Glittering Beaches And Wine Country Await: A Fall 2012 Guide To Five Days in Santa Barbara

By Sponsor in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 11, 2012 5:00PM

If you’ve got a pocketful of unused vacation days, Santa Barbara—home of Oprah, Julia Child’s favorite taco joint, and glimmering West Coast beaches—might be just the place to use them. Make a quick connection in Los Angeles, and soon after you’ll find yourself in one of the most vibrant and relaxing towns in California, with the perfect mix of downtown culture and laidback wine country offerings.

As part of our Fall 2012 Fall Getaway Guide, we’ve teamed up with American Express and their Travel Insiders to find all the best places to stay, eat, drink, and explore using just three vacation days and a weekend for a five-day trip to Santa Barbara. American Express Travel Insiders are travel agents that have extensive knowledge in a specific destination or special interest area. These Insiders not only have insight into the best hotels, dining and attractions, but also the hard-to-find hidden gems of any destination. Get ready to take a mountain hike or order a flight of German wines—how you spend your week off of work is entirely up to you!

WHERE TO STAY

The hip Hotel Indigo, located downtown on busy State Street, is a new Euro-inspired boutique property that is packed with contemporary art from its common spaces to its guest rooms. If you’re looking for a luxury property, the Hotel Oceana is a beautiful option, located in Santa Barbara’s oceanfront downtown district. These properties and many more can be booked through Amextravel.com.

Through the Fine Hotels & Resorts program, American Express Platinum Card members get room upgrades upon availability, special check-in and check-out times, and breakfast options when booking at participating hotels such as Bacara Resort & Spa and the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore (located near beautiful Butterfly Beach)-which total a $450 value per stay.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Start your culinary tour at one of Santa Barbara’s most fabled eateries (that looks like just the opposite)—the no-frills La Super-Rica Taqueria, which is famous both for its delicious tacos and its number-one fan: Julia Child.

For an uptown brunch, locals rave about Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro, and in particular, about their freshly baked pastries, like the buttery croissant that comes topped with a sweet almond spread. (For something savory, order the fried egg sandwich, which comes with sautéed mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes and Swiss cheese served on house-baked bread.)

Metropulos Fine Foods Merchant in Santa Barbara’s artsy Funk Zone (more on that later) is a great spot to stop for lunch. Order one of the deli sandwiches and enjoy it on a bench outside—we like the BLT with avocado and Monterey Jack cheese.

For a great outdoor dining and drinking experience, hit up the always-busy Brophy Bros, nestled at the edge of the Santa Barbara Harbor, and snag an outside table where you can take in the views and sample their award-winning clam chowder.

For a quintessential white tablecloth Santa Barbara dinner, make reservations at the popular Bouchon, and savor their carefully crafted entrees featuring local ingredients.

Finally, while wine tours and craft beers certainly rule the beverage scene in Santa Barbara, don’t pass up new cocktail bar The Marquee, at the Granada Theater, where mixologists freshen-up the menu with new seasonal libations on a monthly basis.

WHAT TO DO

The Santa Barbara Mission, which was built in 1786, is one of the city's chief historical landmarks. There are stunning gardens, including one that features the influence of Spain's agriculture in California.

However, if you’re looking to spend a day outside of the city, make reservations with Cloud Climber Jeep Tours to plan a custom trip to visit the top of the Santa Ynez Mountains, picnic in valley vineyards, or explore off-road sights.

Hook up with Santa Barbara Urban Wine Tours for a curated tour of the city’s wineries. They provide a trolley for transportation between venues, so there’s no need to worry about “over-serving” yourself.

While in Santa Barbara proper, be sure to stop by Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, one of the most forward-thinking institutions in town, where their “Call for Entries” show, which features 5 stand-out California artists, will be on display from October 21-December 23rd. The city’s emerging artistic neighborhood is known as the Funk Zone, and a full trip’s worth of entertainment can be found in this area alone.

Check out the Santa Barbara Surfing Museum, which was founded in 1992 and opens at noon every Sunday. It’s jam-packed full of instruments, surf-inspired art, clothing, sea shells, and—of course—just about every kind of board one can imagine.

CMND-Z (pronounced “command z”), local artist Lindsey Mickelson’s art and clothing shop, is definitely worth a visit. The Funk Zone is chock-full of galleries, such as Wall Space and The Art Fund, which both line E. Yanonali Street, and many artists often open their studios to visitors on the weekends.

No trip to California is complete without a scenic hike—work up a sweat on the Cold Spring Trail, a short loop that offers views of Montecito and the occasional spring and waterfall.

With beaches galore—for instance, East Beach in the city, Refugio and Rincon just outside—and loads of places to explore and eat, your West Coast vacation is ready and waiting for you.