A Santa Barbara Staycation

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Last Updated: Spring 2023

Back in April 2021, I was in desperate need to lounge by a pool and simply vege out for a few days. Usually when I’m in the mood to splash around the pool for hours on end, I head to Palm Springs. However, with incredibly hot weather forecasted for the last few days that April, I settled on a 2-day trip to Santa Barbara instead since it would be fifteen to twenty degrees cooler than the desert. So with my mind made up, I got to planning.

My family would visit Santa Barbara on occasion when I was young, and I even attended a leadership camp there one high school summer. Since then though, I’ve only been to Santa Barbara once in the last fifteen years for a smoothie of all things while driving home down the 101 from Monterey with some girlfriends. Needless to say, it was hardly a proper visit.

Like La Jolla, Santa Barbara was always more of a sleepy retirement town in my opinion and never high on my list of staycation getaways despite the beautiful landscape and close proximity to Los Angeles. Sure, there were the UCSB kids and miles of surf, but the establishments on State Street and quiet vibe of this iconic beach town never appealed to my party personality back in my twenties. Now that I’m in my 30s, my desire to bar hop all night long with crowds of likeminded drunk folk has significantly waned. At this stage in my life when I need a quick staycation, all I crave is a relaxing environment, friendly people, pretty scenery, clean air, places to day drink, and great food.

That being said, it was finally time to give Santa Barbara another shot. To my luck – the revitalization of the Funk Zone over the last five to six years and the opening of even more tasting rooms, galleries, cool boutiques, local breweries, and hip restaurants throughout the city has put Santa Barbara back on the map for many. The town of Goleta just a few miles to the north has also seen an uptick of fun new businesses in recent years which makes it an excellent option for less expensive accommodations and low key dining experiences if you still want a good time and stunning beaches but need a break from the crowds and/or cost of the city center. No wonder Goleta’s nickname is the Goodland.

Okay – time for some recommendations!

WHERE TO STAY

The Leta / PREVIOUSLY: The Kimpton Goodland – I didn’t want to spend an arm & a leg on lodging, but I did want a nice pool to soak in. During those precarious days of COVID, my mind instantly went to an AirBnB. Unfortunately, private homes with pools cost a small fortune to rent in Santa Barbara, and decent guest house stays are difficult to come by. Since my maximum budget was $200 a night – I started looking at hotels. The stars soon aligned, and I discovered The Kimpton Goodland in Goleta located just 10 minutes from downtown Santa Barbara. The Kimpton brand refurbished this old motel and turned it into the perfect boutique hotel excellent for both couples, families, and dog owners. The Kimpton Goodland was the perfect choice for this particular staycation since it had a large heated pool and excellent guest amenities such as a welcome beer at check-in, social hour every afternoon, morning coffee, bicycle rentals, robes, yoga mats, a fitness center, plenty of parking, fire pits, a beautiful lobby, grass space, and manicured grounds. The icing on the cake was the onsite restaurant. Check-In was at 4pm, but they can accommodate earlier arrivals when requested. Check-Out was at Noon 🙂 We arrived on a Thursday and left on Saturday to save a bit of money and avoid a larger crowd. My favorite thing about The Kimpton Goodland was the relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff, on site dining option, and affordable rates. IMPORTANT UPDATE: In August of 2022 the property came under new ownership, was renamed The Leta, and was added as a member of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection – a small group of independently run hotels. Other than the change in name & ownership, the hotel decor & layout looks identical to when I stayed there back in 2021.

ADDRESS > 5650 Calle Real • Goleta, CA 93117

WHERE TO DINE

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company – Of all the highly rated seafood restaurants in Santa Barbara, I chose the SB Shellfish Company as our lunch spot because I really wanted to kick off our staycation with some fresh uni and a great ocean view. The only downside to this popular eatery is that they don’t take reservations. Seating is on a first come first serve basis so wait times can obviously vary based on when you arrive. My boyfriend and I left LA on a Thursday morning around 10:15am and were safely in Santa Barbara before noon. We exited Garden Street off the 101 and headed straight toward Stearns Wharf. The beach wasn’t too busy which made street parking a viable option. We quickly found a free 90 minute spot right off of Cabrillo on Chapala just a block away from the entry of the pier. To my surprise, you can actually park on the wharf itself which is a great option for those who don’t want to do the walk. Wharf parking also offers 90 minutes free but charges $2.50 for any portion of an hour thereafter. It’s also worth mentioning that our waitress said that cars are definitely ticketed when parked along the street over the 90 minute mark. To our luck, we didn’t get a ticket despite being parked for almost 2 hours due mostly in part to having to wait a solid 30 minutes to be seated at the restaurant. There were 4 parties ahead of us when I signed in at 12:25pm. By the time we were seated there were at least ten groups waiting for a table. Long story short, the food was definitely worth the wait. A FEW TIPS: 1. Arrive before noon on a weekday to avoid long waits. 2. There is a takeout window on the left side of the restaurant, and a handful of public picnic tables a few feet away. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize there was a less formal dining option until 10 minutes into our wait. Although we were famished, we agreed to hold out for the actual restaurant patio since we had already committed to the waitlist. 3. If you arrive to a large crowd and don’t have the patience to stand around, there are a variety of other restaurants on the wharf to choose from. My backup plan was actually a place called Bluewater Grill located back on Cabrillo catty-corner from the wharf entrance. 4. Santa Barbara Shellfish Company doesn’t take phone numbers or hand out buzzers so you have to stay within earshot of the main entrance, if you choose to wait for a table. And that’s about all the advice I have to share; let’s talk about the food!

ADDRESS > 230 Stearns Wharf • Santa Barbara, CA 93109

Local Uni: We were so lucky that there was still some local sea urchin available when we arrived 🙂 The fresh caught Santa Barbara uni was served over a raw scallop and lemon wheel. This dish is a must try when in Santa Barbara and definitely worth every penny! In my humble opinion, SB Shellfish Company’s simple preparation of this delicate ingredient is culinary perfection at its finest.
Blue Point Oysters on the Half Shell: These may not be local, but they were shucked beautifully, wonderfully fresh, and very delicious!
Santa Barbara Shrimp Cocktail: These local shrimp were incredibly large, super sweet, and perfectly prepared. I also love that the shrimp came with a fresh pico de gallo with cocktail sauce on the side.
Garlic Baked Clams: My boyfriend and I love large stuffed clams, and these baked clams were just as phenomenal in every way. I highly recommend trying this dish as each half shell is jam packed with garlic, breadcrumbs, parmesan, and of course, a very fresh mollusk.
Fried Calamari & Shrimp: My boyfriend ordered the Fish & Chips before looking at the menu, and to our surprise this is something they don’t prepare. They literally don’t even sell french fries or any type of actual fish which resulted in a good amount of laughter by us due to his assumption. We settled on the fried calamari and per the recommendation of our waitress the fried shrimp as well. They were both excellent (especially the suggested shrimp) and came with some yummy onion rings and a tasty coleslaw.

Caya / PREVIOUSLY: Outpost – I was so thrilled that one of the best reviewed restaurants in Goleta just happened to be a main feature of our hotel. The design of Outpost is California beach chic, and the vibe is casual, warm, and inviting. The open-air restaurant features both an indoor and outdoor dining space centered around a 360° bar which makes the architecture of this modestly sized eatery even more stunning. But enough about the ambiance – on to the food! We had quite a few dishes over the span of two days & really enjoyed them. The price points were reasonable, and the portions were huge which was a big plus in my eyes. IMPORTANT UPDATE: In August of 2022 the hotel came under new ownership, and the restaurant was renamed Caya. Other than the change in name & ownership, the restaurant decor & layout looks identical to when I visited this eatery back in 2021. Unfortunately, the items listed below are no longer available since they hired a new chef, but I’m sure the new menu is just as delicious.

ADDRESS > 5650 Calle Real • Goleta, CA 93117

OP Burger: This is a beast of a burger piled high with white cheddar, jalapeño kewpie, onion jam, b&b pickles, lettuce, and tomato. To top it off, the OP Burger comes with a side of fries which always makes everything better. I think it’s also worth mentioning that my boyfriend said that this was one of the best burgers he’s eaten in a while. I can’t wait to return to Outpost so I can try it for myself.
Breakfast Burrito: Just like the burger, this burrito is huge! It wasn’t the best breakfast burrito I’ve ever had or the cheapest, but it did the trick just fine after plenty of drinking the day prior. The best thing about this morning entree is that it’s large enough to share.
Steak Tartare: This dish was one of the specials when we dined at Outpost, but I absolutely think that it should be a permanent fixture on the menu. The high quality beef was superbly prepared, wonderfully creamy, and topped with a gorgeous raw yolk & chives. It was the ideal topper for the simple yet perfectly grilled toast points that accompanied this excellent starter.
Beets: This was by far my favorite dish at Outpost, and one of the best beet preparations I’ve eaten in years. The multicolored root vegetables were perfectly roasted and topped with avocado puree, goat cheese, local citrus, puffed amaranth, herbs, and a roasted poblano vinaigrette. The plating itself was stunning, but how bright and fresh these beets tasted was the best part. The pops of citrus and herbs really made the veggies shine. Outpost is worth a visit just for this beautiful bowl of beets. And just to note, it paired wonderfully alongside the richness of the tartare.
Flat Iron Steak: I already had my heart set on ordering the steak for dinner but was a little hesitant to get more beef after we just indulged in the tasty tartare mentioned above. Long story short, we doubled up on the beef that night and were so happy with our decision. Our steak was perfectly cooked to our medium rare request, and the accompanying fingerling potatoes, melted leeks, & sautéed mushrooms were just as delicious. Our favorite thing about this entree was the garlic packed chimichurri generously poured all over the meat and potatoes!
Fried Hand Pie: This was not the best mixed berry hand pie I’ve ever had, but it was tasty nonetheless and not overly sweet. The scoop of McConnell’s vanilla bean on top was our favorite element of this dessert.

Buena Onda – This empanada spot has 2 locations in Santa Barbara just 1.5 miles apart. I chose the location in Midtown because they have a large outdoor patio. We arrived around 11am and were pleased to find how quiet and nice the vibe was since I was expecting a large weekend crowd. All of their empanadas are $3.50 and absolutely delicious. The dough is buttery, elegantly folded, baked to perfection, and the ideal thickness in my opinion. The fillings were generous and packed with flavor. I can’t wait to go back and try all of the other varieties. My only complaint was that our young waitress was a bit scattered, took forever to take our order, and never came out with our bill at the end of our meal. We also waited quite a bit for our food, but I imagine that’s due to each empanada being freshly baked to order. Despite these few setbacks, the empanadas were absolutely worth the wait.

MIDTOWN ADDRESS > 724 E. Haley Street • Santa Barbara, CA 93103
MOSAIC LOCALE ADDRESS > 1131 State Street • Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Buena Dia: This is their breakfast empanada that’s stuffed with huevos, bacon, cheddar, potatoes and onions. It was so good that I devoured it before I could take a picture of the eggy perfection inside.
Serrano: This empanada was incredibly delicious and oozing with prosciutto, mozzarella, garlic, and wild arugula! I also scarfed it down before I could get a good picture of the inside.
Carne: This classic empanada hit the spot and was my boyfriend’s favorite among the three we tried. It was generously stuffed with Sunfed Ranch grass-fed ground beef, onions, bell peppers, green olives, and free-range hard boiled eggs. Each bite was heaven, but I did remember to snag a photo before eating the entire thing 🙂

WHERE TO DRINK

Carr Winery – My original plan was to stroll down State after lunch and partake in a tasting at one of the many wineries along the popular street. However, with an unexpected road closure designed for expanded restaurant patios and a forced right turn – we were suddenly headed south toward Midtown. I instantly remembered from my research that a winery called Carr was really close to the Buena Onda on Haley Street. So with empanadas on the brain and time to kill before checking into our hotel, we had a seat in a beautiful, shaded patio of a lovely tasting room just two minutes later. To our surprise, we were the first visitors of the day and literally had the place to ourselves for a solid thirty plus minutes after our 2pm arrival. Usually I like the energy of a small crowd, but it was actually quite nice to relax into the quiet comfort of Carr’s cozy outdoor couches after our morning drive up and busy lunch on Stearns Wharf. Our server, Victoria, was incredibly nice and did an excellent job at describing Carr’s limited production wines. Due to the unexpected 85° weather, we opted for rosé over the tasting menu that was primarily comprised of reds. Victoria was kind enough to let us try all three of their dry rosé options, and we finally settled on a cold bottle of their CrossHatch “Shape” for the afternoon since we had nothing better to do than drink and were pleased by the fair $25.00 price point. Our rosé of choice was bright, crisp, and very drinkable. It was a 2019 vintage and made with a blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre grapes grown in the Santa Ynez Valley. Both the service and the wine were so excellent that we ended up staying there for almost 90 minutes. I’m definitely excited to return to taste their variety of reds. Funny Side Note: We were still so full from lunch at SB Shellfish Company, that we decided to get our empanadas another day despite Buena Onda being just a block and a half away from Carr 😉 After having the empanadas on Saturday, we immediately wished we also came on Thursday since they were so good!

ADDRESS > 414 N. Salsipuedes Street • Santa Barbara, CA 93103

SAMsARA Wine Company – I made a reservation at this tasting room before heading to Santa Barbara because 1 – I wanted to do a fun activity before lazing by the pool the rest of the afternoon and 2 – SAMsARA was just two miles away from our hotel in Goleta. After a relaxing morning, we did the short drive down one road to our destination. SAMsARA is located in the back of an industrial style complex called the Los Carneros Business Center. Once again, my boyfriend and I arrived to an empty tasting room on a beautiful Friday at noon. We had our pick of seating and went with the actual tasting this time which cost $20.00 per person. Our server, Chris, was exceptionally kind, and we all felt like best friends within minutes of chatting because of all the things we had in common. Throughout the fun conversation, Chris seamlessly poured us a tasting of their selected Rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah and another Pinot from their regular inventory. Overall, SAMsARA’s limited release wines were truly excellent. My boyfriend enjoyed the Pinot Noirs best, and I favored the Grenache. We were both dumbfounded by how good the Chardonnay was since it was not buttery and oaky like typical whites made with this particular grape. SAMsARA’s 2019 Chardonnay is bright, citrusy, and very neutral which was incredibly pleasing to us both. My plan was to be there for an hour, but we ended up hanging out with Chris and enjoying our tasting for almost two hours. At the end, we left with a bottle of their 2020 Rosé made from a blend of Mourvèdre and Grenache grapes grown by Shokrian Vineyard in Los Alamos. It was such a good time, that I know we’ll be back.

ADDRESS > 6485 Calle Real, Suite E • Goleta, CA 93117

Captain Fatty’s Brewery – Upon checking into The Kimpton Goodland the afternoon prior, we were given a small welcome beer on tap. It was surprisingly quite tasty so I inquired about the brewery. The concierge, Benjamin, told me it was a local pilsner made by Captain Fatty’s. Fast forward to the next day when I pulled into the Los Carneros Business Center in search of SAMsARA and was pleased to find the Captain Fatty’s facility and tasting room in the same complex! So naturally, after leaving SAMsARA we stepped into Captain Fatty’s to buy a six-pack to enjoy by the pool. The guys behind the counter were very friendly and let us try a few beers on the house. After some back and forth, my boyfriend and I settled on their Pale Ale and a four-pack of their Grapefruit Snappa Seltzer tall cans which we enjoyed by the pool that afternoon. I look forward to going back and partaking in a proper flight of their many different beers.

ADDRESS > 6489 Calle Real, Suite D • Goleta, CA 93117

The Leta Bar / PREVIOUSLY: Outpost Bar – This is the restaurant bar at The Kimpton Goodland where we stayed (now The Leta Hotel), and it’s a great drinking option even if you’re not a hotel guest. They have a great Happy Hour offering discounted beer, wine, cocktails, and appetizers which is always reason to celebrate! The aptly named “Staycation” cocktail featuring Ketel One, St. Germain, white nectarine, lemon, and sparkling wine was absolute perfection. This cocktail was a hit with both me and my boyfriend since it was wonderfully balanced, on the tart side, and served in a gorgeous coup glass. The bar at Outpost also has a small but nice selection of draft beers that range from pilsners to IPAs. The cute interior, relaxing patio, friendly bartenders, and quality drinks make this casual hotel bar a great place to grab a drink. IMPORTANT UPDATE: In August of 2022 the hotel came under new ownership, and the bar within the restaurant was renamed The Leta. Other than the change in name & ownership, the bar decor & layout looks identical to when I visited back in 2021. Unfortunately, the cocktail mentioned above is no longer available, but the Lychee Frosé and Sangria Slush on their new menu both sound delicious!

ADDRESS > 5650 Calle Real • Goleta, CA 93117

And there you have it, a little sneak peek into my Spring 2021 – Santa Barbara Staycation. I hope it provides a little inspiration for the next time you’re in the mood for a quick, local getaway.