Santa Barbara

There is a lot for visitors to see and do. Make sure you visit the old mission-style Santa Barbara Courthouse, and take the elevator up the tower for incredible views. Visitors and locals seem to gravitate to Stearns Wharf (a historic wooden pier), whether to exercise or sight-see at its restaurants, shops, and museum. Chase Palm Park is an awesome park on Santa Barbara's waterfront with great foot/bike paths. The courthouse, Stearns Wharf, and Chase Palm Park are all walking distance from State Street in downtown Santa Barbara.

Also well worth visiting are the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens, and Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens.

The colorful mission-style architecture and fountains on the sidewalk are very charming.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Around State Street you can walk to many places. There is cheap public transport (.25) that takes you up or down State Street. Renting bikes is also very popular.

The hotel has been renovated, and is a historical landmark from the 1920''s. There are iron balcony railing around the windows, which were open all day during our stays. During both stays we had rooms with views of State Street and the Santa Ynez mountains. There is a nice patio facing the mountains on the second floor, where we relaxed some evenings.

Both of our stays were on the third floor. One room (314) faced West Haley street with views of State Street and the mountains through 3 huge windows. The other room (307) faced the mountains and was also nice. Both rooms had contemporary furniture.

In the mission-style lobby with tile floor, there is a cool quiet fountain, and a few tables to enjoy the complementary cold breakfast buffet that is very adequate. It has coffees, cereals, breads/rolls/bagels, fruit juices, fresh fruit and more. The staff is friendly and helpful, and they have valet parking available on the weekends.

If you must have a pool and/or hot tub, look elsewhere.

The Hotel Virginia/Holiday Inn Express is located in dowtown Santa Barbara near the intersection of West Haley and State Streets. To get there from the Santa Barbara airport, take Highway 101 south to Castillo Street and turn left. Turn right quickly onto West Haley Street. The hotel is about 4 blocks on the right.

The Santa Barbara Brewing Company is a trendy brewpub and restaurant in downtown (Old Town) Santa Barbara on lively State Street.

They do both beer and food very well, and they complete the package with friendly staff, good service, and a nice environment (they get a nice crowd of friendly people). The décor is warm and homey, and among the copper and steel brewing tanks, there are brick walls, lots of wood, and prohibition-era photos throughout. They have a lot of chalkboards with their numerous food and drink specials.

In our several visits there (the place was in eyeshot of our hotel, and we passed it constantly coming and going) I consistently got and enjoyed their "Rincon Red" ale, and my wife got their "Santa Barbara Blonde" ("she wants a blonde, and I’ll have a red"…chuckle chuckle).

Additionally, they have "Harbor Light" a cream ale, "Pacific Pale Ale" "Gold Coast Wheat" and "State Street Stout." Santa Barbara Brewing Company also has a large range of appetizers ($3-$8), salads ($5-$8), sandwiches and pizza ($7-$8), and entrees ($12-$18).

On the visits we ate there, we tried fish and chips ($9), grilled Halibut fish sandwich ($8), and bacon cheeseburger ($7), and our young daughter (yes kids are welcome) had a kids cheese pizza. Everything was very good.

Santa Barbara Brewing Company is very popular, and especially so for televised sporting events. They have several televisions throughout the building. I was surprised that they open on Sunday mornings for televised football games that generally start at 12 noon on the east coast, but 9am Pacific time (!). They have lots of cool logo beer glasses, caps, sweatshirts, and T-shirts for sale.

Their location is in downtown (Old Town) Santa Barbara at the corner of State and Haley Streets. To get there, take State Street east toward the mountains (don’t turn west or you will drive off of Stearns Wharf into the Pacific Ocean!).

We were promptly seated and served complementary chips and salsa. The salsa had an unusual (but good) creamy texture. They even brought us a second basket of them while we decided what to order. Entrees are between $6 and $12. I tried their beef soapaphillas which was a soft Indian bread with beef and great sauces, with sides of guacamole, rice, and lettuce. I really enjoyed it. My wife had spinach quesadillas, and our daughter had a kids hamburger and fries.

After our lunch, they surprised us with complimentary desert soapaphias with honey. Our daughter ate two of them! The Zia Cafe also has a full bar. The service was very friendly and efficient. Good food, good service, and nice atmosphere.

To get there, take State Street east from the beach about 5-6 blocks, and it will be on the right side. From the Holiday Inn Express (see other journal entry), it is only a block away. Their phone number is 805-962-5391.

Paoli's has a home-style lunch and dinner menu of pastas and pizzas in a home-style environment (no white linen here). On their dinner menu, they have appetizers ($4-$8), Specialty Pizzas ($12-$23), Pastas ($11-$13), Chicken ($14), Seafood ($15-$17). They also have a wine list and a full bar. Entrees are available at reduced price at lunch, and sandwiches are also served at lunch.

I had Linguini Paoli ($14), served with an alfredo sauce mixed with home-made pesto sauce. It comes with soup or salad, so I had a house salad, and both were very good. My wife had Chicken Piccata ($14) in a lemony cream sauce and a great Ceasar salad. Our young daughter had ravioli. No one had any complaints.

Paoli's is located in downtown Santa Barbara on popular State Street. It is between Highway 101 and the beach at the corner of State and Yanonali. There is an Amtrak station across State Street from Paoli's. Their phone number is 805-962-5350.

Left at Albuquerque has a large and innovative menu. It includes appetizers ($3-$10), salads ($4-$10), Tequila Grill (meat and seafood) Specialties ($12-$19), fajitas ($11-$19), Southwestern Seafood ($12-$15), Albuquerque Favorites (meats, ribs, enchiladas) ($10-$18). They also have a small range of lunch specials ($7-$12). They have a full bar. Very full, with 150 different kinds of tequila.

Both of our visits were in late afternoon as a break from sightseeing and shopping. We tried their specialty margaritas, which are served in neat martini-style glasses, and are very good. In our 2 visits, we tried their guacamole and corn cakes appetizers, Gaucho Steak Burrito (yum!), and Taco Twosome Platter (choose from chicken, steak, veggie, or pork). Fresh ingredients and spices make everything very tasty.

This location is one of a small chain of restaurants around California. If you live in the area, Left at Albuquerque has a frequent dining membership program, where you can earn points toward free certificates to spend at the restaurant.

This Left at Albuquerque is ideally situated on State Street among hundreds of boutiques, galleries, antique shops, restaurants, pubs, and nearby Paseo Nuevo outdoor mall (see other journal entry). It is located at 803 State Street, about 6-7 blocks east of the beach, and roughly half that distance from the Holiday Inn Express near State and West Haley Streets (see other journal entry). Their phone number is 805-564-5040.

Longboard's Grill is upstairs from The Harbor Restaurant on Stearn's Wharf, several hundred feet out over the Pacific Ocean. They have indoor and outdoor seating. On each of our visits, we have enjoyed food and drinks on their large outdoor patio that is glassed in on the sides, open on the top, and great views of the Pacific Ocean, Channel Islands, the Santa Barbara harbor and waterfront, and the Santa Ynez mountains.

Longboard's Grill has a full menu range of appetizers ($3-$14), pizza ($9-$13), soup/chowder and salads ($5-$17), seafood/steak entrees ($10-$19), sandwiches ($8-$10), and desserts ($4-$8). We ate casual and light in each of our visits, with Cheeseburgers and Turkey Sandwiches.

We go mostly for the view and to have drinks. We watched more than one sunset from Longboard's patio

To get to Longboard's Grill, take State Street until it ends at Cabrillo Street at the beach. Cross Cabrillo Street and drive (or walk) on to Stearn's Wharf. Walk toward the end of the wharf, and you will see Longboard's Grill on your right. They have valet parking, and also validate paid parking if you drive on to Stearn's Wharf. Their phone number is 805-963-3311.

Casa Blanca is a non-pretentious Mexican Restaurant that has great food at reasonable prices (in general, Santa Barbara is somewhat pricy).

The outside facing State Street has an old-fashioned look…like an institution that has been there forever. Inside, the décor is simple, the place is clean, and the staff friendly. Overall very comfortable and inviting. Complementing the simple décor, they have many posters dating back many years on the wall from "Old Spanish Days" which is apparently an annual event each early August.

Casa Blanca has a full range of Mexican appetizers ($7-$8), combination plates ($5-$13), Enchiladas ($7), Seafood ($9-$12), soups ($5-$12), eggs ($6-$7), Tacos ($6-$8), Tostadas ($7), Burritos ($3-$6), and specialized Mexican Dishes ($7-$9).

My young daughter and I were dispatched to bring good take-out back to our hotel, after a great (but exhausting) day of sightseeing around town. I had been eyeing Casa Blanca all week long (it is right around the corner from the hotel) and had been looking forward to a visit.

We entered and sat at the inviting counter in the rear, placed our order, had a beer while we waited, and were treated to good chips and hot salsa. I had beef fajitas ($8), which were very good and very filling. My wife had their taco salad ($7), which I’m told was good. Our young daughter had a soft chicken taco ala carte, and she ate it all, so it must have been good.

In addition to all the food, we were given plenty of napkins and plastic forks and knives, and the food was plenty warm after our half-block walk home…these folks know what they are doing.

Casa Blanca is located in downtown Santa Barbara, very near the intersection of State Street and Haley Street. They are just around the corner from the Holiday Inn Express on Haley Street, and 2-3 doors down from the Santa Barbara Brewing Company (see other journal entries).

In the front over the entrance, is an 85 foot clock tower that has an observation deck. An 85 foot observation deck doesn't sound like much, but you absolutely must go there and see it. The observation deck provides an incredible vantage point from all directions....the Santa Ynez mountains, the Pacific Ocean, Channel Islands, the red tile roofs and palm trees of downtown Santa Barbara, and the perfect gardens all around the courthouse.

If your visit is in the afternoon, visit the clock tower observation deck first, since it closes at 4:45pm. But take time to stop on the second floor and look at the inside of the courthouse. There are historic rooms and beautiful corridors. There is a historical courtroom that has incredible hand-painted murals on the walls that chronicle the history of Santa Barbara and detailed ceiling murals, and throughout the building there is beautiful hand-painted tile along the walls and lining the stairs. There is also a small old jail, and ruins from the original courthouse.

Even if you don't enjoy history or architecture, the Santa Barbara County Courthouse is a must-see....for the views from the clock tower observation deck of the beautiful area in the beautiful weather.

The Santa Barbara County Courthouse is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 1100 Anacapa Street. To get there, take Highway 101 or Castillo Street to State Street and go east toward the mountains. At Figueroa Street turn right, and go one block. There are several very nice public parks within a block of the courthouse. You can drive or take the State Street shuttle bus ($0.25) to State Street and Figueroa, and walk a block south.

The Santa Barbara County Courthouse is an excellent no cost activity. Don't miss it. Their phone number is 805-962-6464.

The ceramic tiles and dishes are great, and have lots of fun primary colors. They are all hand-painted. Although the Italian Pottery Outlet does not look impressive from the outside, it is fairly large (about 10,000 square feet) and very popular. I saw many people carrying out several bag full of gifts, and saw people carrying armfulls of their bags around town. They are willing to ship purchases.

They have everything from ceramic wine bottle coasters ($13) to huge antique wine and olive oil jugs that are 3-4 feet tall ($2,000). They also have books on ceramics and antique ceramics. They have an informative web site at www.italianpottery.com that describes all the patterns and styles of painting, and their history.

The Italian Pottery Outlet is located in downtown (Old Town) Santa Barbara at 19 Helena Street, one block north of State Street and one block east of Cabrillo Street. To get there, take Cabrillo Street to Helena Street and turn east toward the mountains (and not into the Ocean). They are open 7 days a week. Their phone number is 805-564-7655.

The Santa Barbara Zoo is not the biggest, but it became one of my favorites during our visit in late November. The grounds are unbelievably beautiful and well done. They have beautiful palm trees perfectly placed, and have smaller gardens of desertscapes and more.

The zoo is situated on 30 acres in the foothills of the Santa Ynez mountains in a wonderful setting. The grounds are the nicest I have seen in a zoo. Just inside the entrance there is a small gift shop, where you can buy souvenirs and gift, and rent wagons and strollers for the kids.

There is a small old-fashioned style train that runs around the parameter of the zoo, and a small restaurant and stands to buy snacks at throughout the zoo. There are many benches and places to stop and enjoy trhe beautiful grounds

Oh, and they have animals too. The most memorable exhibits for me were the elephants, giraffes (including one with a severely deformed neck), otters, lemers, a parrot garden with colorful birds, and a neat outdoor bird cage that you can walk into.

After our visit here, we immediately planned to see the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens to see how they could possibly out-do the zoo grounds. See my journal entry on the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens to see how they keep up with the zoo, but not in the way you would expect.

The Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens are located close to downtown Santa Barbara. To get there, take State Street to Cabrillo Street and go south, turn east on Ninos Drive, and the zoo is a short distance on the right. You can also take the bus. Their phone number is 805-962-5339. Take lots of film. To me, the beautiful grounds were as much an attraction as the animals.

The grounds were very nice, but they were left natural, and walking through the gardens was like a hike in a forest with occassional meadows. The natural setting of the grounds is very fitting with everything about the people of Santa Barbara and their attitudes toward preservation and recycling.

The gardens include over 5 miles of walking trails, but you don’t have to walk all of them to enjoy the park and not feel like you missed a lot of the gardens. The main trail (wider than all the others) that loops around the gardens is about a mile long. You can take this trail and see the main sights in the gardens.

There are many small trails that loop off and back on the main trail into gardens with particular themes. Along the way, they provide stopping points with tips for your own gardens, with a focus on water conservation. You can see everything from redwood forests, a desert section, and a section for plants indiginous to the nearby Channel Islands. During our visit (right after Thanksgiving) our young daughter enjoyed the huge maple leaves that were as big as her head. There are also remnants from old Indian water purification facilities along a creek and a waterfall. Some of the areas of the forest were fragrant and wonderful.

The Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens are located about 2-3 miles from downtown Santa Barbara. To get there from downtown, take State Street or Santa Barbara Street north to Los Olivas and turn right. Take Los Olivas past the Santa Barbara Mission and turn right. Take to Mission Canyon Road and turn left. The Gardens will be on the left.

Their phone number is 805-682-4726 and web site is www.sbbg.org. Their hours are 9am to 4pm Mon-Fri (open until 5pm on weekends). Wear good walking shoes, and take your time. Use the many benches they have to stop and rest.

Paseo Nuevo Mall is a very cool outdoor mall on very cool State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. It is in the heart of (and probably is the heart) of Santa Barbara's shopping district.

They have dozens of specialty shops and major department stores such as Nordstrom and Macy's in a beautiful outdoor European emporium setting, that is very colorful with flowers and banners everywhere, and fountains and benches that provide beautiful places to rest and relax.

As with the whole downtown area, Paseo Nuevo Mall has mission-style architecture, and is freshly decorated for Christmas. There are red tile roofs, and colorful tile used along walls, storefronts, around fountains, and lining the stairs to the upper level.

On the upper level, there is a performing arts center with the Contemporary Arts Forum (closed during my visits), plus you are treated to birds-eye views of the mall and its colors and architecture.

Many of the non-chain boutiques were nice to explore, but there are also several restaurants and art galleries, all on State Street only 2-3 blocks from the Holiday Inn Express (see other journal entry). For me, the main attraction was the beautiful courtyards, fountains, color and architecture. Even if you don't need to shop, Paseo Nuevo Mall is worth a look and a few pictures. They also have a camera shop with one-hour photo processing that I used on several occassions.

Paseo Nuevo Mall is located in downtown (Old Town) Santa Barbara at the corner of State and de la Guerra Streets (although they have several entrances and beautiful marquis around its 2-3 square blocks). To get there, take Highway 101 or Cabrillo Street to State Street and turn east toward the mountains, go about 5 blocks, and it will be on your left. Their phone number is 805-963-2202.

Perhaps the highlight of Chase Palm Park is a full size restored antique carousel (Merry-Go-Round), that kids (of all ages) can ride for $1.50. There is a small office where you can rent lawn games, balls, etc.

Chase Palm Park is a great place for kids and adults. The kids could play for hours in the playgrounds, and I really liked the beautiful gardens. Chase Palm Park is one of the best city parks I have been to.

Chase Palm Park is located opposite the Santa Barbara Waterfront, about 3-4 blocks south of State Street and Stearn's Wharf on Cabrillo Bouelvard. Their phone number is 805-962-8956.

Stearn's Wharf extends several thousand feet from the beach, high over the Pacific Ocean. On it, are several restaurants, bars, gift and souvenir shops, a museum, ice cream parlor, and a palm reader.

Stearn's Wharf and many of the businesses on it, provide an excellent vantage point for the awesome area scenery, including the Pacific Ocean, Channel Islands, Santa Barbara Harbor, and the Santa Ynez Mountains. You can also see the air and sea wildlife. We watched more than one sunset from Stearn's Wharf during our visit.

There are many people that fish off the end of the Wharf that you can watch. It is also fun to watch people feed the gulls and pelicans, but watch out for the birds "gifts" that fall from the sky.

According to historical plaques in the area, Stearn's Wharf was built in 1872, and was the first working wharf on the west coast, and is now the oldest working wharf on the west coast. Actor James Cagney owned the wharf at one time.

When entering Stearn's Wharf, there is a large fountain with 3 dolphins welcoming you to the wharf.

You won't have any trouble finding Stearn's Wharf. It is located where State Street deadends into Castillo Street in downtown Santa Barbara. There are several ways you can get there. You can walk it from State Street or anywhere close to the waterfront, or you can drive on to the Wharf and pay to park. You can also take the cheap and frequent public transport, which is an electric shuttle that takes you 12 blocks up or down State Street for $0.25.

Every Tuesday evening from 3-6:30pm (earlier in summer), all year around, the 500 and 600 blocks of State Street downtown are closed to motor vehicles, and a large outdoor Farmers Market is set up.

They do it all again each Saturday a few blocks away near Santa Barbara and Cota Streets.

We walked into the Tuesday afternoon market on State Street, and were amazed at how the locals support the market. Many chefs of area restaurants also get their fruit and vegetables here.

The market has a surprizing large selection of organically grown fruits and vegetables, nuts, spices, fresh flowers and plants, and more. As much (or even more) of a draw is the local flavor of the market. The people and the merchants are all friendly, and the market is like a big party, with local musicians and artisans.

If you don't need any fruit and vegetables, you can still walk the streets and shop in the regular merchants in the stores on the sides of State Street...and there are plenty.

Snacking on fruits from the market was a nice change from all the restaurant dining we had been doing on our visit.

Find State Street on a late Tuesday afternoon, and you will find the Farmers Market. You can't miss it. The Market starts at Haley Street within eyeshot of the Holiday Inn Express Hotel (see other journal entry), and takes up a full downtown block.

La Arcada Court was built in 1926, and like Paseo Nuevo, has colorful and quaint walkways that are lined with plants, art, fountains, and cool statues among the specialty shops, cafes, and restaurants. Unlike Paseo Nuevo, La Arcada Court has no large department stores. Rather, they have about 30 (or so) small speciality shops and galleries, selling mostly apparel, jewelry, books, art, and toiletries.

There are statues throughout La Arcada Court that add nice and sometimes humorous touches. One statue is of a life sized window washer positioned in front of a store window with the squeegee on the window, and cleaning bucket at his feet. Another one is of a man and small child sitting on and playing near one of the benches in the court. Our young daughter had a blast playing with the statues and looking at the fountains.

Many people bypass La Arcada Court to go to Paseo Nuevo. This is a mistake. Each mall has their own place. Both places are colorful and fun to visit even if not to shop, but La Arcada Court has a quiet charm away from the crowds, and a fantastic courtyard with outdoor restaurant seating.

La Arcada Court is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 1114 State Street. To get there, take Castillo Boulevard to State Street, and go north about 8 blocks or so. As you pass the Paseo Nuevo mall on the left, you should see La Arcada Court on the right in another 2-3 blocks. Their phone number is 805-966-6634.

South of Stearn's Wharf, there is a nice public beach, with beach volleyball, and walking/running and biking trails that has picture-perfect scenery of beautiful palm trees lined up perfectly along the waterfront. With the beautiful weather and scenery, people and their pets are out everywhere, on foot, bikes, and rollerblades.

For the skateboarders, there is an amazing skating park south of Stearn's Wharf, with all kinds of ramps and rails situated between the beach with views of the Santa Ynez mountains. You have to have helmets and protective gear to get in, but other than that, it's free.

Along Cabrillo Boulevard on the waterfront south of Stearn's Wharf, there is a huge arts and crafts festival by local artists all day every Sunday.

The Santa Barbara Waterfront north of Stearn's Wharf is also very nice. Santa Barbara Harbor and its Marina, is nice to visit. You can enjoy views of Stearn's Wharf (see other journal entry), Santa Barbara, the Channel Islands, and the Santa Ynez mountains from across the harbor. Further north, there are outstanding public parks with beach access that have walking/running and biking trails. Views of the Pacific Ocean and steep cliffs and rugged beaches are everywhere. My favorite of these is Shoreline Park...don't miss it.

The Santa Barbara Waterfront is located on Cabrillo Boulevard (which parallels the coast) north and south of Stearn's Wharf and State Street. You can't miss it.

El Paseo is too small to be considered a mall...it is more an arcade. El Paseo is built around the 1827 adobe-style home of the De La Guerra family, who must be among the founders of Santa Barbara, since the street next to El Paseo is named after them.

El Paseo provides a quiet corner away from Santa Barbara's busy State Street. The main entrance is from State Street, and the colorful marquis and beautiful architecture are easy to find. If you would like a nice short quiet walk away from State Street, pop in. Even if you don't need to shop, El Paseo provides a nice setting to enjoy the architecture and take pictures. In fact, if you do like to shop, the nearby Paseo Nuevo Mall is across State Street and has a far greater collection of shops and department stores. Further east on State Street, is another courtyard of shops called La Arcada Court, which is similar to El Paseo, but is much larger. I have other journal entries on both places.

El Paseo is located at 15 East De La Guerra Street in downtown Santa Barbara at the corner of State and De La Guerra Streets. To get there, take Castillo Boulevard to State Street, and go east about 8 blocks or so, and El Paseo will be on the right.