Santa Barbara is one of the best places to visit in 2019, according to The New York Times! And with so much to see and do, it’s easy to lose sight of that “relaxing vacation” you had hoped for. So here are some of our favorite relaxing Santa Barbara activities to help you stay focused on the relaxation and rejuvenation aspects of your vacation.
Wine Tasting
Santa Barbara is home to over 200 wineries and over 170 tasting rooms! There are plenty of options to appease all of your viticultural aspirations. You can take a tour on the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail and visit some of the top wineries in the area. Or, if you want an even more relaxing Santa Barbara activity, just pick one and enjoy a low-key wine tasting and food pairing. While we don’t approve of whining on vacation, we certainly encourage wining!
Stroll around a Santa Barbara museum
Santa Barbara has plenty to offer in terms of entertaining education. The many museums are a great place to spend a day relaxing. Walk through the museum at your own pace, and see as much or as little as you feel like! Take your time and learn about some of the most interesting aspects of Santa Barbara’s past and present! Some of our favorite museums in Santa Barbara are:
- Museum of Natural History
- Old Mission Santa Barbara
- Museum of Natural History Sea Center
- Santa Barbara Historical Museum
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Lotusland
- Museum of Art
- Maritime Museum
- MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration and Innovation
Focus on food
Did you know Santa Barbara has over 450 restaurants? With that many places to choose from, you’ll always be able to find the perfect snack, meal, or dessert to satisfy your hunger! From fresh seafood to incredible burgers and more, Santa Barbara has a wide variety of casual and upscale dining.
We’ve been spotlighting some of our favorite restaurants on our blog, and you can find them here. When it comes to relaxing Santa Barbara activities, is there anything better than relaxing and dining?
Visit the historic Arlington Theater
Arlington Theater is an historic Santa Barbara landmark. When you visit this theater, you can relax and enjoy a movie or live performance! You can see the theater schedule here to learn more about the upcoming performances. Let the artists entertain you for an evening and celebrate Santa Barbara’s history while you’re there.
Go to the beach!
Of course this made the list! We can’t discuss relaxing Santa Barbara activities without mentioning the beach. The beach is the perfect place to set up a chair and umbrella, grab a book to read at the beach, and settle down to soak up that beach atmosphere. Just don’t forget your sunscreen! There’s just something about sitting at the beach with your toes in the sand and watching the waves that’s good for the soul.
And if you stay at Marina Beach Motel, the beach is only 37 steps away!
When will you be in Santa Barbara next?
We’d love to hear about your must-do Santa Barbara activities! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with SB activities and events.
