations, but 1316 State Street has the most adorable patio.

Go simple with an Americano or opt for one of the fancy Instagrammable coffee drinks.

Morning Bike Ride

I hope you enjoyed your coffee break because it's time to get active!

Santa Barbara is a bike-friendly town. You'll immediately notice locals traveling from point A to point B via two wheels. In fact, Handlebar Coffee Roasters is a bike-themed coffee shop...if you didn't already guess from the name. 

There are plenty of bike lanes and the traffic isn't crazy, making this a good place for a variety of skill levels.

I highly recommend joining a tour. You won't have to think about where you're going, your guide will offer insights into the city and make sure you stop by the most popular spots.

This 2.5-hour private electric bike tour is the best of both worlds. You get to see the city without breaking a sweat. 

A guided tour is the way to go if you're a tad apprehensive about riding a bike. It's nice to know someone is looking out for you and can help with any bike issues while also navigating the bike lanes and roads with minimal traffic.

You could also rent a bike and do your own thing. Wheel Fun Rentals has 2-hour electric bike rentals for $47. You can also rent for 1 or 5 hours. Use this self-guided tour map to help decide where to go and which streets to take.

If you follow the self-guided map, I would add biking east along E Cabrillo Blvd all the way to Butterfly Beach. It's 15 minutes each way and offers some nice coastal views.

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Stroll and shop State Street

You should finish your bike tour around lunchtime. This is the perfect opportunity to walk up and down State Street and stop at any spots that looked interesting during the tour. 

You'll wander by cute boutiques, big brand shops, and plenty of coffee shops and restaurants.

This street was pedestrianized during the pandemic. Thankfully, the city decided to keep it that way! It adds to the fun and really encourages people to stroll, bike, rollerblade, etc.

If you didn't stop at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse during your bike ride, do this now. You can climb to the top to enjoy views of Santa Barbara.

Either grab a light snack at one of these Santa Barbara coffee shops or take your pick from restaurants on State Street.

Olio e Limone is an upscale Italian restaurant with a two-course prix-fix menu for lunch, Carlitos Café y Cantina serves classic Mexican and has a large patio, and Backyard Bowls whips up fresh acai bowls.

If you feel like you're short on time during your day trip to Santa Barbara, you could skip lunch and order snacks and appetizers at our next stop.

Wine tasting in the funk zone 

A day trip to Santa Barbara is not complete without a few wine tastings in the Funk Zone.

This area has a distinct hipster/artistic vibe. It was once an industrial zone. Artists took over the abandoned warehouses and turned them into art studios and galleries.

The Funk Zone is part of the Urban Wine Trail and has over ten laidback tasting rooms to choose from.

I love this area because it's small enough that nothing is more than a few minutes walk away. Those used to Napa Valley tasting fees will appreciate the $20 to $30 tasting fees here.

Pop into a few art galleries, enjoy one or two wine tastings, maybe add in a micro brewery for some variety, and enjoy the overall SoCal vibe.

This area also has some of the best restaurants in Santa Barbara, which we'll get into below. 

There are a few websites I recommend checking out to help plan what tasting rooms and galleries you'd like to visit. 

The Funk Zone has a map showing all the top restaurants, galleries, and tasting rooms. The Urban Wine Trail SB website has a section dedicated to Funk Zone tasting rooms and also has a map.

I recommend the below:

Funk Zone Tasting Rooms

• Santa Barbara Wine Collective
• The Society: State and Mason (a new tasting room focused on wine and curated bites)
• Municipal Winemakers
  
• Margerum Tasting Room
• The Valley Project
• Lama Dog - craft brews and wine
• Figueroa Mountain - brewery

Dinner in Montecito or downtown

This day trip to Santa Barbara itinerary has two options for dinner. If you're having a great time in the Funk Zone and want to hang in this area or wander back up State Street, you won't be short of options.

FUNK ZONE RESTAURANTS

• Lucky Penny - fantastic pizza.
• Loquita Santa Barbara - Spanish tapas in a fun atmosphere and a great patio.
• The Lark - family-style shared plates, unique flavors...BEST fried chicken of my life.
• Hotel Californian - incredible aesthetics and a gorgeous Moroccan-themed courtyard. This hotel has a couple of restaurants. I recommend Djinn and Blackbird. Both spots offer tapas-styled small plates. These were also the best cocktails on our trip...hands down...no competition. 

Downtown Santa Barbara Restaurants (north of the Funk Zone)

• Jane - Upscale Californian fare. Ask to sit on the upstairs patio and try the chicken piccata, duck, clam linguini, and coconut cake.
• Bouchon Santa Barbara - Californian cuisine focused on local organic ingredients with a great local wine list. The atmosphere is cozy and the service is outstanding. We went here for Jake's birthday and were happy with that decision. The duck was incredible but skip the dessert...they "weren't worth the calories" as Prue would say from The Great British Baking Show.
• Intermezzo by Wine Cask - modern American cuisine with a Mediterranean twist. This is a great place to share a bunch of small plates. The atmosphere is cozy and the courtyard/patio is lovely. If you're a burger person, you won't be disappointed with this one.
• Tondi Gelato - fantastic gelato...I prefered this to McConnell's.
• McConnell's Fine Ice Creams - personally (Jake disagrees with me), I think McConnell's is overrated. It's good, but not worth the wait when there's a massive line out the door. It's an institution in Santa Barbara, so I feel obligated to include it.

Dinner in Montecito

The other option is to go to the hills of Montecito for a memorable (expensive) dinner with a view. Drive or take a 10-minute Uber to the hills of Montecito...where Oprah Winfrey and Harry and Megan live. 

San Ysidro Ranch was ranked "America's Best Resort" by Travel and Leisure in 2010 and has become an institution in Santa Barbara/Montecito. It's well-regarded and always recommended by locals.

Out of the three onsite restaurants, The Stonehouse is the one you want to make reservations for.

It's beyond romantic and perfect for a memorable evening. Dine under twinkle lights on the terrace and enjoy gorgeous views. The food is outstanding and beautifully presented. Service is top-notch.

Expect an amazing experience all around. Save room for dessert and order the chocolate soufflé. If atmosphere is your thing, you won't be disappointed here. You might even spot a celebrity or two.

Thinking of extending your day trip to Santa Barbara?

If you're not ready to leave...or you blow through this Santa Barbara itinerary...below are some additional options of things to do.

• Spend a half day exploring the wine region of Santa Barbara; Los Olivos and Santa Ynez.
• Take your pick from a handful of hikes - Rattlesnake Canyon and Inspiration Point are two popular options.
• Spend some time at the beach - I love Butterly Beach.
• Drive around Montecito.
• Enjoy sunset cocktails and a stroll around Rosewood Miramar (ultra bougie, yet gorgeous).
• If the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore is open, this is another great hotel to check out for cocktails. It's been under a multi-year renovation.
• Sunset and dinner at Hendry's Boathouse. There's always a wait since they don't take reservations, but it's right on the beach, so bring a towel to sit on to enjoy the scene.
• Visit Lotusland - a worthwhile botanical garden.

Check out these activities and tours:

In Summary

I hope this day trip to Santa Barbara itinerary helps plan your trip. Don't be surprised if you end up deciding to extend your visit or plan a return trip for three or four days. 

Sunny, mild weather, ocean views, hikes, beaches, and laidback wineries make this a great destination to enjoy the outdoors and have a relaxing getaway.

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A Day Trip to Santa Barbara | Itinerary, Restaurants, Wine Tastings & More!

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Come back after your trip! Share your favorite experiences from your Santa Barbara day trip in the comments below!