The Best of Santa Barbara from Coast to Coast TV

Looking for a place to get away for a weekend or even a day? Look no further and head to the coastal town of Santa Barbara! Featuring numerous restaurants, beaches, and activities, there is sure to be something for the whole family in this beautiful city. 

Follow along as Coast to Coast TV features some of the best things to do in Santa Barbara and its surrounding areas.

Coffee lover? Santa Barbara boasts many great places to grab a cup of joe including: 

–Dune coffee (4 locations)

–Caje coffee (3 locations, also great breakfast food!)

–Java station 

–Dean Coffee (Highlight: sells Girl Scout cookies)

–Old town coffee (Highlight: great study spot)

–Handlebar coffee

–Lucky llama 

–Red Kettle 

What better way to enjoy coffee than with some brunch? There are plenty of great spots to enjoy brunch at including:

–The Boathouse

–Dawn Patrol

–The Shop Kitchen

–D’angelo Bakery

–The Bagel Cafe (Highlight: great for college students, located near/within UCSB’s campus)

Now that you’ve had a great breakfast, why not head to the beach to soak up some rays? Some of the wonderful beaches in the Santa Barbara area are:

–Butterfly Beach 

–East Beach (Highlight: easy access)

–Leadbetter Beach (Highlight: close to downtown)

–Miramar Beach

–Thousand Steps Beach 

–More Mesa Beach (Disclaimer: nowhere to sit or walk on high tide)

–Hammond’s Beach 

–Hendry’s Beach (Highlight: dog-friendly)

–Carpinteria State Beach

–Haskell’s Beach (Highlight: dog-friendly)

–Sands Beach

–Devereux Beach

Worked up an appetite after the beach? Not to fear! Santa Barbara has many different types of cuisines, including some amazing Mexican restaurants. If you’re looking to grab a bite, be sure to head to: 

–Mony’s (Highlight: tons of different salsas)

–Los agaves (2 locations)

–Lilly’s Taqueria

–East Beach Tacos 

–La Super Rica (Highlight: Katy Perry’s fav!)

–Santo Mezcal ($3.95 tacos on Taco Tuesday)

–Sandbar (Highlight: large shareable margarita)

–Los Arroyos

There are also some other great restaurants with varying cuisines in the area. Some of these must-have spots are: 

⁃Backyard Bowls

⁃ Panino (Italian cusine)

⁃Arigato Sushi

⁃The Lucky Penny

⁃Yellow Belly 

⁃Zaytoon (Lebanese cuisine)

⁃Hana Kitchen 

⁃Dank Bowl Kitchen (Formally known as Buddha Bowls)

⁃Eureka! (Highlight: awesome burgers & beers)

⁃Brophy brothers (Highlight: great view)

⁃On the Alley 

⁃Kyle’s kitchen 

⁃Finney’s (A Santa Barbara staple!)

–Craft Ramen (Asian cuisine)

For some lighter bites and ice cream, be sure to check out:

–Blenders In The Grass

–Santa Barbara Public Market

–McConnell’s  Ice Cream

If you’re looking for daytime activities, then you’ve come to the right place! Santa Barbara has a multitude of shops, attractions, and museums including:

-Santa Barbara Pier 

–Old Mission Santa Barbara

–Santa Barbara Courthouse (Popular picture spot!)

–State Street Promenade 

–Santa Barbara Museum of Art

–Santa Barbara Natural History Museum

–MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration+Innovation

–Santa Barbara Sea Center

–Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

–The Funk Zone

–Field+Fort

–Coast Village Road (Lots of shops)

-UCSB’s Arts & Letters performances

Consider making the trip up to beautiful Ventura, located not too far from Santa Barbara. This cool coastal town is an amazing surfing spot with lots of hidden gems. Or, drive through the ultimate college neighborhood of Isla Vista and check out some sweet views!

There’s also plenty of nighttime activities to do as well! Santa Barbara features a ton of great spots to grab a brew and enjoy the night. Some of the local breweries include:

⁃Brass Bear 

⁃M. Special. Brewery & M.Special State (New location on State St.)

⁃Institution Ale Co. (Highlight: great soft pretzels)

⁃Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.

⁃The Cruisery (Beer & good food)

⁃Lama dog (Highlight: dog-friendly)

⁃Topa Topa (Connected to Lama Dog)

⁃Night Lizard

⁃Captain Fatty’s

⁃Rincon Brewer

If you’re looking for a place to get a cocktail or a place for nightlife, there are numerous bars and clubs to check out in the area! Some of these hot spots are:

⁃Seven (Currently closed, but in the process of re-opening)

⁃O’Malleys

⁃Baja Sharkeez 

⁃Shaker Mill (Connected to Cubano & Modern Times)

⁃The Cruisery (Bar & brewery) 

⁃Test Pilot (Located in The Funk Zone)

⁃Wildcat Lounge 

⁃Foxtail Kitchen & Bar 

⁃Pickle Room Bar

⁃Dargan’s (Irish pub)

⁃Wine Therapy (Highlight: cute back patio area)

⁃EOS Lounge

Don’t miss out on any of the holiday happenings in Santa Barbara! There are truly festive activities and attractions for everyone this holiday season. Check these out if you’re in town for the holidays: 

–Zoolights (Santa Barbara Zoo)

–Parade of Lights

–Landshark Holiday Tours 

–Ice Skating (Open all year round)

Some festive spots to enjoy the holiday ambiance include: 

–Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel

–San Ysidro Ranch (Perfect place for a special dinner out)

–Arlington Theater (Catch a movie at this theater located next to the Christmas tree on State St.)

–State Street Ballet 

–The Grenada (Catch a live performance of the Nutcracker ballet here)

–Double Dolphin Sunset Cruise

–Santa Barbara House (Come here for high tea!)

There’s lots to do in sunny Santa Barbara! Whether you’re coming up for a full-blown vacation or just for the day, you’re sure to enjoy your time in SB.