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You are here: Home / Travel / Things to Do on a Santa Barbara Getaway

Things to Do on a Santa Barbara Getaway

May 8, 2019 By Donna Biroczky Leave a Comment

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One big thing we wanted to do on our recent Santa Barbara getaway (which you can read more about here) was to not have a schedule. Know what I mean? We live on schedules every day of our lives, so the most important thing for our vacation plans was freedom. Freedom to roam, freedom to sleep in, freedom to not answer emails….and freedom to eat and drink what we wanted, when we wanted.

I can say that thanks to the city of Santa Barbara, mission accomplished.

Santa Barbara is a city with many layers. There are more things to do than can be done in just a few days, but with help from the Visitor’s Bureau of Santa Barbara, we made a big dent in the list of things we wanted to experience.

First, thank you to the Visitor’s Bureau for the complimentary tickets and city passes! We made good use of them for the three days we spent in the city. The guides you provided gave us a starting point of what we wanted to see, and the maps helped us lay it out in a way that allowed us to maximize our time with room for spontaneity.

Old Santa Barbara Mission

The day we arrived in town, after picking up our materials from the Visitor Center on Garden St., right across from the beach, we headed for the mission. The Old Santa Barbara Mission is an iconic part of the city’s past and it’s a must-see for anyone spending a few days in town.

Santa Barbara Mission

The mission is a popular place, but parking was plentiful and there are outdoor picnic tables if you want to enjoy lunch in the shade of bougainvilleas. We opted for the self-guided tour, which took about an hour — though you could easily wander longer. The chapel is beyond gorgeous, and be sure and pay attention to your map so you don’t miss anything.

Santa Barbara Mission chapel

One really cool piece of trivia is that amongst the cemetary area, you’ll find the headstone of Juana Maria, the last survivor of San Nicolas Island. She lived for 18 years alone on the island, and is the inspiration for the famous book, “Island of the Blue Dolphins.”

Santa Barbara Mission

As the 10th mission established by the Spanish Franciscans, with the original goal of the Christianization of the Chumash Indians, it’s a true testimony to the Franciscan contribution to the history of California.

Santa Barbara Mission

After the mission visit, we headed up the hill back to the RV resort, where we had dinner at the Cold Spring Tavern. That’s a location not to be missed, so I’ll be sharing a blog post on that, and a few other amazing restaurants, next week.

Santa Barbara Funk Zone

On Friday morning, we headed into town to eat at Sambo’s, and after a mimosa flight, we wandered to Funk Zone, a 12-block section of the city not far from the water’s edge. It’s a zone full of unique homes and industrial buildings, full of character and colored by murals and other pieces of art, both internal and external.

Funk Zone

The Funk Zone is a great place to go wine tasting, shop, eat and enjoy craft beer as well as browsing the many art galleries. We enjoyed lunch at Mony’s Mexican food, a place we randomly found, and the long line out front made sense as soon as we took our first bite of our street tacos. Any good Santa Barbara getaway includes tacos, right?

Santa Barbara winery

We stopped at the Santa Barbara Winery, a winery that exemplifies the varietals from the locale, and Area 5.1, a small winery themed around Area 51.

area 5.1 winery

I brought home a bottle of their Sauvignon Blanc, but I may have enjoyed the decor even more.

area 5.1 winery

You can spend hours in the Funk Zone, and keep an eye out for evening entertainment, though some of the craft beer places and wineries do close earlier than expected. You’ve been warned, so you don’t miss out.

santa barbara zoo

No visit to Santa Barbara is complete without a visit to the Santa Barbara Zoo. As long-time visitors of the zoos in/near San Diego, we were impressed with the low ticket prices and wide variety of animals. We saw a lot of happy families wandering leisurely from exhibit to exhibit, but as we got there only about 90 minutes before closing, we had to pick up the pace. I had to see the giraffes and gorillas before it closed.

gorilla

We ended up with enough time to visit the elephants, the penguins, the aviary and more. You don’t need a whole day to experience this zoo so even if you only have a couple of hours, it’s definitely worth the visit.

  • santa barbara zoo animals

On Saturday, we had reservations to go kayaking but we had a few hours between that and our dinner reservations, so we took advantage of our coastal location to explore the pier and Stearns Wharf. There are a lot of shops focusing primarily on souvenirs and attire, which was good considering we’d forgotten our coats back at the resort and it was overcast.

There are also quite a few restaurants, and we ate lunch at Brophy’s before we headed to the Paseo Nuevo to try a shave ice. That alone was worth the trip into town. More on that in my culinary experiences of Santa Barbara post later!

wine tasting on our santa barbara getaway

A Santa Barbara getaway opens you up to all sorts of possibilities. Park the car in one of the many public parking facilities, and wander. There are many museums, from natural history to contemporary art and in-between, and if nature is your thing, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is gorgeous and colorful.

santa barbara getaway

Whatever kind of food you want, you’ll find it. Driving to Montecito and Goleta provides even more experiences. Bring your cellphone — not so you can spend time on social media, as you’ll want to keep your eyes on your surroundings, but so you can take photos. The opportunities are everywhere. We took so many more than we’ll ever be able to share, but what memories we have of our 25th anniversary vacation at the American Riviera.

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Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Family Fun, getaway, santa barbara, vacation

Previous Post: « Kayak Adventure in Santa Barbara Harbor
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I’m Donna, and I’m not a mommy blogger.
I’m a Marvel geek and creator of Dangerous Cupcake, a Southern California lifestyle blog dedicated to life after the kids grow up. As my four kids enter different stages of their lives, I get to do the same, having fun, loving Disney, watching Marvel, and not letting my age define anything. Phase 2 of life is pretty amazing. Join me in changing focus ands enjoying life during our next adventure, without totally starting over. However you do it, life is short, live a little dangerously.
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In 2020, we started our home renovation. We knew i In 2020, we started our home renovation. We knew it could be a challenge during the pandemic, but we’d been waiting and were ready. 

We started with new lighting throughout, adding additional outlets and power along the way, outside and in. What a difference it made! Then we moved on to the kitchen and its adjoining family/dining space, making it perfect for the family to eat in on the daily and for holiday meals and perfect for me to watch TV while prepping food or writing late at night. So many plans!

To really change it up, we decided to add a Butler’s Pantry to one wall, where there originally was nothing permanent. The design needed to incorporate our two wine fridges (one white, one red), our booze bottles, all our crystal and dishwater, and our bar equipment. I wanted two glass doors to display the pretty stuff and a hanging wine glass area...and a countertop to serve as a beverage area while entertaining. Easy, right?

The main kitchen layout stayed the same, but we gutted it entirely, removing all the aged oak cabinets and dark marble counters. Swinging the sledge that first time felt amazing! We chose Shaker-style cabinets in a slate grey, a stainless farmhouse double-sink and white quartz with grey marbling. To really maximize space, we turned a pony wall into a cookbook shelf with a matching counter, had a custom island built to stow my gear and provide more food prep area, and had a copper pot rack replated. I can’t forget the bench seat by the weird window that is extra storage and a great place to sit, with its new purple cushion. 

Then came a new dining set, a loveseat to complete the relaxing hangout nook, and a refaced fireplace. The blues of the backsplashes brighten up a once dark space, purple pops of color bring it all together, and we LOVE it in here!  Thanks to my son, the contractor, we have a unique area to entertain and spend time together. Stay tuned, more reno posts coming, as we’re doing the entire house!

#renovation #homerenovation #renovate #remodel #homeremodel #homedesign #homeredesign #kitchendesign #kitchenrenovation @Lowes #designyourhome #kitchenredesign #farmhousesink #shakerstyle #laminateflooring #newfloors
Did you watch Tom and Jerry as a kid? I did, and I Did you watch Tom and Jerry as a kid? I did, and I loved it! Who didn’t, right? I always rooted for Jerry the Mouse! It was a popular cartoon then and now, the infamous duo is back in a new movie hitting the big screen, and HBOMax, on February 26!

A fun hybrid of live-action and animation, the new Tom and Jerry has a stellar cast, including Chloe Grace Moritz, Michael Pena, Colin Jost, Bobby Cannavale, Jordan Bolger and more! Based in New York City, now we get to see something we never thought we’d see: Tom and Jerry have to WORK TOGETHER.

In preparation for the movie, Warner Bros. sent us this awesome box of goodies, including this smash cake, full of treats and surprises. We’re going to have movie night this weekend, where we’ll play the game and laugh together, but I’m most excited to introduce my granddaughter, Charlotte, to another cartoon I grew up with. I’m sure she’s going to love Tom and Jerry just as much as I do!

I’ll have a blog post up soon with a downloadable activity pack and links to some games to prep for the movie — or just to stay occupied on another weekend safe-at-home! I’ll also include some photos of what’s inside this massive cake! (And let me just say, the CAUTION tape on the outside of the box had the delivery man doing a double-take. “Should I just put this right here?” ...as he set it down OH so carefully!)

Thanks, Warner Bros.! Can’t wait to watch the movie and have fun with the goodies!

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Since lockdown started, we realized just how much Since lockdown started, we realized just how much money we spend on takeout and restaurant food. I'll be honest -- I miss restaurants but at least this past year has pushed me back towards one of my favorite activities: making food for those I love. I may not be able to entertain like we used to (yet), but now that our kitchen renovation is complete, I have the space to experiment and get ready with some new recipes. I also can throw together simple food and healthier options, like this caprese salad. It's just about the easiest thing to make that can be a side dish or a meal in itself. 

I made this one using three different kinds of heirloom tomatoes from Melissa's Produce, fresh pre-sliced mozzarella and fresh basil, both picked up at our local grocer for just a few dollars, making this meal also inexpensive. Slice the tomatoes, layer them with the cheese and basil, and drizzle with your favorite type of balsamic vinegar. I used Bertolli balsamic glaze, which adds just a little tang to the salad. 

I used to order Caprese salads a lot when we'd got out. The crisp of the tomato, the creaminess of the cheese and the savory taste of the basil -- I may have made a smaller serving just for myself the next day. Healthier options don't have to be fancy, expensive or time-consuming. They also don't have to be super low-cal or small portions. Life is short, so eat good food, get some exercise and make new things.

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During lockdown, it’s been so important to have During lockdown, it’s been so important to have a safe space to spend our time. I’ve never enjoyed having a garden more than this past year. Early on, it provided vegetables and throughout, it has been a haven. We put up a tv, spruced up the furniture and still, sitting under this tree has been a favorite. Even Shuri gravitates toward its shade, and these oranges have contributed to many breakfasts, brunches and mimosas. Here’s to another Sunday being happy at home!

#oranges #orangetree #orangetrees #sundayfunday #sundaymornings #sundayvibes #sunphoto #sundayphotography #garden #backyardgarden #backyarddesign #backyardgardening #backyardgoals #backyardoasis #backyardfun #backyardphotography #naturephotographer #growyourown #growyourownfood #growyourownfruit
We haven’t had a date night out of the house on We haven’t had a date night out of the house on a normal scale since pre-COVID. We love going out but things have been closed and we also want to be safe. Normally, the hubs cooks a fancy dinner for Valentine’s Day, but this year, he surprised me with reservations for a favorite restaurant of ours, Scarlet Kitchen and Lounge in Rancho Mission Viejo. They offered a special holiday menu, served outside in a beautiful setting, with heaters keeping us toasty. I started our meal with this amazing themed cocktail, a Love Conquers All. It is made of bourbon, macadamia nut liquer, Benedictine, coconut water, pineapple, lemon, egg white and edible glitter. OMG it’s a top-three cocktail EVER. The bartender is a genius, as these flavors came together in a drink I could enjoy on a regular basis. 

The rest of our meal was equally good, but made better because we got to see our sweet friend Marla and we thoroughly enjoyed just being out in public. Hearing others laugh and talk....oh how I have missed that. 

Masks are required, tables are set apart and we felt totally safe. And happy. That matters now, more than ever. 

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Last night, I made an amazing chili verde in the I Last night, I made an amazing chili verde in the Instant Pot. It's a family favorite, and so easy that I had time to experiment in the kitchen for the first time since we finished the redesign. I decided it was a good night to enjoy another olive oil cake, using hearty and flavorful oil and fresh produce gifted to me by Garcia de la Cruz and Melissa's Produce. It was a hit!

This particular cake uses 1 1/3 cups of olive oil, which makes it incredibly moist. Garcia de la Cruz oil has such a rich and fruity flavor, it makes it better than a typical olive oil cake. You can make this cake with any kind of olive oil, but I really recommend this one. To ramp it up a notch, I used fresh blood orange juice and 1/4 cup of strained passionfruit juice, adding sweet, citrus nuances without overwhelming the basic foundation. This cake has no frosting but the top of the cake develops a slight crust, adding a little crisp to each bite. 

If you've never had a blood orange, they're in season now and it's the perfect time to give them a try. They're not just a gorgeous red color, but they are sweeter and tangier than regular oranges. I love how they changed the color of this cake batter just a little, and if I'd used another 1/4 cup of the juice instead of the passionfruit, I think the cake would be a slight pink, making it an even better item to add to your Valentine's Day meal! Passionfruit, however, is a favorite of mine and I love how versatile they are! I use their juice quite a bit in a morning smoothie!

@melissasproduce @GarciadelaCruzOliveOil #ValentinesDayRecipes #valentinesday #dessert #food #recipe #oliveoil #valentinesfood #valentinesdayfood #melissasproduce #baking #instantpot #passionfruit #bloodorange #bloodoranges #bakedessert #freshproduce #foodies #sidedish #bakeacake
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