If I could live anywhere in the US, right now, my choice would be Santa Barbara. Both Evan and I had never been to SB. We had recommendations from friends, goop guide, eater, Thrillist... You name it! I did a ton of research.
We are big road bikers and enjoy an activity that doubles as a workout. Therefore, I knew I needed to find a place to rent bikes. We love to enjoy the beach and feel the sun's heat so relaxing by the ocean was on the docket. And of course, we love to eat… so I knew I had my hands full with trying to make selections! When Evan and I first drove into Santa Barbara, the coast was stunning. It was a clear day (the first of many), so we could see for miles. We drove straight to Jeannine's Bakery & Restaurant in Montecito, which was recommended to us by friends. Evan and I were told the Montecito location is the best. We have to agree. The shopping center was gorgeous, and the patio scored a 10/10. Evan and I ordered mimosas, which came out fairly boujee. It was a small bottle of Veuve that they placed in the large Veuve orange plastic ice bucket. It was vacation so I didn't hate it! For lunch, I had the Kale, and Avocado & Evan had the turkey berry sandwich. What a meal, and what a great spot! After lunch, we bopped around the shops. There was a cute women's store I liked, Marcus. All the brands were unique, and I could have found a reason to buy everything. In that area- Coast Village Road (bicycling route), Ca'Dario (great Italian), Honor Bar (drinks), Scoops (ice cream), Olivers (vegan, review done below), and Bettina (pizza). That trip, we stayed at the Rosewood Miramar Beach. To date, it is our favorite hotel we stayed in. Evan upgraded our room to a villa. No joke, it was bigger than our apartment in Chicago. The closet and bathroom are what dreams are made of. The bathroom had a vanity for me to get ready at... And a massive bathtub. Outside our front door and in our villas "cul-de-sac" was an outdoor patio with lounge chairs and a fire pit. The hotel put together smores kits for guests to cook smores every night. The hotel had a gym equipped with everything you could ever imagine, including reformers. There were two pools: adults and kids. There are bocce court and bars, restaurants, boutiques (high-end boutique, goop store, and gift shop), and ice cream shops. You never had to leave. Evan and I had road bikes delivered by, Cal Coast. It was super easy, they dropped them off for us with water bottles, helmets etc. The bikes were perfect! They gave us a great ride to do, there was a trail marked that was through a neighborhood by our hotel. We followed the path marked with Coastal Ride and a figurine on a bike. This ride went along the beach and through the downtown. We ended up riding to the golf course and then the mission. After our ride, we rode downtown and went to backyard bowls. Backyard Bowls had the largest but the tastiest acai bowls I have had. Backyard Bowls is on State St. - lower state. A few popular restaurants on various guides but Evan I did not go to due to different mixed reviews were Lark and Loquita. Check out the menus if you want to hangout on State St. Another goodie is Oku Sushi. Restaurant Recommendations for downtown/upper state street include Barbareno, Ca' Dario, Arigato Sushi, Bouchon, and the Good Lion. Our first night in Santa Barbara, Evan and I had dinner at Bouchon. I highly recommend snagging a reservation at this French spot. We got the butternut squash soup, Trio of Scallops, Sea Bass and Lamb. Clean plate club! Post dinner, we walked over to the Good Lion, which is a great cocktail bar, such a fun design! \ For a great wine tour company, check out Sustainable Wine Tours. The owner will customize a private or group tour unique to your wine tastes. Sustainable Wine Tours has relationships with vineyards throughout Santa Ynez, Solvang, Buellton, and Los Olivos. For the private tour, a Tesla drives you and your plus one around, hints sustainable! The owner is great and also provides lunch and charcuterie boards. The second night in Santa Barbara, Evan and I went to Olivers- a vegan restaurant in Montecito! Everything is fantastic. The asparagus with the brown mustard starter is a must; the crab cakes and pad thai are also a must-order! Evan and I kept ordering food; I think we got everything on the menu but two dishes. I have to comment on the vibe of Olivers too. They had the greatest soundtrack- old school meets backstreet boys mixed with new vibes. It was one of our favorite spots. The last night, Evan and I went to Carusos at our hotel. We were very excited about it. However, disappointed. It was a tasting menu, and nothing we ate was very remarkable. The server was not the nicest either… sad, but the views were incredible. Instead of splurging on dinner at Carusos, I recommend grabbing drinks on the property at Manor Bar or up top at Miramar Beach Bar. Manor Bar is fantastic- I recommend the Mornings in Mexico! |