How to Spend the Perfect 24 Hours in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbra is the perfect town to enjoy a peaceful California getaway. This charming city is Just a few hours north of LA. The streets are lined with lovely restaurants, shops, and many things to do here. The last time I went to Santa Barbra, I took the train from LA and it was perfect because Santa Barbra is mostly a walkable city. Just make sure that where you stay is within walking distance from State Street as this is the central street where all the shops are located. This will set you up to have a relaxing vacation exploring Santa Barbara. 

Here is how I would spend a perfect 24 hours in Santa Barbara. From my favorite shops to the best places to eat. I hope that you have a lovely time exploring this coastal city and that this Santa Barbara guide helps you in planning your next trip. 

Breakfast at the Goat Tree in Santa Barbara

The Goat Tree is the perfect place to enjoy your first meal of the day in Santa Barbara. It is great for breakfast or brunch as they have a large menu and outdoor seating. It is located on the main street in Santa Barbara so you can go straight to shopping and exploring after stopping here for a bite to eat. We ordered pancakes as well as the shakshuka. The shakshuka came with pita bread and was by far our favorite and so flavorful. Breakfast here is the best way to start your day in Santa Barbra.

State Street

State Street is the main street in Santa Barbara and you will spend most of your day. This street is filled with incredible shops and restaurants. When in Santa Barbra you should make sure to check out the side streets as there are some great hidden boutiques. There is also a small mall called Paseo Nuevo on this street that has great places to shop. My two favorite stores in Santa Barbara had to be Chapala & Parker and The Artisan and Company. Chapala & Parker carries a great selection of some of my favorite women’s clothing brands. The Artisan and Company is a sustainable shop that has fantastic quality linen clothing as well as great home goods and bags. It is the perfect place to get some gifts for family and friends. 

Ice Cream

If you haven’t heard of McConnells it is a famous creamery that is based out of Santa Barbara. When in Santa Barbara you should take advantage by trying their different flavors. They have two locations on State Street so make sure that you stop by for a scoop (or two) to cool off during the day or for an after-dinner treat. If you like salted caramel chip theirs is unreal and so is their peanut butter cup.

Dinner at the Lark Santa Barbara

The Lark is the perfect restaurant to end your 24 hours in Santa Barbara. Make sure that you get a reservation ahead of time. Everything about this place is great from the atmosphere to the delicious food. We started off the night with some great mocktails and then moved on to their brussel sprouts and toast as appetizers. These brussel sprouts were so perfect and crispy. For the main, we split a light and creamy pasta and then finished off the night with a chocolate moose that was almost too rich. We were very grateful for the walk home because we got the opportunity to walk off some of the food.

I hope that you have a great time exploring Santa Barbra 🙂