Santa Barbara in 24 Hours
A few years ago, Jason and I went to Santa Barbara for a night. We had such an incredible time! The beach was peaceful, state street was both charming and trendy, and the nature was calming and spectacular. I would go back in a heart beat and do it again! Here’s what we did in Santa Barbara in 24 hours.
Where to Stay
Hotel Milo
In my search for hotels in Santa Barbara, Hotel Milo kept popping up as a fantastic place to stay. I looked into it and ended up reaching out to them for a collaboration, and they said yes! I was so grateful for our stay at Hotel Milo. Their property spans a few blocks with multiple fire pits, 2 pools, a hot tub, and balconies and rooftops with wonderful views. Did I mention it’s also right across the street from the ocean?
Another great perk from Hotel Milo was their complimentary bicycles. Jason and I rode along the beach at sunset, and the next morning we biked down to a cafe and had coffee and breakfast. It was so delightful! If you’re not sure where to stay in Santa Barbara, Hotel Milo is the easy choice.
Where to Eat
Caje Coffee Roasters
We rode our bicycles down to Caje Coffee Roasters in the morning and just loved it. It’s a greek cafe with a beautiful outdoor/indoor space. We ordered the breakfast burrito, which had gyro meat and amazing tzatziki sauce, and also the vanilla phyllo. There are multiple locations and each one has a slightly different menu. We went to the one on 1316 State Street, AKA the “Arlington” location. Out of all of the locations, this one is the most aesthetic.
Los Agaves
For lunch we stopped at Los Agaves for some Mexican food (you can’t go to Santa Barbara and not get Mexican food). They have a large menu, and thankfully their staff is very friendly and willing to explain everything including house favorites. I ordered the Agaves Enchilada, which included fresh shrimp and fish with pepper and onions, topped with chipotle sauce and mango pico. It was so delicious! And the servings are large so I saved my second enchilada as leftovers. It also came with rice and a salad.
The vibes are casual but also cool, with pottery and paintings of Frida Khalo.
They also have a buffet of salsas and sauces to try with complimentary tortilla chips.
Oku Sushi
For dinner we went to Oku Sushi and it was such an amazing choice. We were seated on the rooftop, which is right across from the ocean. The only thing I would change is getting an earlier reservation so we could watch the sunset. We both were pretty full from lunch so we just ordered one rainbow roll each. The sushi was melt-in-your-mouth buttery. Definitely a great pick! If you’re wanting a more party vibe, make sure to sit inside where the action is.
What to Do
Self Guided Jeff Shelton Architecture Tour
When I first saw a picture of the Ablitt Tower on Pinterest, I thought it was a place in Spain. When I clicked on the image and saw that it was in Santa Barbara, I started planning a trip ASAP. We make a yearly trip out to Southern California to see my in-laws, so why not? We ended up doing a self-guided Jeff Shelton Architecture tour and saw 3 of his buildings. They’re all so unique, quirky, and incredibly stunning. You can even download a walking tour map on his website.
Bike down the Pier
Hotel Milo has complimentary bikes, so we biked down the pier at sunset. It was so fun and really beautiful! It’s a great way to see Santa Barbara and admire the ocean.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Seeing California poppies has always been high on my bucket list. The winter before we went to Santa Barbara, it rained a lot, so there was a good amount of blooms in the spring! We went to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and it was stunning. My favorite part was the valley - it was covered in poppies with the mountains (or “hill” as SoCal people say) in the background. Jason’s favorite part was the Redwood Trees. The Botanic Garden had a great variety of plants and areas.
If you have a membership at your local botanic garden, check to see if they partner with other gardens. We were members at the Chicago Botanic Garden, so we got free admission to this one!
State Street
We walked up and down State Street and had a good time just chatting and strolling. It’s full of shops, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. It’s so charming and a good place to hang out and take it easy.
Santa Barbara Courthouse
I heard about people loving the Santa Barbara Courthouse, but I wasn’t convinced it was worthy of being on our list of things to do… until a local stopped us on the street and asked if we were tourists (hello my huge camera I always carry) because we had to see the courthouse. She gave us directions and it was only a few blocks away, so we hopped on our bikes and rode over!
My tip - if you ever hear people rave about the courthouse, know that they are not being dramatic. It is gorgeous! The architecture alone is fabulous, but we also got to walk around inside and it’s stunning. If you’re going to get arrested, do it in Santa Barbara because being in that courthouse is incredible. They also have a clocktower you can go to and see a 360 view of the city!
Hopefully, we’ll get to visit Santa Barbara again (and for more than a 1 night stay). And a huge thank you to Hotel Milo for sponsoring our stay! We had such an incredible time!
Until next time - may your weekend be full of creativity and style.
