6 Days in Santa Barbara & the Central Coast
Santa Barbara is Southern California's most sophisticated coastal town: a blend of Spanish Colonial architecture, world-class wine, farm-to-table dining, and uncrowded beaches. This itinerary combines relaxation in town with wine tasting in Santa Ynez Valley and drives along Big Sur's jaw-dropping cliffs.
What to expect
- Walk State Street's Spanish Colonial arcades and gallery-lined shops
- Tour Santa Barbara Mission and its monastery gardens
- Taste Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Santa Ynez Valley's family vineyards
- Drive Big Sur's Pacific Coastal Highway with stops at Pfeiffer Beach and McWay Falls
- Dine at farm-to-table restaurants showcasing local produce and seafood
Day by day
Arrive in Santa Barbara; check into a hotel on State Street or near Stearns Wharf.
Walk State Street's Spanish Colonial arcades and galleries; visit the Courthouse (free tour of the clock tower).
Sunset aperitivo at a rooftop bar; dinner at Bouchon or Convivio for wine-country fare.
Tour Santa Barbara Mission; walk the lavender gardens and view the founding date plaques.
Bike the beachfront path from Stearns Wharf to Leadbetter Beach; swim or paddleboard.
Casual dinner at a fisherman's wharf restaurant; catch live jazz downtown.
Drive 45 minutes inland to Santa Ynez Valley; visit tasting rooms in Solvang or Los Olivos.
Tour a family-run vineyard (Fidelitas or Curtis Winery); picnic with wine overlooking oak savanna.
Return to Santa Barbara; dinner at an upscale farm-to-table restaurant.
Drive south on California 1; stop at Pfeiffer Beach to see purple sand and sea arches.
Hike to McWay Falls (0.5 miles), a hidden cove waterfall accessible only on foot.
Return to Santa Barbara; quiet evening with wine and a view.
Return to Santa Ynez Valley; visit different tasting rooms (Sunstone, Zaca Mesa).
Stop at a farmers' market or orchards; purchase local produce for evening picnic.
Gourmet picnic at your hotel; wine tasting with a sommelier-curated flight.
Brunch at a café overlooking the ocean; spa treatment or final beach walk.
Last-minute shopping for local wine, olive oil, or art from galleries.
Depart or extend.
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