Santa Barbara is officially one of our favorite places and the second most beautiful place I’ve been to other than Lucerne, Switzerland. Our babymoon is still one of my top posts and it’s because that destination is truly breathtaking while also a place for both relaxation and adventure. The best of both worlds!
We returned to Santa Barbara for a quick weekend while Eric’s parents watched our kids. It was so relaxing and I participated in the wine tasting this time! We tried a few new spots but for the most part, enjoyed a lot of the same activities: walking the beach, having High Tea at the Belmond El Encanto, and walking around the beautiful gardens of San Ysidro Ranch.
This isn’t really a travel guide but a recap of a few activities we loved!
We stayed at the Hotel Milo again because it’s across the street from the beach, walking distance from downtown, and less expensive than a lot of the resort hotels! We loved it and plan on staying there the next time we visit.
We arrived mid morning on Friday and dropped our bags to stroll town. We ate lunch at a cute spot called Scarlett Begonia. It’s tucked away in a courtyard off the main street downtown. Their kale caesar salad is incredible and it was the perfect spot to kickstart our vacay!
We then hopped over to the Belmond El Encanto for High Tea. This is my favorite thing to do in SB! It’s delicious with the most stunning views and you can enjoy it while you’re pregnant too!
Between two people, an order of the Traditional Tea and Light Tea is perfect. You’ll be served scones, sandwiches, and the most delicious mini desserts! Each comes with its own tea and I highly recommend the Jasmine :) So light and refreshing! And you can’t beat the patio view.
With a two hour time change, we woke up at 5:30 the next morning ready to take on the day. We ate breakfast at the famous Sambo’s which is directly next door to Hotel Milo. And then we shot some pictures around the hotel!
My great grandparents are buried a cemetery overlooking the ocean so we paid them a visit and then walked over to Butterfly Beach. It was the perfect morning! I can’t get enough of the feeling of sand between my toes and the scent of ocean air. And admiring the early morning surfers and dogs running happily along the shore. It’s so serene.
We ate lunch at the Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch and wandered the property. Shortly after we visited in 2017, these grounds were destroyed by mudslides. It’s amazing the recovery the hotel made after 4 months of shutting down and the property looks like it was never touched. My favorite flowers were still live and blooming all along the entrance and I couldn’t help but snap some pictures up close.
The Stonehouse is fancy and it was the perfect birthday lunch!
My favorite meal was later that evening at Caruso’s on the ocean front. It’s a decadent spot, but the perfect place for a special occasion and celebration.
On our last day, we woke up to a foggy dreary morning and made our way over to the Boathouse over on Hendry’s Beach. We decided to walk all the way back along the shore and it was the best 4 mile walk! Chatting about goals and life while listening to the waves crash against the shore is truly refreshing.
My favorite thing about Santa Barbara is that it’s so easy to unwind and relax with the beautiful scenery and year round gorgeous weather. It’s truly an oasis and a place where you can refresh and reset. We can’t wait to go back someday with our kids!
Ahhh a DREAM. Beautiful pics – I need to get out there!!