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

Don’t miss out on your next trip to Santa Barbara, be sure to read these Santa Barbara Travel Tips before you leave home!

Planning a trip to Santa Barbara?? Or have you ever just been curious… what in the world is in Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is such a beautiful place, I absolutely adore the beach and the scenery.

Don’t miss these best Santa Barbara Travel Tips, shared by myself and your very own frugal friends…

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

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’s my favorite trick for ramping up the vacation budget…

Top Survey Sites to Make Money Online

How to Visit Santa Barbara for Free!

How to Get Free Travel Gift Cards

Now keep reading for all the very best San Barbara travel tips and things to do shared by myself and your frugal friends…

Santa Barbara Travel Tips

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

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!”

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.”

Frugal Santa Barbara Travel Tip: Learn How to Travel for Free or Cheap to Santa Barbara! {Budget Travel Hacks}

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.”

Score a Deal on your Santa Barbara Car Rental! There are so many beautiful places to explore around Santa Barbara… and you’ll need a car to see most of them! There are a few easy Rental Car Hacks to slash your costs that you’ll want to put to use! Here are my favorite tricks to save BIG on car rentals…

18 Ways to Save Money on Rental Cars

What To Pack for Santa Barbara:

Best Baby Travel Gear

Traveling with Baby? Don’t leave home without these Baby Travel Gear Essentials! I’ve taken my babies on the long flights so many times and these must-have items will make traveling with Baby so much easier!

Suitcases

Now that you’ve read through all of these incredible Santa Barbara Travel Tips… are you ready to get packing for California? Make sure you’ve got some good sturdy luggage with wheels to take along! Fun and unique prints on luggage are always great, because it always seems like every suitcase at the airport or hotel is black, right? Someone will be a lot less likely to walk off with your luggage when it’s got a unique color or print!

Large Travel Purse

Every great trip starts with a large purse, right? I have one large purse I save just for trips, and it’s perfect for storing my Kindle, Maps, Snacks, and even my Camera! I never leave on a trip without it, and am always grateful for that extra space!

Travel Pillow

Make sleeping on those long flights a whole lot easier when you pack a comfy travel pillow!

Don’t board your plane without these 11 Carry On Must Haves! They’re a lifesaver on long flights!

Don’t be caught without these 12 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…