Traveling around California, my home for the past two decades, is like visiting old friends: every city, a familiar face (or one that reminds me of someone I know); every stretch of coast, an old haunt. And as is often the case with reconnecting with people you haven’t seen in a while, I find that returning to previous destinations around the Golden State invariably brings something new, too—or, at least, a new way of seeing what may have always been there. It also helps to have someone (my partner and trusty travel companion) originally from elsewhere in the country to view every coastal drive and SoCal getaway with fresh eyes. Here are my favorite highlights from a recent weekend trip to Santa Barbara, beginning with some special moments captured on the afternoon drive down the Pacific Coast Highway (California Highway 1) from our home in San Francisco.
Driving Down the Pacific Coast Highway
California Coastal Wonders
While dense rain clouds and fierce coastal winds thwarted our plans for a beach picnic (really put the “sand” in “sandwich” har har har) and besieged most of our Friday afternoon drive, we caught a few breaks around the Bixby Creek Bridge and Big Sur to bask in swaths of sunshine, take in the ocean air, and of course, avail of the myriad photo-friendly vista points.
Travel Tip
Pacific Coast Highway
Don’t hesitate to take advantage of the bountiful vista points just around almost every turn on Highway 1. Give yourself a short rest from driving by admiring the view and gulping down some fresh air, or go nuts with your camera. You’ll be joined by tourists and locals alike!
A Most Delightful Rest Stop
Driving through Big Sur, Henry casually pointed out a restaurant he had previously visited and enjoyed. I caught just a glimpse of what looked like a leafy patio and immediately requested a rest stop!
Our quick coffee break at Nepenthe turned into a slightly longer visit as we decided to take our time sipping on pillow-top cappuccinos, appreciating the colorful decor, and admiring the splendid views from the restaurant’s wrap-around terrace.
Travel Tip
Pacific Coast Highway – Big Sur
If you’re passing through Big Sur on your way up or down the coast, don’t miss out on Nepenthe for a quick coffee break or a full meal (perhaps a late lunch if you’re leaving the San Francisco Bay Area for SoCal in the morning, or an early dinner to catch the sunset from their spectacular terrace if you’ll be lodging around or near the Big Sur area for the night).
Sunset on the Coast
Back on the road, we raced the sunset to Santa Barbara…
Just kidding, Henry drove those turns very well and safely, and there were a few more stops at vista points for slowly savoring the setting sun (hair whipping back and forth and all—those winds were fierce).
Spending the Weekend in Santa Barbara
A Magical Sunrise
Waking up to a Santa Barbara sunrise is something else.
Based on personal history, I don’t register as an “early riser” or “morning person,” but something about this town just made me fully feel like one (naturally woke up around 6:30 each morning). Was it all the sunshine streaming in from our window and balcony doors? Some magical reflection off the Santa Ynez Mountains? The colors in the sky were—to sound like I can’t be bothered to look up any other adjectives—unreal. An amazing, love-baby blend of sunrise and sunset. I would’ve expected those warm tones much later in the day, but there they were for me at daybreak. Maybe back home in San Francisco there’s just too much fog in the morning, so everything gets a little muted and cooled down?
Whatever it was, I want more of it in my life (*pins photo of Santa Barbara sunrise to vision board*).
Travel Tip
Santa Barbara
Catch at least one sunrise in Santa Barbara! Many recommend admiring it on the water, which I’m determined to do on future trips, but simply getting a view of the colorful skies at daybreak from anywhere in the city is reason enough to get up early.
Breakfast of (Vacationing) Champions
Special shoutout to the complimentary breakfast at the Bath Street Inn, our home for the weekend! Served in the citrus-adorned patio area, the full spread included a light and fluffy veggie quiche, yogurt with homemade granola, fresh fruit, and the requisite toast, coffee, and orange juice. Tucking into this meal after some deep sleep and the aforementioned magical sunrise, with bright blue skies overhead, completed the auspicious beginning to our weekend adventure.
Travel Tip
Santa Barbara
Consider checking in at a “traditional” Bed & Breakfast when staying in Santa Barbara, especially for a weekend getaway with your sweetie or bestie! I had booked and enjoyed a few Airbnbs and short-stay inns in town before this visit, but never realized what a worthy treat it was to indulge my cottage life fantasies at a charming B&B (with a complete complimentary breakfast, I must re-emphasize). We loved our stay at the Bath Street Inn, but there were more than a few comparable and reasonably priced spots in the area that we could have easily booked as well.
Landmark Visit
After breakfast, with our accommodations so close to the Upper East area, we easily made it to our first destination of the day, the Old Mission Santa Barbara. It wasn’t my first visit to the Mission (it was for my partner), but as far as I recall I had never spent much (any?) time inside the church or the inner courtyard. For one, I just don’t naturally gravitate toward spending a lot of time in any structure traditionally built for religious purposes (don’t let me dissuade you, though, if that is something that interests you).
I mainly stuck to the outdoor grounds, reacquainting myself with the iconic facade of the main church, with its distinct rose-pink details and point-in-time-snapshot Spanish architecture.
Founded in 1786 to support Spanish-led religious conversion of the indigenous Chumash people, the Old Mission represents much more than its “pretty landmark” status might immediately suggest. Seeing clear over town and straight to the ocean from this hilltop vantage point gave me extra perspective on what it must have meant to its founders to establish the institution that remains a center of religious and community activity to this day.
There is also a small rose garden across the street which, had we visited closer to peak bloom season in the late spring or early summertime, would have been quite the picturesque spot for a picnic before or after visiting the Old Mission. As it was, in early March, we still had plenty of unique-to-Santa Barbara scenery all around to enjoy.
Travel Tip
Santa Barbara – Upper East
If you’re the kind of person whose ears perk up when they hear there’s a rose garden in the vicinity, and you happen to be visiting Santa Barbara in the late spring or summer, you’ll want to spend some time (perhaps picnicking?) at the Mission Rose Garden, especially if you’ll already be visiting the Old Mission Santa Barbara.
Downtown Stroll
From the Old Mission, it’s a quick drive to upper State Street, the perfect starting point (and more amenable street parking area) for a leisurely stroll downtown.
Restaurants, shops, museums, theaters, and pretty much anything that generates bustling downtown activity abound on State Street. Spend a long afternoon or a whole day here busying yourself with whatever’s most fun for you (we got some outdoor exercise, did a bit of shopping, and indulged in a mighty delicious lunch while people-watching). State Street is a not-to-miss slice of Santa Barbara life.
Travel Tip
Santa Barbara – Downtown
Head over to Sama Sama Kitchen in the Downtown section of State Street if you’re looking for a fun, satisfying meal full of Southeast Asian colors and flavors. I highly recommend getting started with the Krupuk with Sambal dips, tucking into plates of Crispy Rice Salad and Signature Chicken Wings, and washing it all down with a cocktail/mocktail/chilled beverage of your choice.
Beach Time
Craving a good walk after our delightful but hefty lunch, we chanced upon some beach time at Shoreline Park (after rain clouds foiled our first attempt at Butterfly Beach in neighboring Montecito). We had been fairly content with meandering along the paved cliffside walkway, taking in the ocean views despite being bandied about by the wind and its whims.
Searching for a restroom at the end of our walk, we made the fortuitous discovery of a stairway down to the beach—don’t miss that torii gate framing the entrance to Leadbetter Beach!
The border between beach and surf was bedazzled with rocks, which kind of reminds me of Maine, now that I think about it (Nourished by Nature: Savoring Summer’s End in Midcoast Maine).
There was plenty to see in the other direction as well: wild and rambling coastal flora, colorful striations in the cliffs, birds quietly claiming the skies and all that lay beneath…
Travel Tip
Santa Barbara – West Beach
Wander over to Shoreline Park for an easy paved stroll with ocean views and access to Leadbetter Beach (the entrance to the stairs is framed by a wooden Japanese-style torii gate). Restrooms, a playground, and a parking lot are available for all visitors.
Rooftops and Sunsets
Back in the downtown area killing time before dinner (didn’t find a ton to do in the “Funk Zone” this time—not really in the mood to shop, taste wine, or rent a scooter), we randomly found ourselves in the courtyard of the Hotel Californian, which, upon closer inspection, revealed a set of stairs (we kept finding stairs!) leading to totally free rooftop exploration. We loved getting a glimpse of the ocean through swaying palm trees and tile roofs awash with late afternoon sunshine.
Travel Tip
Santa Barbara – Lower State/Wharf
Clamber up some tiled steps across the street from the Hotel Californian to catch free rooftop views of the ocean and the mountains.
5:30 p.m. reservations at the waterfront Oku Restaurant turned out to be just the right move for getting to enjoy timed-to-sunset cocktails (and later, gobs of sushi). A rather memorable and—what I’m now calling—a “quintessential romantic Santa Barbara experience,” a similar dinner shall now be scheduled on every return trip hereafter.
Travel Tip
Santa Barbara – Lower State/Wharf
Reserve your rooftop patio spot at Oku Restaurant to slowly savor the sunset skies as you sip on a cocktail and let the hip-outdoor-club beats set the tone for the rest of your evening, you fancy babe. We toasted the sunset, chowed down on some soft-shell crab, and couldn’t stop ordering plates of fresh, well-crafted nigiri (the sushi rice was sweeter than what I’ve usually tasted and I was fully there for it)—a solid dinner recommendation for that Santa Barbara couple’s getaway you’ve been dying to take.
Goodbye, Country Suite
One final shoutout to the Bath Street Inn, this time for the Country Suite, which we stayed in for our second and last night in Santa Barbara. I just loved the bright and spacious feel of space, with all the natural and handcrafted decorative touches like the wood-framed four-poster bed, airy macrame canopy, and a few delightful pieces of framed collage art—yes, these things matter to me.
Sunday in the Garden
After checking out of our B&B, we drove over to our last destination of the trip: the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Tucked away above the city in Mission Canyon, it’s a prime “lazy, but slightly active, weekend” destination for the area (aside from the beach, of course).
As we visited in early March, many flowering plants still had their best blooms in reserve. We had plenty to explore and appreciate, though, as we took our time wandering around the Meadow, Redwoods, Desert, Arroyo and Manzanita sections in the main part of the garden.
My favorite part ended up being the Island View section, which we would’ve completely missed had we not gotten curious about a certain pathway across the road as we were getting ready to leave!
Travel Tip
Santa Barbara – Mission Canyon
If you have more than a day to spend in Santa Barbara, I highly recommend making the trek to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, especially in the late spring and early summer (noting for self) or if you are simply craving an alternate atmosphere to the beach. Don’t miss the Island View area (gotta cross the road) for, well, some awesome views!
Epilogue
I couldn’t end this post without sharing the last few photos I snapped on the drive back up the coast to San Francisco. After a weekend of actively seeking and capturing visual inspiration, I was reminded by the idyllic scenery along a random stretch of highway that some things, you don’t have to work for—you just have to keep your eyes open and enjoy the ride.
Leave a Reply