How to Spend One Day in Santa Barbara, California

Santa Barbara, California, is a well-known vacation destination in these parts for its delicious eateries, adjacent wine country, and stunning architecture.

That’s just skimming the surface of all the fun to be had while you’re here.

We’ve been to Santa Barbara a few times now, once passing through on a coastal California road trip up to the San Francisco Bay Area and then again on a long weekend. I still haven’t had enough, even though it’s a little fancy for how I usually roll.

There’s not enough time to stop there for long on your coastal road trip, you say? Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Check out my tips below for now to spend the perfect day in Santa Barbara!

Quick Tips for Your Santa Barbara Visit

Your Flight: Fly into either Los Angeles for the best chance at budget flights or Santa Barbara for proximity. Seek out deals using Skyscanner. Love deals? Subscribe to Going.

Your Accommodations: We’ve stayed at the Best Western Plus Encina Inn & Suites and Coast Village Inn without incident. Browse Booking.com or Hotels.com for more options. Vrbo is my Airbnb alternative.

Your Ride: You’ll likely need a car to get to Santa Barbara. Book a rental car ahead of time.

Top Spots: Tour Old Mission Santa Barbara, rumble down Stearns Wharf, and eat your way through the Funk Zone.

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You can visit Santa Barbara for the day.

Santa Barbara is definitely a place that rewards you with more time, but it also won’t punish you if you’re short on it. We’ve visited the city a few times, often just for the day, and it’s never been a bad time.

You just may find yourself planning more trips here in the future. I’ll drink to that.

A couple drinks wine on the pier in Santa Barbara.

How to Spend One Day in Santa Barbara

You can spend your day in Santa Barbara like this:

Start with breakfast at Jeannine’s Restaurant & Bakery.
Learn about the city’s roots at Old Mission Santa Barbara.
Check out the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.
Shop and have lunch on State Street.
Pick your favorite museum on the Museum Mile.
See the boats docked at the old Santa Barbara Harbor.
Ride down Stearns Wharf.
Grab some pre-dinner dessert.
Finish off your day in the Funk Zone.

One Day in Santa Barbara

The city of Santa Barbara is known for its beaches, Spanish architecture, dining, and proximity to excellent wine. If you’re into boutique shopping, there’s no shortage of that, either.

This one-day trip itinerary will touch on most of that outside of the beaches. We just haven’t been there when it’s been warm enough to enjoy that scene.

Honestly, I’m not generally a beach person. If you are, you may want to start there. East Beach is popular with locals for its proximity to downtown. Arroyo Burro County Beach Park, also known as Hendry’s Beach, is a bit more rugged.

Otherwise, follow along for stops we’ve loved on trips to Santa Barbara.

Dolphins at the entrance of the wharf in Santa Barbara

Stop 1: Breakfast at Jeannine’s Restaurant & Bakery

If I only have a day in a destination, I’m typically skipping breakfast in favor of a quick coffee. You may feel differently, especially if you get hangry.

Jeannine’s Restaurant & Bakery is a local favorite known for their eggs Benedict and bake shop. If you’re already feeling the FOMO and don’t want a full sitdown meal, any of the baked goods here are a great to-go-option.

They have two locations in Santa Barbara, so choose between being by the shore or closer to downtown.

Stop 2: Old Mission Santa Barbara

The historical bits of Santa Barbara activities are scenic as heck.

Get an overview of Santa Barbara’s Spanish roots at the Old Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786. Tour the church, gardens, and historic mausoleum and cemetery in a self-guided fashion.

The hilltop placement of the Santa Barbara mission offers wonderful views of Santa Barbara below. Check with the mission’s website for potential closures and special events ahead of your visit.

If the history bits are feeling up your alley, you’ll want to also want to visit the El Presidio Real de Santa Bárbara, or the Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara.

The military installation and state park was founded in 1782. Two of the adobe buildings from that period are open to the public today on self-guided tours.

While a number of the features here are reconstructions, the site is under constant excavation. Each visit you pay the presidio may be a little bit different than the last.

Stop 3: Santa Barbara County Courthouse

Architecture buffs will be all about the Spanish colonial revival vibes in Santa Barbara.

The Santa Barbara Courthouse, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city for those not in trouble with the law, is a prime example of that.

Take the elevator — or the stairs if you’re able — up to the top of the Clock Tower for expansive views of not only Santa Barbara but the Santa Ynez Mountains.

Fun fact: The mural room on the second floor is also worth a visit.

Stop 4: State Street Lunch and Stroll

A trolley rides down State Street in Santa Barbara.

If you’re not a co-ed you may feel your age a bit as you stroll down State Street, the main hub of downtown Santa Barbara. When the sun sets, it can get rowdy down here. You’re in it for the real Santa Barbara experience, so you really can’t miss State Street.

Take a walking tour of your own making, hitting any eateries that look mighty fine, including the Santa Barbara Public Market, or shops that promise excellent spending.

If you’re into shopping, the outdoor mall of Paseo Nuevo may be of interest to you, as well.

If you find yourself on State Street come mealtime, you’ve got lots of options. Patxi’s Pizza serves up thin crust and deep dish styles with yummy wings, as well.

Finney’s Crafthouse & Kitchen is a great option for elevated pub food. They must’ve heard I like gouda on my turkey burgers before I arrived. Reservations aren’t necessary but available online.

Stop 5: Santa Barbara Museums

Santa Barbara is all about balance, with museums covering every niche to give your visit some depth. In fact, 12 museums stretch from State Street to the waterfront and make up the Museum Mile.

Here are the highlights:

Rotating exhibits and a permanent collection of Impressionist art and works inspired by Southern California are the focus of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is a little more niche, with one of the world’s largest collections of original documents.
For some local history, visit one of Santa Barbara’s oldest original homes, Casa de la Guerra. Admission to pop in is cheap but call ahead for guided tours.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History features both indoor and outdoor exhibits, including a butterfly garden.
The Susan Quinlan Doll & Teddy Bear Museum & Library is exactly as it sounds, a collection of teddy bears and dolls. Susan Quinlan also has an eye for rare books.

Stop 6: Santa Barbara Harbor

Boats in the harbor at the pier in Santa Barbara

As with any coastal California community, you’ll find a vibrant fish scene here in Santa Barbara. That can mean eating all of that deliciously fresh seafood or exploring the city’s maritime roots.

For more education, head over to the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. You’ll get a primer on the history of the Santa Barbara Channel and the town’s fishing background.

The museum is conveniently located on the Santa Barbara Harbor. This is a working harbor where you can catch vessels that’ll take you out to sea for fishing or whale-watching adventures.

The harbor is also home to some of Santa Barbara’s most popular fish joints.

Brophy Bros. has been on our list of places to visit since our first visit to Santa Barbara, but we just haven’t been able to get the timing right.

Head out there well before the dinner rush for your best chance at dining in, as there are no reservations available here.

Stop 7: Stearns Wharf

Stearns Wharf is one of the most popular stops in Santa Barbara, but it’s definitely not of the overrated variety.

What’s overrated mean anyway?

If you’re driving, you’ll rumble past the dolphin sculpture at the front entrance to 90 minutes of free parking down at the other end. When I say rumble, I mean you’ll wonder whether those wooden slats can handle your car as you make your way down the wharf.

They will.

Note: It’s only a few dollarsfor every hour after that, a price point you won’t see in many of the bigger cities throughout California.

Once there, do some browsing of the boutiques sprinkled throughout the wharf. If you’re feeling snacky, you can get yourself a bowl of chowder at the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, or head straight to Conway Family Wines.

Beautiful views and reasonably priced bottles of wine await you there, so swirl that glass like you know what you’re doing.

Stop 8: Dessert

I want to make sure you end your day in the Funk Zone, so dessert will have to happen first unless you head to the ice cream shop I’ll get into in a minute.

If you love a good French pastry, the macarons at Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro will have you exclaiming “Oui!”

Fun fact: Renaud’s promises a pastry experience that resembles the kind you’d get Paris without the trip to France. Be your own judge!

Ice cream lovers won’t want to miss a Santa Barbara staple: McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams. They’ve been churning craft flavors of ice cream like peanut butter and jelly for over 70 years now.

There are two locations, one on State Street and another in the Funk Zone.

For a Santa Barbara classic, head to the Boathouse at Henry’s Beach. Yes, they have an impressive raw bar, but the real star here is the macadamia nut mud pie.

Stop 9: The Funk Zone

This is the city’s primo entertainment district and one of the best things to do in Santa Barbara at night for an adult evening.

We had dinner at The Lark, a modern eatery best experienced in sharing mode.

The menu plates are small and made to allow guests to try a bunch of different things. We tried their super moist fried chicken, Brussels sprouts upgraded with chopped dates, and grilled prawns drizzled in dreams. By dreams I mean tahini yogurt.

Reservations are recommended and available online.

There are all kinds of additional options for getting into some fun and indulging in a nightcap or two nearby. Choose from over 20 different tasting rooms for a glass of wine or head to a cocktail bar like the Test Pilot.

The bar serves up drinks with a side of kitsch, as evidenced by their tiki mugs.

Santa Barbara Tours

Santa Barbara is easy to explore on your own, but I know there are folks out there who love a good guided tour. I personally love a walking tour and anything involving eating my way through a new place.

Here are a few highly-rated options for guided excursions in the area, including some with the aforementioned eating:

With More Time in Santa Barbara

I’m all about Santa Barbara day trips, but a full weekend is even better. Here are a few things to do if you have more time:

If you haven’t been up to the Northern California coast for the redwoods yet, you can see them at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
Hike to Inspiration Point, just north of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, for 180-degree views of the surrounding islands and the Santa Ynez Mountains.
If you’re looking for things to do in Santa Barbara with kids, the Santa Barbara Zoo is always a hit with the littles.
Walk the 70 acres of the Douglas Family Preserve named after Michael Douglas, a big donor.
Hike to Tangerine Falls, a 100-foot cascade reached at just over two miles roundtrip.
Brian lists golf as one of his most favorite things, so there’s no way we were going to Santa Barbara without a tee time at the Sandpiper Golf Club in Goleta.
You may not sense Santa Barbara’s Western vibes upon arrival, but they’re out there at Cold Spring Tavern, about 25 minutes north of downtown.
Complete your historical tour with a visit to Casa del Herrero, or the House of the Blacksmith, in nearby Montecito.

Santa Barbara is a great base for day trips, too.

If you don’t mind driving a bit further for waterfalls, Nojoqui Falls is a popular hike about an hour west of the city. My favorite day trip is Solvang, too.

California’s Little Denmark is just a 45-minute drive from Santa Barbara. You’ll find Danish pastries and replicas of tourist spots you’d find in Copenhagen. I put together a guide to Solvang if you’d like to add this gem to your itinerary.

By all things Danish I mean Danish pastries, replicas of tourist spots you’d find in Copenhagen, and also Danish pastries. In any case, it’s one of my favorite San Diego getaways.

Wine Tasting Near Santa Barbara

A glass of wine in the Santa Ynez Valley

It was so cliche, but while the men golfed, my gal pal and I took it upon ourselves to book some reservations of our own: wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley.

While there are a number of wine tasting rooms within Santa Barbara itself, we were looking for those rolling landscapes, so we traveled to the source.

Our two picks were Sunstone Winery, modeled after a luxe French villa, and Roblar Winery & Vineyards, a more whimsical option with its own horse parking.

I’d highly recommend both, as they both boasted friendly staff, a wonderful outdoor patio, and delicious wines comparable to the big boys up in Napa and Sonoma.

If you’re able to handle more wineries and have landed yourself a designated driver, you’ve got options:

Blackjack Ranch Vineyards: These guys have been perfecting their wine game for over 30 years now. If you like a bold red, head to Blackjack for their Bordeaux.
Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyards: The “farm” in their name isn’t just for kicks. Buttonwood is a working farm on top of a winery.
Rusack Vineyards: Rusack is known for being one of the most scenic wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley, and a perfect place for that packed picnic.

How to Get to Santa Barbara

Most visitors to Santa Barbara get there on a weekend trip. If you start in Los Angeles, your drive time will be about 90 minutes, depending on traffic. For us, it was about 3 hours and 30 minutes from San Diego.

If you’re flying in, look at one of those cities to fly into. The airport in Los Angeles will allow for your best chance at budget-friendly deals due to the volume of flights coming in daily.

Note: There is a regional airport in Santa Barbara, as well, but you’re less likely to find deals from there. If you’re looking for efficiency, though, do check it out!

As with most of California, Santa Barbara is explored most efficiently with a car. Parking is fairly easy to find even downtown, with reasonably priced public parking throughout town.

If you don’t like the idea of driving around Santa Barbara or know some wine will be involved, you have some other options:

Bicycles: Santa Barbara is fairly bike-friendly, particularly around the harbor. Wheel Fun Rentals is a popular option in town, and they have all sorts of more unique transportation options.
Surreys: You’ll surely spot groups traveling via surrey, essentially a pedal-powdered carriage, as one of the preferred activities in Santa Barbara. There’s always that one traveler who gets the bulk of the pedaling, though.
Rideshare: You won’t have any trouble finding an Uber or Lyft in Santa Barbara. Keep in mind the surge is real around town. Getting back to your accommodations in the evening after you’ve done your thing in the Funk Zone will cost you.
Public Transit: The Santa Barbara MTD runs bus lines in and around the city. As lines are being dropped for low ridership numbers, hit up the network’s website for up-to-date information on routes and schedules.
Trolley Tours: If you’re looking to do even less work, the Santa Barbara Trolley Company runs regular tours for visitors with narration. You just won’t have as much control over your Santa Barbara itinerary.

Where to Stay in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara has a variety of accommodation options for you to choose from during your perfect visit to this coastal city. That includes fancy hotels and budget-friendly lodging options.

We’ve stayed at the Best Western Plus Encina Inn & Suites and Coast Village Inn and would recommend both. The inn is a great option if you want to be close to the water. You’ll have to drive or snag one of their free beach cruisers to get downtown, though.

Check out the map below for more options in Santa Barbara:

Santa Barbara is always worth a visit.

Santa Barbara is worth visiting for its food and wine scene, historical offerings, and easy access to all kinds of adventures nearby.

This place is known as the American Riviera, for Pete’s sake. Why wouldn’t you want to visit? Even if you only have time for a one-day itinerary, Santa Barbara is a great stop on California trips.

Planning more travel this way? Check out these guides:

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