21 Santa Barbara Travel Tips! {What You Can't Afford to Miss}

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Make your next trip to the central California coast AMAZING with these top Santa Barbara Travel Tips!

Are you dreaming of a trip to Santa Barbara, California? Santa Barbara has so much beauty every where you turn!

From pristine beaches to outrageous seafood, and a sensational zoo to an 18th century Spanish mission, there’s something fun for everyone! Add to that 300+ days of sunshine per year, and you’ve got one gorgeous little coastal town!

So don’t miss the best of Santa Barbara! These Santa Barbara Travel Tips will show you the best attractions, hidden gems, and restaurants locals love!

Use this Santa Barbara Travel Guide to plan your next beach getaway…

Related:

How to Travel for Free or Cheap! {20 Budget Travel Hacks}

Santa Barbara Travel Tips

Patrice said: “Shop the great ‘gently worn’ clothing shops on State St.”

Jennifer said: “Goleta Beach! It’s walking distance from the airport, makes for a great short trip.”

Anissa said: “I lived there for 36 yrs and go back often after moving to Prescott, Az! Going back there this weekend!! Oh my goodness!! Walk down State Street! Go visit and enjoy some amazing food at La Super-Rica on Milpas!! Also go and eat a burrito in Isla Vista at Freebirds! Take in Farmers Market in downtown SB on Saturday morning!”

Jennifer said: “You must go to the Santa Barbara Mission. So beautiful!”

Score Free Coffee at Starbucks! With all the time spent outside in the sun and at the beach… you just might be needing a caffeine fix! I love taking Starbucks to the beach! There are multiple Starbucks locations in Santa Barbara, so check this out…

Starbucks Money Saving Hacks

Traci said: “Isla Vista – about 10 miles out find Freebirds and get an amazing burrito!”

April said: “Sterns Wharf, the carousel and State Street.”

Michele said: “The zoo! Amazing views & animals! Breakfast on the beach at the East Beach Grille. (not expensive). Shopping on State Street. We live in Ventura & hubby works in SB.”

Renee said: “I used to live there! Definitely the zoo, the pier and Sea Center, and walk State Street. If you’re willing to drive another like 30 min you have to go to Solvang. It’s a fun town, all Danish stuff! Near Solvang there’s a beautiful easy hike to a waterfall, Nojoqui Falls. Alice Keck Park is also great. So much good food! Rusty’s Pizza, Taffy’s Pizza, and Chicken Ranch! I love Santa Barbara!”

Mary said: “Solvang is a must… there is also a ostrich farm near Solvang.”

Christina said: “To to the Charles Schultz Museum.”

Chauntel said: “Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens, Ellwood Mesa/ Monarch Preserve (especially November – February, the Monarchs should be in the grove). Santa Barbara Zoo is one of the most awesome zoos around. Summerland just south of SB has antique shopping. Andersen’s Bakery is the best breakfast & pastry in town. I could go on for days!!”

Susie said: “Carpinteria State Beach, about 10 miles south, has coastal wetlands and tide pools to explore. There’s also a seal rookery that should be full of pups in May. It’s gorgeous!”

Ruth said: “State Street in Santa Barbara and go to Carpinteria for breakfast at Busy Bee Cafe.”

Michele said: “The sand sculptor, and eat on the pier and look at the sailboats.”

Kathryn said: “Go downtown… Eat at Mac’s and get the big basket of fish and chips!”

{The fish and chips at Mac’s were some of the best I’ve ever had!}

Judith said: “Be sure that you take time to enjoy the gorgeous beach areas and water sports. There are some great spots to rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards, and get lessons too if you’ve never done it before. There are great places to surf and kite surf too (it’s fun to watch as well). The view from the top area of the zoo is spectacular (a great place for a picnic). Also, if you get a chance there are some excellent wineries in the north county around Solvang.”

Chasity said: “Yes, Solvang. It’s awesome. We spent the night there at Hotel Corque. One of the best hotels I’ve stayed at – super comfy big beds and comforters, and big fluffy white robes (which come in handy when getting out of the hot tub at night). Great town to walk – cute wine shops that offer tastings (get free vouchers from the hotel). And Stern’s Wharf, eat and enjoy the beautiful view!”

Deanna said: “Padaro Beach Grill in Carpinteria. Our favorite place to eat with young kids, great food and outdoor dining complete with huge sand pit and grassy area for the kiddos to roam while waiting for food. Nice shopping and a beach nearby. I grew up here and we always come here when we visit.”

How To Visit Santa Barbara On A Budget:

So You’re Planning a Trip to Santa Barbara? To keep your vacation budget-friendly, you’ll need to plan ahead. One of the first things you’ll want to do is start stashing cash away for your ‘San Barbara Trip Fund’. Need to increase your travel fund stash? One of the easiest ways is to make extra money on the side in your free time! Here are my favorite tricks for ramping up the vacation budget…

25+ Side Hustles Ideas

How to Get Cheap Flights To Santa Barbara:

Wondering how to get cheap flights? My favorite trick is to load up on free mileage points and airline gift cards, then use them to dramatically cut the cost on airfare! I’ve scored so many free flights this way! Are you ready to start earning your free airlines miles and gift cards? Here’s what you need to do…

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Where to Stay in Santa Barbara:

Wondering how to plan the perfect hotel stay for your next vacation? It’s so much easier than you think! Don’t book your next hotel without knowing these secrets shared by Hotel Staff and Frequent Travelers…

75 Hotel Hacks Everyone Should Know

In addition to hotels, I also recommend staying at a VRBO when visiting Santa Barbara to save BIG on your trip. VRBO has so many vacation rentals listed by owner, and they can be such a great way to find nice lodging that is way less expensive than the hotels. I’ve personally stayed at multiple VRBO’s, and loved every one. Not only were they often significantly cheaper than the nearby hotels, they also came fully stocked with convenient amenities that saved us SO much money!

Now do you want to know my favorite tips and tricks for saving BIG on a VRBO? These little known hacks will save you SO much money! Check this out…

How to Slash The Cost of Your Next Trip Using VRBO

More Budget Santa Barbara Vacation Tips:

20 Ways to Save Money on Rental Cars

How To Save On Gas {20 Genius Hacks}

Military Discounts for Travel

How to Travel for Free or Cheap {20 Brilliant Budget Travel Hacks}

What To Pack for Santa Barbara:

19 Carry On Must Haves for your next flight

17 Beach Bag Essentials

Be sure to leave extra room in your suitcase to bring home some souvenirs!

Now that you’ve had fun reading these Santa Barbara Travel Tips, start dreaming of more fun getaways in California with these frugal travel tips below…