805.617.0438

Best Places To Stay Santa Barbara

Where to Find Local Food and Markets In Santa Barbara

One way to immerse yourself in a new location is by visiting the local farmers’ market. It’s not only a great place to find delicious and fresh food, but you can also discover new art, crafts, music, and souvenirs. If you want to feel like a local while on vacation, this is the route you should take, especially when you visit the Santa Barbara area.

Santa Barbara has an amazing arts scene and a wealth of support for local farmers too. It’s easy to immediately feel like a local when you step outside your Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals property and head to the market. 

Immerse yourself in the area by booking directly with Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals. You’ll be in the heart of the city, with the beach and downtown not far away, and the market not far away.

Overview Of Local Markets In Santa Barbara

To give you a preview of what you can expect for Santa Barbara’s local farmers, artists, and more, here is a rundown of some of the best places to visit for local food and unique markets in the area.

  • Downtown Santa Barbara: This is the city’s flagship farmers market. It takes place on Saturdays. It’s also the largest market in the city with the most vendors. As the name implies, the market is in the heart of the city, giving you access to more stores and attractions too.
  • Old Town Santa Barbara: Because this market takes place on Tuesdays, it’s perfect for visitors interested in cooking in. It’s also great for weekday afternoon shopping.
  • Solvang: This Wednesday market typically runs later into the evening. It’s ideal for people preparing a dinner at their vacation rental or those looking for something else to do following a wine-country tour.
  • Carpinteria: The best part about this Thursday market is its location. The market is located steps away from restaurants, the beach, parking, and an Amtrak station. It’s one of the most accessible and walkable markets to see during the week.
  • Montecito: This is the smallest of the weekly markets. It takes place on Friday and offers a smaller, more local feel. You will also find other shopping nearby.
  • Goleta: If you are heading to the airport on Sunday, then this is a wonderful stop on your way. It offers free parking and is very walkable, too.
  • Saturday Fishermen’s Market: The freshest seafood in Santa Barbara can be found on the Santa Barbara Harbor pier every Saturday. It’s a lively market with anglers selling directly to the public, with a fillet booth as well that will prep your fish too.
  • Santa Barbara Fish Market: The Santa Barbara Fish Market is open daily and is located in the harbor. It’s a great place to go to for your seafood if you miss the Saturday Fishermen’s Market.
  • Santa Barbara Public Market: A great place for lunch or dinner, this urban food hall offers a variety of options. It’s amazing for those groups that can’t agree on one place to eat. You’ll also find a variety of locally and regionally sourced food, wine, and beer.

Explore A New Market Any Day of The Week

There is a market for anyone who visits Santa Barbara, and there’s also a vacation rental for anyone when you book directly through Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals. 

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals offers comfortable, charming, and fully furnished vacation rentals that provide a true home-away-from-home experience. Each property is conveniently close to all that Santa Barbara has to offer.

Book your stay today before properties fill up. Visit our website or call 805-617-0438 to speak with our friendly team and reserve the rental that’s ideal for your Santa Barbara escape.

Sustainable Things To Do When You Travel To Santa Barbara

Keeping a minimal carbon footprint through sustainable travel is a growing priority for many travelers. It’s reflecting a global shift toward more mindful exploration of the world’s most stunning locations. Finding eco-friendly attractions is simpler than you might think, especially in regions with a strong dedication to conservation and sustainable travel. 

In Santa Barbara, California, guests can easily enjoy its beaches and environmentally conscious activities without extra effort or paying a premium expense to experience the American Riviera. In fact, the city aims to be carbon neutral by 2035.

Choose to stay with Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals because you will gain access to a variety of green experiences throughout the region right outside your front door. This can be organic farm-to-table dining or protected marine sanctuaries. 

This summer, plan a California retreat that lets you explore local landmarks, such as the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, while taking advantage of walkable neighborhoods and sustainable local transportation.

Eco-Friendly Things To Do and See Around Santa Barbara

Explore some of the many unique and fascinating sustainable attractions throughout Santa Barbara next time you visit. These are some of the most popular activities with an eco-friendly mindset.

– Santa Barbara Certified Farmers’ Markets: A popular activity to experience is one of Santa Barbara’s farmers’ markets. You can find the market at six locations on six days of the week. See what local farmers from California’s Central Valley have for sale, as well as interesting arts and crafts.

– BCycle E-Bike Share: For an eco-friendly way to explore Santa Barbara, try renting an e-bike through BCycle E-Bike Share. With their fleet of e-bikes, you can easily explore Santa Barbara’s Waterfront, State Street, downtown, Eastside and Westside neighborhoods, the Mission, and the Mesa.

– Explore Ecology: It’s a local environmental education non-profit where you can browse the shelves of the Art From Scrap Creative Reuse Store. They also host community events and classes, such as community clean-ups or the Plastic Free Expo.

– Certified Clean Creeks Business Program: For those looking for a sustainable place to dine, the Certified Clean Creeks Business Program offers a long list of restaurants and caterers that help reduce and eliminate polluted discharges into streets and storm drains. 

– Santa Barbara Botanic Garden: 78 acres in the foothills covered with a variety of natural beauty that includes oak groves, redwood forests, and desert landscapes. See it all along the more than 5 miles of trails.

– Goleta Butterfly Grove: Monarch butterflies migrate to this protected grove every October through February. It’s a magical scene if you’re here during the migration season. 

Keep Santa Barbara Green

Santa Barbara is not just a sustainable travel destination; its variety of eco-friendly attractions and things to do are fun, insightful, and not easily found elsewhere. See it all from an e-bike and rest well with Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals when you are here. 

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals offers comfortable, charming, and fully furnished vacation rentals that provide a true home-away-from-home experience. Each property is conveniently close to all that Santa Barbara has to offer.

Book your stay today before properties fill up. Visit our website or call 805-617-0438 to speak with our friendly team and reserve the rental that’s ideal for your Santa Barbara escape.

5 Smart Packing Tips For When You Travel To Santa Barbara

You want to be ready for anything on your next vacation. Why? So you can experience as much as possible without the feeling like you missed out because you left something back at home. This is why packing is important to do ahead of the night before your flight. Don’t be caught without your swimsuit when you visit Santa Barbara. Follow these packing tips before you travel to a seaside town.

Places like Santa Barbara offer a variety of things to do, so you will appreciate packing tips for travel to make the most of the many attractions. You can start your journey to Santa Barbara by booking directly with Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals. You’ll be in the heart of the city, with the beach and downtown not far away, so be prepared by following these travel packing tips.

5 Packing Tips For Visiting Santa Barbara

If you want to get the most out of your vacation in Santa Barbara, make sure you account for anything you might want to do here. Here are some tips to help you arrive prepared for anything.

– Wear breathable layers: Santa Barbara has a pleasant coastal breeze. Wearing lightweight clothes gives you some freedom to dress down or button up, depending on your comfort level and the weather.

– Bring your activewear: There are amazing hiking trails and scenic viewpoints in and around Santa Barbara. Some take effort to see, which is why it’s wise to pack comfortable activewear and hiking shoes too.

– Be beach-ready: If you are here during the summer, pack for the beach. That means bringing all of the essentials like swimwear, towels, sunscreen, and your favorite beach read.

– Vacation essentials: There are some things that you will want to bring on any vacation, regardless of the destination. These include items such as a phone charger, toiletries, identification, and cash.

– Laid-back and sophisticated style: Santa Barbara brings together coastal charm and Spanish-style architecture, offering plenty of bright, breezy styles to play with. This is a place where you can easily go out with a relaxed, trendy wardrobe. Or you can dress up for the occasion, for a night on the town, or a wine tasting.

Cover The Basics, But Plan For Fun and Unexpected Thrills

The packing tips for traveling to Santa Barbara cover your essentials and open the door to experimenting with your style. Make the most of your rental space with Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals. 

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals offers comfortable, charming, and fully furnished vacation rentals that provide a true home-away-from-home experience. Each property is conveniently close to all that Santa Barbara has to offer.

Book your stay today before properties fill up. Visit our website or call 805-617-0438 to speak with our friendly team and reserve the rental that’s ideal for your Santa Barbara escape.

Best Places For Couples’ Massages In Santa Barbara For Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to treat yourselves (and your partner) to a little extra romance. You need a place with warm sunsets over the beach, coastal views, and romantic attractions, which sounds a lot like what you will find when you visit Santa Barbara for Valentine’s Day. 

There are few better things to do on a romantic vacation than booking an intimate couples massage. Santa Barbara has some incredible spa and massage facilities that pair perfectly with the small, cozy vacation rentals available through Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals. There are vacation rentals ideal for couples that place you in the heart of the city, with romantic dining options and relaxing massages nearby in Santa Barbara.

Where Is The Best Spa Or Massage In Santa Barbara, California?

Feel the stress melt away and rejuvenate yourself and your partner when you stay in Santa Barbara. Fall deeper in love in this idyllic seaside paradise with the help of these spa and massages in Santa Barbara this Valentine’s Day.

– Cielo Spa Boutique: At Cielo Spa Boutique, you’ll be treated to an excellent massage experience. They offer a variety of couples massages, including two Swedish, two deep tissue, or one Swedish and one deep tissue. Couples massages are also done in a larger room. 

– FLOAT Luxury Spa: Enjoy a side-by-side couples massage in downtown Santa Barbara with FLOAT Luxury Spa. Pricing is à la carte so that you can choose from a variety of massages. Some of the massages available include heated sea stones, deep tissue, Swedish, and more.

– Tranquility Massage: Another outstanding place for a couples massage. They offer a couple of massages for 1-2 hours. Also, this massage facility is very close to the Santa Barbara Airport. Get a massage before boarding your flight.

– Touch of Heaven: Find bliss with a couples massage at Touch of Heaven. They offer couples massages ranging from 1 to 90 minutes. If you don’t want to leave your vacation rental, you can have the massage come to you. They offer in-house massages. Other services you can take part in include Swedish massage​, Thai massage, deep tissue, lomi lomi, four-hand massage, and more.

Bond And Relax With A Couples Massage In Santa Barbara

Carving out time to relax and to do it with your partner through a couples massage will make your Santa Barbara vacation a romantic getaway to remember. This is just one of the many romantic things to do in Santa Barbara for couples. Find time to delight yourselves over a romantic dinner, stroll along the beach and watch the sunset, or enjoy each other’s company at your vacation property from Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals. 

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals offers comfortable, charming, and fully furnished vacation rentals that provide a true home-away-from-home experience. Each property is conveniently close to all that Santa Barbara has to offer.

Book your stay today before properties fill up. Visit our website or call 805-617-0438 to speak with our friendly team and reserve the rental that’s ideal for your Santa Barbara escape.

Family-Friendly Winter Activities in Santa Barbara

While you are slipping into your winter boots and wrapping a thick scarf around your neck, residents in Santa Barbara are enjoying an afternoon stroll with mild temperatures and sunny days–warm enough for a light sweater. This is all to say that one sunny day in Santa Barbara can make for a splendid destination for any family vacation. The best part is that there are still so many things to do in Santa Barbara even after the holidays end. 

Plan a winter getaway to beautiful Santa Barbara with your family, and do it with Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals, too. We have the best vacation rentals in Santa Barbara for families, with excellent amenities, and you’ll be near some of the city’s most fun, family-friendly activities. 

Where Can You Find Family-Friendly Things To Do In Santa Barbara During Winter?

During winter, you can find plenty of outdoor and ocean activities that create memorable adventures for your family. Whether outdoors, indoors, or on the sea, Santa Barbara offers exciting options for a fun winter vacation.

  • Monarch Butterfly Grove: Witnessing the monarch butterfly migration from November through February sparks awe and wonder, making Santa Barbara a magical winter destination for families seeking unique experiences.
  • Lil’ Toot Santa Barbara: Get out on the open sea this winter without the freezing temperatures. Jumping on board the Lil’ Toot is a popular and fun activity for children and an opportunity to see the city from the sea. The tugboat takes passengers from Stearns Wharf to Santa Barbara Harbor. You can also book a private ride. If you have young children, then read Madeline Gabor’s children’s book about Lil’ Toot, called How Lil’ Toot Got His Smile, before you arrive.
  • MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation: The MOXI is one of the best ways to have fun indoors while visiting Santa Barbara. It’s a science museum with lots of hands-on, creative, and scientific exhibits, such as the Giant Guitar or launching an air rocket into the sky. Don’t leave without visiting the rooftop Sky Garden, which has one of the best views of the city.
  • Condor Express Whale Watching: Winter is also peak time for whale watching. Condor Express is one of the best tour services in the city. It offers one of the largest fleets for tours. Typically, in February, gray whales will migrate through the Santa Barbara Channel, giving you a unique opportunity to see some of the biggest mammals in the world.
  • Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center: The Sea Center is a great place that sparks intrigue and excitement for young and old alike. Take a moment to appreciate the sea and learn a thing or two about it when you visit the Sea Center on the Wharf. It’s one more way to see local sea life up close, and there are a variety of wonderful interactive exhibits, too.

Even Though It’s Winter, Families Love Santa Barbara

While it might be winter where you are, the mild temperatures and sunny skies in Santa Barbara make it an ideal time for a family getaway. So bring your folks on a winter weekend escape with Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals to enjoy the warm weather and outdoor activities. 

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals offers cozy, well-equipped homes that make families feel welcomed and relaxed, with each property close to the city’s top attractions and activities.
Post-holidays, vacation rentals in Santa Barbara tend to fill quickly, especially as California stays are popular for holiday gifts and romantic getaways. To secure your ideal property, book early by visiting our website or calling 805-617-0438 and speaking with our friendly team before properties are gone.

Footer

Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals (805) 617-0438
27 W. Anapamu St. #228 Santa Barbara, CA 93101

VRBO Premier Host AirBNB Super Host VRMA Member facbook instagram linkedin