Tourist Attractions

Santa Barbara is a year-round tourist destination renowned for its fair weather, downtown beaches, and Spanish architecture. Tourism brings more than one billion dollars per year into the local economy, including $80 million in tax revenue. In addition to the city's cultural assets, several iconic destinations lie within the city's limits. Mission Santa Barbara, "The Queen of the Missions," is located on a rise about two miles inland from the harbor, and is maintained as an active place of worship, sightseeing stop, and national historic landmark. The Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a red tiled Spanish-Moorish structure, provides a sweeping view of the downtown area from its open air tower. The Presidio of Santa Barbara, a Spanish military installation built in 1782, was central to the town's early development and remains an icon of the city's colonial roots.

Also famous is the annual Fiesta (originally called "Old Spanish Days"), which is celebrated every year in August. The Fiestas are hosted by the Native Daughters of the Golden West and the Native Sons of the Golden West in a joint committee called the Fiesta Board. Fiesta was originally started as a tourist attraction, like the Rose Bowl, to draw business into the town in the 1920s.  This year's Fiesta is August 3 - 7, 2011.  Flower Girls and Las Señoritas are another attraction of Fiesta, as they march and participate in both Fiesta Pequeña (the kickoff of Fiesta) and the various parades. Flower Girls is for girls under 13. They throw roses and other flowers into the crowds. Las Señoritas are their older escorts. Many Señoritas join the Native Daughters at the age of 16.

For over 40 years the Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show has been held on Cabrillo Blvd., east of Stearns Wharf and along the beach, attracting thousands of people to see artwork made by artists and crafts people that live in Santa Barbara county. By the rules of the show, all the works displayed must have been made by the artists and craftspeople themselves, who must sell their own goods. The show started in the early 1960s, and now has over 200 booths varying in size and style on any Sunday of the year. The show is also held on some Saturdays that are national holidays, but not during inclement weather.

In recent years, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), another local non-profit, has also become a major draw bringing over 50,000 attendees during what is usually Santa Barbara's slow season in late January. SBIFF hosts a wide variety of celebrities, premieres, panels and movies from around the world and runs for 10 days. The last Film Festival occured January 27 - February 6, 2011.

The annual Summer Solstice Parade draws up to 100,000 people. It is a colorful themed parade put on by local residents, and follows a route along State Street for approximately one mile, ending at Alameda Park. Floats and costumes vary from the whimsical to the outrageous; parties and street events take place throughout the weekend of the parade, which is invariably the first weekend after the solstice.

Other tourist-centered attractions include:

• Stearns Wharf – Adjacent to Santa Barbara Harbor, features shops, several restaurants, and the newly rebuilt Ty Warner Sea Center.
• Rafael Gonzalez House – Adobe residence of the alcaldé of Santa Barbara in the 1820s, and a National Historic Landmark.
• Moreton Bay Fig – a giant Moreton Bay Fig, 80 feet tall, which has one of the largest total shaded areas of any tree in North America
• Burton Mound – on Mason Street at Burton Circle, this mound is thought to be the Chumash village of Syujton, recorded by Juan Cabrillo in 1542, and again by Fr. Crespí and Portolá in 1769. (California Historical Landmark No. 306)
• De La Guerra Plaza (Casa de la Guerra) – Site of the first City Hall, and still the center of the city's administration. (California Historical Landmark No. 307)
• Covarrubias Adobe – Built in 1817; adjacent to the Santa Barbara Historical Society Museum on Santa Barbara Street. (California Historical Landmark No. 308)
• Hastings Adobe – Built in 1854, partially from material recovered from the wreck of the S.S. Winfield Scott. (California Historical Landmark No. 559)
• Carrillo Adobe – Built in 1825 by Daniel Hill for his wife Rafaela L. Ortega y Olivera; currently at 11 E. Carrillo St.
• Santa Barbara Museum of Art - Founded in 1941, this is one of the nation's outstanding regional museums that features a combination of special and permanent exhibits.
• Cold Spring Tavern
• Reagan Ranch Center - a place where young and old alike can learn about Ronald Reagan and his conservative values through historical exhibits and dynamic educational programs.
• El Paseo Shopping Mall – California's first shopping center.
• Santa Barbara Zoo

Hotel Oceana

This charming beachfront boutique hotel with endless ocean and mountain views.  It is the perfect location for your getaway.  Each of their six Spanish-style buildings offer relaxing outdoor sitting areas or lush vibrant garden courtyards. All guest rooms include high definition flat-screen LCD TV's and either CD players or iPod docking stations, down comforters and pillows, and Aveda bath toiletries.

Hotel Oceana offers the following amenities for all of their guests:

• Complimentary deluxe continental breakfast in our Ocean Front Breakfast Bistro.
• Complimentary wireless internet access in rooms and on hotel grounds.
• Complimentary 2 hour beach cruiser bicycle rentals
• Room Service provided for lunch and dinner by Order Inn Hospitality Services
• Mini Bar service
• Two outdoor heated pools and Jacuzzi with private poolside cabanas
• Fitness center offering brand new cardio and weight training equipment
• In-room spa services from Indulgence, The Home Spa
• Multi-functional boardroom with gorgeous Pacific Ocean views
• Throughout the grounds there are plenty of outdoor seating areas with comfy couches and tables for work and relaxation.
• Complimentary laptop available in our guest lobby for guest usage and printing of boarding passes and e-mails.
• Business Center and Concierge Services are provided by the front desk.

Contact Wish Upon A Star Travel for pricing on this hotel or for more information.  You can reach them at (805) 964-3601 or e-mail. 

Hummer Tours of Santa Barbara and Wine Country

When you come to Santa Barbara, don't deprive yourself of that great California weather! Come aboard the finest fleet of OPEN air vehicles in the Central Coast.

Santa Barbara Backroads offers daily wine tasting tours.  They are like 2 tours in one. You will pass the historical areas of Santa Barbara including State Street, the famous courthouse and the Mission. Your guides are local experts and will follow the old stagecoach road to the San Ynez Valley and the danish community of Solvang to taste the finest wines. Join us on the backroads and see what you've been missing! 

All Tours provide:

• Daily Departures
• Open Air H-1 Hummers
• Tasting fees included at four vineyards including where the filmed the hit movie, "Sideways".
• Expert guides and wine stewards
• A gourmet picnic lunch is included - 19 gourmet sandwiches served at a winery or vineyard.
• Taste 30 different wines
• Open air experience, better then a bus or limo

For more information, call them at (877) WE-HUMMER!!! or www.santabarbarabackroads.com 


Contact Wish Upon A Star Travel for pricing on a hotel or for more information.  You can reach them at (805) 964-3601 or e-mail. 

Bacara Resort & Spa

8301 Hollister Avenue
Goleta , California 93117
Tel: (805) 968 0100

Just a few miles up the coast from Santa Barbara, on 78 beachfront acres, the whitewashed collection of buildings known as the Bacara Resort & Spa—think ritzy Spanish Colonial—is the kind of status-y getaway that attracts new money, old money, wannabe money, and everyone in between.

Room rates aren't cheap ($550 is the starting rate in high season), but the doting service makes it worth every penny. All the rooms are designed with a clean and comfortable beach-chic vibe, but the ocean-view suites hold the key to Bacara's secret weapon: dramatic sea cliff vistas that open onto a wild stretch of beach.

With three swimming pools, a 220-seat screening room, the nearby Sandpiper golf course, and hiking trails galore in the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains, it's tempting to stay put rather than head into town.

Good thing, then, that the on-site dining options run the gamut from top-notch Basque-Catalonian cuisine at Miró to calorie-conscious fare at the Spa Café. However, even dinner at the resort's more casual option, The Bistro, will run you around $70 a head.

At 42,000 square feet, the spa and exercise center is impressive in size but can feel somewhat factory-like, and the massages (the treatment of choice for most guests) are nothing to write home about.

CLICK HERE for a direct link to this luxurious hotel's website.

Contact Wish Upon A Star Travel for pricing on this hotel or for more information.  You can reach them at (805) 964-3601 or e-mail.  

Condor Express - Whale Watching

Condor Cruises @ Sea Landing
301 West Cabrillo Boulevard
Santa Barbara , California 93101
Tel: (805) 882 0088 or (888) 77-WHALE

"Whale watching with a guarantee" is the motto of Condor Express—that's what they all say. But the waters off Santa Barbara are home to one of the world's largest concentrations of migrating blue and humpback whales, plus orcas, minke whales, dolphins, and other finned mammals throughout the year. And, if you go out and not see a whale, they will give you a whale-check for another FREE cruise!!!

Best time to see blues and humpbacks: May through September. Dolphins can be seen throughout the year, and orcas surface occasionally between late February and March. Catch the gray whales during their winter migration to Mexico between December and March, or between February and May, when they head north with their newborn calves.

Condor Express offers two-hour coast cruises and half-day tours of the Channel Islands, depending on whale migrations. The only time that spotting a whale is not guaranteed is during the fall. They also offer private charters and adventure cruises.

CONDOR Cruises is recommended by, and affiliated with, the University of California Santa Barbara's Marine Science Institute, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. With qualified naturalists always on board, the CONDOR EXPRESS offers an interesting, informative and exciting trip on the most advanced & comfortable excursion vessel on the West Coast.

CLICK HERE for pricing and options.

Contact Wish Upon A Star Travel for pricing on a hotel or for more information.  You can reach them at (805) 964-3601 or e-mail.  

Kobe Academy Begins Today!

Kobe Bryant is in town for his Kobe Academy at UCSB.  This is a sold-out event but is a great camp for children who love basketball. 

Photo:  BBallVideos.com

Inn by The Harbor

Escape to a Santa Barbara Hotel and Resort Destination! Nestled among tropical gardens beneath the swaying palms, the Inn by the Harbor is an enchanting Santa Barbara hotel and resort escape. Built in the Spanish Colonial tradition, the white adobe inn features red tile roofs, inlaid tile staircases, wrought iron embellishments, and a heated pool. The Inn is just a short walk from Santa Barbara’s golden beaches, yacht harbor, and oceanfront restaurants.

The guest rooms at this Santa Barbara hotel and retreat are decorated with charming French Country furnishings. Many also feature full kitchens, which make them ideal for vacations and extended stay lodging. The Inn serves a deluxe continental breakfast, afternoon wine and cheese, and evening milk and cookies.

The Inn by the Harbor hotel is within walking distance of many Santa Barbara attractions including West Beach and the beachfront bike path, the yacht harbor, Stearns Wharf, and the vibrant shops and cafes lining State Street. Golf courses, wineries, and the Santa Barbara Mission are all just minutes away.

Amenities

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  42 individually-appointed accommodations, all non-smoking
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  Heated swimming pool and whirlpool
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  Enclosed sundeck courtyard
• 
  
  Deluxe continental breakfast
• 
  
  Afternoon wine and cheese reception
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  Evening milk and cookies
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  Guest laundry
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  Free high-speed wireless Internet service

Guest Rooms

Charming Santa Barbara Accommodations - The Inn by the Harbor in the city of Santa Barbara, California offers individually appointed accommodations with charming French country furnishings. Amenities include air conditioning, refrigerator, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, wall safe, armoire with television, complimentary HBO, voice mail, data port, and free high-speed wireless Internet service.

• 
  
  Queen/King Bed - Room with queen or king bed
• 
  
  Queen/King Deluxe - Room with queen or king bed and sitting area, Separate full-size kitchen with dining area

The following one and two bedroom suites must be booked directly with the hotel.

• 
  
  Two Queen Deluxe - Room with two queen beds, Full-size kitchen with dining area
• 
  
  Harbor Pool Suite - Spacious bedroom with king bed, Second bedroom with king bed, Living room with queen sofa/sleeper, Fully equipped kitchen, Large sliding doors with pool view

Specials & Packages Car Free Experience Package - Take a car-free vacation and be rewarded with discounts. Seashore Cruise and Soother Package - Set sail on a sunset cruise for two with a bottle of wine Romance on the Riviera Package - Savor a romantic dinner for two, chocolates and wine. Four Days/Three Nights in Paradise Package - Sunset sail, winery tour, romantic dinners and more. Tee and Sea Golf Package - Savor a round of golf by the sea at Glen Annie. Wine Package - Taste your way through Santa Barbara’s wine country. Whales and Tales Package - Catch sight of whales off the coast of Santa Barbara.

Directions

• From the south: Exit 101 at Bath Street. Turn left onto Haley Street. Turn left onto Castillo Street. Turn right Montecito Street. The Inn by the Harbor is ¼ block on the left side.
• From the north: Exit 101 at Castillo Street. Turn right onto Castillo Street. Turn right Montecito Street. The Inn by the Harbor is ¼ block on the left side.

CLICK HERE for a direct link to this hotel's website...

Segway Rentals: See the City From A Segway

Segway of Santa Barbara

16 Helena Avenue , Suite A
Santa Barbara , California 93101
Tel: (805) 963 7672

Hopefully you'll fare better than President Bush, who took a tumble during his first ride on a Segway, the self-balancing electric-powered human transporter. It's really a no-brainer, and the most fun way to tour downtown Santa Barbara.

You can rent a Segway on a per hour basis for $45.00 per hour including training or a per day basis for $299.00. You can also opt for a 2 1/2 hour guided Tour of Old Santa Barbara ($79.00 including training), a 2 hour Tour of Butterfly Beach ($75.00 including training), or enjoy the popular 3 1/2 hour Mission Tour ($99.00 including training),

Open daily 10 am to 6 pm.

CLICK HERE for more information about this company.

Painted Cave

Chumash Painted Cave is located about 12 miles northwest of Santa Barbara off of the San Marcos Pass Road (Highway 154). The start of this highway is directly across from the start of upper State Street at the 101 freeway. The cave is on Painted Cave Road, an extremely narrow steep road that winds its way up the face of the Santa Ynez mountains. You will quickly climb in elevation for a few miles and then you will level out and drive for another few miles. The cave is situated on the left side of the road. There is little parking; expect to park on a narrow shoulder of the road. The cave is just a few hundred feet up a trail, above the road. The cave entrance is covered with a metal screen. Inside are brightly painted pictographs on the cave walls painted by the Chumash Indians hundreds of years ago. This artwork is believed to have religious connotations. If you are going to take pictures I would recommend taking a short zoom lens and a flash. There is a very steep trail that continues on up the hill from the cave, presumably to some smaller caves and pictographs. Note: There are no services here, not even water.

Santa Barbara History: Earthquake of 1812

On December 21, 1812, one of the largest earthquakes in California history completely destroyed the first Mission along with most of Santa Barbara. With an estimated magnitude of 7.2, and a hypothesized epicenter near Santa Cruz Island, the quake also produced a tsunami which carried water all the way to modern-day Anapamu Street, and carried a ship a half-mile up Refugio Canyon. The earthquake devastated the small early city.

Following the devastating earthquake, the Mission padres decided to build a larger and more elaborate Mission complex, which is the one that survives to the present day. While the church was ready in 1820, the bell towers were not finished until 1833.

Longoria Wines

Longoria Wines
(Los Olivos)
daily 11am - 4.30pm
2935 Grand Avenue, Los Olivos

866-RLWINES or (805) 688-0305

Upon his arrival to the local wine scene in 1976, Rick Longoria tasted the first vintage of Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict’s wines from their young vineyard in what is now known at the Santa Rita Hills. He has been a fan of this viticultural region ever since. He has been producing wine from a variety of vineyards in this area since 1984. In 1998, he realized his dream of planting a vineyard in this great appellation and has been gratified to see the outstanding wines produced from these grapes. Fe Ciega Vineyard, consisting of eight acres of Pinot Noir, is located on a south facing slope of the Santa Rita Hills, north of the Santa Ynez River at the far western edge of the appellation. In 2008, another clone of Pinot Noir was planted at Fe Ciega, in addition to a block of Chardonnay vines. 

In 1998, Rick established the first commercial winery in the city of Lompoc, in an industrial park near the east entrance to the city. This facility is not open to the public, although Longoria Wines can be tasted and purchased at his tasting room in Los Olivos. 

After 32 years of winemaking, Rick’s goal remains the same: to produce the best wines possible year after year. Because of this, Longoria Wines remains one of the smallest wineries in the area, averaging 3,500 cases annually.

CLICK HERE for more information.

Arts & Crafts Show

Arts and Craft Show
Sundays at Cabrillo Blvd
Time: 10am - Dusk
(805) 897-1982
www.sbaacs.com

The art show is a Santa Barbara Classic. It is strictly held as a "Santa Barbara" county resident show and you will find an eclectic mixture of arts and crafts.
 

It is a wonderful Sunday afternoon - check out the art show, stroll down to Stearn's Wharf to get an ice cream, visit the touch tank at the Natural History Museum's Sea Center and then wander out the end of the wharf to watch the pelicans catch fish off the pier.

Many of the artists are regulars - they come to the art show each week to show their work. Others come and go. The prices are often quite good.

 

Note: If you have children you need to make sure that they stay away from the road. Cabrillo Blvd. is one of the busiest streets in Santa Barbara and the traffic goes very fast, regardless of the 25 mph signs posted along a large stretch of the road.

 

Directions: East Beach is accessible from just about any exit along downtown Santa Barbara - Carrillo Blvd, Milpas (South), Garden, Castillo. Turn away from the mountains and when you reach Cabrillo, you can't miss the huge stretch of park between Stearns Wharf and the bird refuge.

Tour & Sightseeing Companies

Bike Down Gibraltar offers scenic downhill bicycle tours. (805) 963-3700

Blue Sky Bus offers personalized adventures. Their phone number is (805) 683-0722

Heli-Tours offers island and wine country helicopter excursions. (805) 964-0684

Pacific Coast Limousine offers wine country and custom tours.  (805) 683-0722

Pedal and Paddle offer customized kayak and bike tours. They can be reached at  (805) 687-2912

Personal Tours Ltd., offer personalized tours in a range of vehicles.  (805) 685-0552

Red Tile Walking Tour is a tour of 12 blocks through downtown Santa Barbara. Call the Chamber of Commerce for a map at (805) 965-3021

Santa Barbara Limo and Tours offer tours of a historic mansion, a casino, and winery tours. They can be reached at  (805) 961-2722

Santa Barbara Trolley Co. offers narrated tours and connections for hotels/attractions. Their phone number is (805) 965-0353 www.sbtrolley.com

Sightseeing Tours of Santa Barbara offers scenic highlights in a minivan. Call  (805) 966-3322

Turistorica is a 2 hour docent led stroll through downtown on Saturdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Call  (805) 965-6307

Did You Know the McMuffin Man?

In 2008, Santa Barbara said goodbye to one of its most beloved residents, Herb Peterson, inventor of the Egg McMuffin. Originally a Chicago ad man working on the McDonald's account (where he came up with the Ronald McDonald character), Peterson and his family moved to Santa Barbara in 1968 when Ray Kroc gave him the chance to become a franchisee. Peterson eventually owned six local franchises and was the first to hire women.

The eggs benedict fan spent much of 1971 working on a new food product, and when he heard Ray Kroc was spending Christmas at his nearby Santa Ynez ranch, he invited him to taste his creation. Although Kroc has just finished lunch, he inhaled two of Peterson's molded-egg creations, and before long, they were in every McDonald's across the nation. Peterson died at age 89 after a robust life, which included tremendous support of local charities and the donation of an elephant to the Santa Barbara Zoo.

La Super-Rica Taqueria

622 N. Milpas Street (corner of Alphonse Street)
Santa Barbara , California 93103
Tel: (805) 963 4940

Super-Rica is one of Santa Barbara's most cherished spots, even though it's more local and less of the tourist side of town, it is basically just a white taco stand with turquoise trim, a walk-up window, a tent-covered dining area, and white plastic chairs.

It was a favorite of Julia Child, who spent her last years in Santa Barbara.

Handmade tortillas form the basis of the menu, which includes tacos, taquitos, chilaquiles, tamales, and a variety of sopes. The food is fresh, made right in front of you, and so good that loyal Super-Rica fans will drive up from Los Angeles just for tacos and the tamal de verduras, a vegetarian tamale made of chayote, cheese, corn, zucchini, potato, chile strips, and tomato with a cream sauce.

There's always a daily special, such as chile poblano stuffed with cheese and beef, chicken, or pork.

Open Thursdays through Tuesdays 11 am to 9 pm.

The Four Seasons Biltmore

1260 Channel Drive
Montecito, California 93108
Tel: (888) 424 5866
Tel: (805) 969 2261

In privileged Montecito, this exclusive Spanish colonial–style 207-room resort is more than a beachfront Four Seasons—it's been a glamorous Santa Barbara institution since opening as the Biltmore in 1927.

A place where Greta Garbo, Errol Flynn, Lana Turner, Bing Crosby, and other Golden Age movie stars once played croquet on the front lawn, the hotel is now a gathering spot for locals (the Sunday brunch, oceanfront dining, and bar with live entertainment are big draws) and the resort of choice for visitors who want Santa Barbara's toniest beach getaway.

Sweeping archways, heavy carved entry doors, colorful imported Spanish tile, and carved woodwork are renovated features of the original hacienda, but modern amenities abound, too, including a 10,000-square-foot spa.

Only a sprawling green lawn and a road separate the hotel from Butterfly Beach. Revamped rooms feature Mission-style antiques, local art, more Spanish tile, decorative ironwork, rain showers and deep soaking tubs, 42-inch plasma-screen TVs with surround sound, DVD players, and broadband Internet.

A botanical guide to the 44 exotic and rare plants in the resort's 22 acres of tropical and subtropical gardens is available at the concierge desk. Guests are also allowed access to the private Coral Casino Beach & Cabana Club next door.

Standard Room rates run between $575.00 and $645.00 per night with the Ty Warner Cottage going for as much as $4,600.00 per night.


This resort is currently owned by Ty Warner, the CEO of Ty Industries, famous for making Beanie Babies. He also owns other oceanfront property throughout Montecito and Santa Barbara.


CLICK HERE for a direct link to this hotel's website.

Epiphany Restaurant

21 W. Victoria Street
Santa Barbara , California 93101
Tel: (805) 564 7100

This low-lit restaurant in a 19th-century house feels a bit like a wine cellar, with its brick walls and archways. But its hidden nooks, fireplace room, private dining area, and patio cabanas also create the perfect venue for an intimate meal.

Formerly owned by Kevin Costner, the restaurant is now run by Michelle Mastrangelo, with chef Ron True, former chef of Gramercy Tavern in New York, cooking the cuisine du jour.

Try the Limo Ride, a $55 chef's tasting menu (six courses), or sample from the raw bar. Alternatively, order the free-range Uruguayan filet mignon or the carpaccio of beef on a bed of arugula with truffle vinaigrette and shaved Parmesan.

The lounge serves a bar menu until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Specialty drinks include a tiramisu martini (Godiva chocolate liqueur, crème de cacao, Frangelico) and a Cosmo-piphany, a variation on the cosmopolitan made with mango juice.

Open daily 5:30 to 10:30 pm.

Wine Tours

Sideways put Santa Barbara's pinot noir in the spotlight, but let's not forget the award-winning chardonnays and great cabernet. Wine country is only 30 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, with 80-plus wineries to choose from—unless you have a willing designated driver, take a tour.

Cloud Climbers' Back-Country Wine Tour has a terrific young staff and six-passenger open Jeep Wranglers that make vineyard-hopping fun and easy (805-646-3200; www.ccjeeps.com).

For the vine huggers out there, Sustainable Vine Wine Tours offers guided tours of organic and biodynamic wineries in a soybean-powered van (805-698-3911; www.sustainablevine.com).

Then there's Wine EdVentures, an educational safari of the Santa Ynez Valley in a plush van (805-965-9463; www.welovewines.com).

All pick you up in Santa Barbara and offer private tastings of six to eight vinos at a minimum of four different wineries each day, plus a gourmet picnic lunch. Don't have an entire day to devote to wine? You can always explore Santa Barbara's Urban Wine Trail on foot.

The self-guided tour leads you through eight wineries and tasting rooms conveniently located downtown. Key stops include Cellar 205 Winery & Marketplace, Santa Barbara Winery, Jaffurs Wine Cellars, and East Beach Wine Company. There's even a tasting room on Stearns Wharf.

Most wineries offer wine purchase drop-offs at local hotels as well as maps to guide you through your grape adventures.

Inn of The Spanish Garden

915 Garden Street
Santa Barbara , California 93101
Tel: (866) 564 4700 (toll-free)
Tel: (805) 564 4700

Hidden in a quiet residential neighborhood three blocks from State Street, this white adobe boutique hotel with a red-tile roof has a plain exterior that doesn't quite prepare you for what's inside—a charming fountain courtyard surrounded by 23 luxurious rooms and one- and two-bedroom suites with private balconies or garden patios.

Rooms have gas fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, Frette linens, deep soaking tubs, and Wi-Fi. Within the courtyard, there's a heated pool and sundeck for lounging during the day and a fire pit to warm up beside at night while having an evening cocktail.

Leave your car in the hotel's free underground parking and get around by foot, trolley, electric shuttle, or bicycle.

Room rates average $350.00 nightly.

CLICK HERE for a direct link to this beautiful hotel's website.

Bouchon Restaurant

Bouchon Restaurant

9 W. Victoria Street
Santa Barbara , California 93101
Tel: (805) 730 1160

One meaning of the French word bouchon is wine cork, so it's no surprise that you can sample 40 Central Coast varietals by the glass at this cozy downtown restaurant. Chef/owner Mitchell Sjerven pairs wines with dishes using produce from the local farmers' market, meat and poultry purchased from neighboring micro-ranches, and lots of freshly caught fish.

Offering a French-inspired take on California cuisine, Bouchon turns out starters such as pumpkin soup with chanterelle mushrooms and hearty entrées like venison loin with wild-chestnut puree and local organic arugula, or a bourbon- and maple-glazed duck served with a succotash of fava beans, apple-smoked bacon, and butternut squash, a menu favorite for nine years.

Ask for a table on the patio or by the glassed-in kitchen, where you can see everything.

Open nightly at 5:30 pm.

CLICK HERE for a glance at their menu