Santa Barbara
#1
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Santa Barbara
We're heading south and decided to take 101 and stop in Santa Barbara for a couple of hours. Is there anything we should be sure not to miss (we haven't been there in 30 years). Any suggestions for a good but casual late lunch?
#2
Join Date: Sep 2005
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The mission there is absolutely beautiful and should not take too long to visit. I always like to eat out on Stearn's Wharf, there are several restaurants there that are pretty good and casual. Have a great trip, one of my favorite towns (my parents met there going to college).
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
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If you go to the mission nearby you can visit the Botanical Gardens:
http://www.sbbg.org/index.cfm?fuseac...wpage&pageID=2
http://www.sbbg.org/index.cfm?fuseac...wpage&pageID=2
#5
Joe's Cafe has been on State Street since 1928. http://www.joescafesb.com/
We had a great breakfast there in June.
We went from breakfast up the hill to the mission for a tour and then went to the great Santa Barbara Zoo.
We had a great breakfast there in June.
We went from breakfast up the hill to the mission for a tour and then went to the great Santa Barbara Zoo.
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Weather permitting, after you've visited the mission, gardens and courthouse, spend your time strolling the beach or find an outdoor cafe where you watch others stroll the beach.
Also, several wineries have tasting rooms, most of them just a few blocks from the beach.
If you want to drive somemore, go up to Lake Cachuma for a picnic en route to Solvang and the wine region.
Also, several wineries have tasting rooms, most of them just a few blocks from the beach.
If you want to drive somemore, go up to Lake Cachuma for a picnic en route to Solvang and the wine region.
#7
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Thanks all. We only had a couple of hours for this stop on the way to San Diego. We ended up just strolling on State Street. The weather was gorgeous, so it was nice, but we were very surprised by two things - one was the number of chain stores (we thought there'd be more upscale boutiques) and two, the frighteningly large number of homeless people (honestly, more than I see in San Francisco). Maybe we'll stop on the way home to see something more significant than Banana Republic
#11
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Santa Barbara is known to be rather homeless-friendly, allowing car-dwellers to sleep in public lots at night, opening public showers at the tennis courts etc. Also I think there is a real housing shortage there, with rentals so high that people are squeezed out of their living quarters at a higher rate than in other cities. Maybe a foreshadowing of things to come in other American cities........
Los Angeles actual has a much MUCH larger homeless population than does San Francisco, just more spread out and "hidden".
Los Angeles actual has a much MUCH larger homeless population than does San Francisco, just more spread out and "hidden".
#13
I love the architecture of the Courthouse and the views from the top of the Clock Tower.
http://www.santabarbara.com/points_o...st/courthouse/
The Presidio is interesting.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=608
Wine tasting in town.
http://www.urbanwinetrailsb.com/
If you're there between spring and fall, check out who's playing at the Santa Barbara Bowl. It's a small venue, so there are no bad seats.
http://www.sbbowl.com/concerts.htm
http://www.santabarbara.com/points_o...st/courthouse/
The Presidio is interesting.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=608
Wine tasting in town.
http://www.urbanwinetrailsb.com/
If you're there between spring and fall, check out who's playing at the Santa Barbara Bowl. It's a small venue, so there are no bad seats.
http://www.sbbowl.com/concerts.htm