Need time away from the city? Leave the smog and crowds behind and head up the coast to Santa Barbara. Ideally situated between the mountains and the sea, rich in history and culture, with beautiful vistas in every direction, it’s the quintessential Southern California escape. Spanish revival architecture surrounded by dozens of varieties of exotic and fragrantly blooming vegetation, create a timeless serenity that will have you wishing you could make the weekend permanent. Rewarding anytime you can make the drive, but visit March through May after a rainy February and the fragrance will linger with you for days. Beaches fill up on summer weekends, but can be remarkably uncrowded midweek. Quieter solitude, consistent temperatures and clear skies follow October through November.
1820 sandstone church, one of 21 California missions founded by 18th-century Franciscan monks.
A chill Mexican spot that offers traditional fare with some of the best chips and salsas around.
Katy Perry loves it, Julia Child loves it, you're gonna love it.
McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams was founded in Santa Barbara in 1949. Almost 70 years later, they are still making their ice creams in small batches, from scratch, with Central Coast, grass-grazed milk & cream that they pasteurize from raw at their creamery, which is located at The Old Dairy. In addition, they source all other ingredients from local partner farms, artisans, and purveyors. The end result is a rich, perfectly creamy ice cream with all sorts of exciting flavors, such as Sea Salt Cream and Cookies, Eureka Lemon and Marionberries, Toasted Coconut Almond Chip, with more being introduced seasonally. Check out their newest location on State Street, and order yourself something fancy like the La Tortuga or Breakfast of Champions.
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