How to Have the Best Weekend in Santa Barbara

Did you know Santa Barbara, California is often referred to as the American Riviera because it's that perfect of a vacation destination? It's true.

The city provides a beautiful oceanfront setting, Spanish Colonial architecture, miles of white sand beaches, a perfect Mediterranean climate and the neighboring Santa Ynez wine country. Here are some tips for enjoying it all.

WHERE TO STAY

One of the oldest, and most elegant, resorts in Santa Barbara is the Belmond El Encanto Hotel. The romantic retreat's 92 suites and rooms in cottages and bungalows are perched on 7 lushly landscaped acres high above town. Some were built as early as 1912 in Craftsman style, while others have a Spanish Colonial flare and all are housed among waterfalls, arbors, a Japanese garden, an infinity pool, tropical foliage and fauna with views of the ocean. Many of the cottages have French doors, fireplaces, marble soaking tubs, private porches and extra large bathrooms. The El Encanto restaurant provides al fresco dining on the patio with panoramic city and ocean views and inside seating in the cozy dining room. The menu is seafood focused but also includes steak, lamb, chicken, pork and pasta dishes. It’s worth a visit to the restaurant on it’s own for the fabulous view for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Guests looking for an Old World style resort can head to the beautiful Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore, located on beautiful Butterfly Beach in the town of Montecito. Wrought iron gates and beautiful gardens lead into the Spanish Revival lobby, built in 1927 with hand-decorated archways, antique furniture, red roof tiles and terra cotta tile floors. The 207 guest rooms, including 40 suites, sit on 22 lush acres of tropical gardens with romantic brick walkways. Rooms feature plantation shutters, fireplaces, patios overlooking gardens and luxurious beds and bathrooms. The expansive lawn area houses a large pool, tennis courts, croquet, shuffleboard and a putting green. A spa and fitness room are also available, as well as access to the neighboring Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club for swimming, sunbathing and dining at Tydes Restaurant. The menu at the resort’s signature oceanfront al fresco restaurant, Bella Vista, focuses on contemporary Italian cuisine showcasing fresh local ingredients.

For those who prefer to be outside of downtown, head to the romantic Bacara Resort, a 10-minute drive west of Santa Barbara. Reminiscent of a Mediterranean village, the 78-acre resort houses 360 suites and guest rooms in a variety of Spanish villas with tile roofs, fountains and covered archways. Bacara lies atop bluffs offering majestic panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Most rooms have private balconies and patios, and some include bathtubs with ocean views, fireplaces, luxurious beds, flat-screen televisions and complimentary wine. The resort also offers private beaches, tennis on four clay courts, a spa, fitness center and a number of restaurants including the recently renovated Angel Oak, offering steak and seafood dishes with killer views.

WHAT TO DO

The dying art of glass blowing is being kept alive by artist Saul Alcaraz, who offers glass blowing classes at Santa Barbara Art Glass. Visit just to view Saul create one of a kind vases, glasses, paperweights and other art pieces or invest in a private glass blowing class to blow your own Santa Barbara keepsake. Run by Saul and his wife Gina, the class provides one on one mentoring through the process of using molten glass, adding color and shaping an original piece that guests can take home. Call for reservations at 805.965.1541.

Oenophiles will want to partake in one of Wine Canyon Tours wine tours exploring Santa Barbara wine country. Owner Rick Reeves grew up owning and operating local vineyards and is an expert at choosing boutique unique wineries for his guests. A five hour wine tour includes door to door pick up and drop off, tastings at a minimum of four premium wineries and a catered picnic lunch. Guests can opt for a private tour with a customized itinerary based on their wine tastes including access to private vineyards and reserve wine lists. Call 805.453.7047 for more information and booking.

A short hike through the beautiful Sperling Preserve leads to the Goleta Butterfly Grove where over 1,700 monarch butterflies flutter among large trees. November through February is the time to visit, when the butterflies migrate to the preserve on the Ellwood Mesa, which includes over 137 acres of natural hiking trails and terrain. The butterfly grove is free and located approximately half a mile from the parking lot across from Ellwood Elementary School, 7686 Hollister Avenue.

Soak up some culture on the Red Tile Tour, a self-guided walking tour of the city’s most historic spots. Pick up a map at the Visitor Center (corner of Garden Street and Cabrillo Blvd.) and stroll the 12 designated blocks beginning at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse where you can ride to elevator up to the fourth story clock tower for spectacular beach views. On the way visitors can explore the elegant Santa Barbara Mission, a 1786 building with Greco-Roman Revival architecture, stunning ocean vistas, a museum, cemetery and parish church.

WHERE TO DINE

For outstanding brunch views, head to El Encanto's restaurant or to Bella Vista at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore. Each location is unique. The Dining Room at El Encanto provides city views from high atop the Santa Barbara mountains. Dishes incorporate herbs from the onsite chef’s garden and cheese made from the resort's onsite cow with brunch standouts including crab cake Benedict, pulled pork huevos rancheros, fried chicken and waffles, whole branzino, swordfish, spaghetti with clams and black quinoa risotto. The Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore's Bella Vista provides panoramic ocean views across Montecito's Butterfly Beach. A new contemporary Italian menu from Executive Chef Marco Fossati can be savored outside on the Italian marble terrace by large cozy fire pits or inside by the huge warm fireplace. The restaurant is one of 12 in California which is licensed to cure its own meats. The famous Sunday buffet brunch includes chilled oysters, shrimp and other seafood; smoked salmon; caviar; salad, charcuterie and cheese stations; a variety of sushi, rolls and sashimi; a carving station of prime rib, lamb and wild salmon; omelets and potato salad made to order stations and a chocolate fondue and dessert station.

For a luxurious decadent dinner with a view head to the new Angel Oak at Bacara. The big rectangular modern blue topped bar and lounge area with warm tones opens to floor to ceiling windows revealing panoramic ocean and beach views. The menu offers traditional steakhouse dishes including high seafood towers, jumbo shrimp cocktail, crab cake, twice baked potatoes, lobster, baked Alaska and outstanding meat choices including Kobe, Bison, ribeyes and filets as well as surprises including abalone with rainbow chard and pasta, pancetta wrapped dates with lamb, roasted bone marrow with oxtail marmalade and a decadent candy bar dessert with dark chocolate cremeaux, peanut butter crunch and salted caramel ice cream.

For a more casual and setting, head to Ca'Dario (37 E. Victoria Street) in downtown Santa Barbara. This quaint Old World style Italian trattoria with white tablecloths, wooden chairs, tiled floors and a small bar, offers diners classic Northern Italian dishes including beef carpaccio, chilled artichoke, rotisserie rabbit, chicken and duck, grilled flat iron steaks and lamb chops, and Italian sausage with polenta. The pastas are exceptional and include angel hair with fresh tomatoes, penne with spicy tomato and roasted garlic, fusilli with pancetta and chili, farfalle with smoked salmon and peas, pappardelle with meat ragout, and tortellini with ham and cheese.