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Santa Barbara Travel, Hotel, and Visitors Guide

Considered by some people to be America’s best kept secret, Santa Barbara is a relaxed, sun-drenched, lush area tucked in between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Whether a person desires a refreshing dip in the ocean, hiking in the Santa Ynez Mountains, exploring the rugged Channel Islands or shopping on State Street, the visiting tourist is bound to find plenty to do and enjoy. To tempt the pallet, Santa Barbara features world-class cuisine whipped up by internationally-trained chefs. Perfect for family fun, vacationers can swim, kayak, sail, fish or even rent a bike to take in the scenic beachfront bike path. There are lots to see and enjoy for the kids, too, with interactive museums as well as cultural and historic attractions.

Top rated hotels

Fess Parker's DoubleTree Resort Santa Barbara
633 East Cabrillo Boulevard

Sandpiper Lodge
3525 State Street

Hotel Oceana Santa Barbara
202 W. Cabrillo Blvd.

Avania Inn of Santa Barbara
128 Castillo St

Best Western Encina Lodge & Suites
2220 Bath Street

Lemon Tree Inn
2819 State Street

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Top rated attractions

In Santa Barbara
1.	Paseo Nuevo Tourists looking for the best places to shop might want to consider Paseo Nuevo, an open-air arcade featuring more than sixty shops and stretching for two whole blocks. Or if shopping where the celebrities go is appealing, Coast Village Road offers one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, chic fashions, objects d’art and luxury linens. It has been frequented by stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Oprah and John Cleese. For those interested in something off the beaten path fashion-wise, True Grit has a fabulous collection of old decals and 1970s felt letters that can be stamped on T-shirts, panties, hoodies as well as doggie tees. « hide
2.	Condor Express For the ultimate in sightseeing, a visitor might want to check out Condor Express for guaranteed whale watching, where humpback, blue, and minke whales as well as orcas, dolphins and other sea mammals live. Condor offers both two hour and half day tours of the Channel Islands, depending upon whale migrations. Tourists might also want to check out the Santa Barbara Museum of Art featuring Asian art, Chinese zodiac figures from the sixth century, and American, and European art starting from the eighteenth century. There are also ninety photographs from Greta Garbo’s private collection. And for paddle sports enthusiasts, Paddle Sports of Santa Barbara offers kayak day trips, full-moon tours, kayak and bike combo trips in the Channel Islands where one can see mammoth sea caves and experience up close encounters with seals and dolphins. « hide
3.	Santa Barbara Golf Club For the traveler who wants to take in a little golf while on vacation, The Santa Barbara Golf Club is an eighteen-hole course and driving range that is well maintained and offers a moderate challenge for the average golfer. Fees are $30 on weekdays and $40 on weekends. Another place interested golfers might want to try is the Sandpiper. This is an eighteen-hole course with beautiful ocean scenery and is rated one of the top golf courses in the U.S. Weekend greens fees are $130. « hide
4.	The Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens The Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens features sixty-five acres of beautiful native wildflowers, cacti, shrubs and trees in natural settings and offers five-and-a-half miles of nature trails to explore along with an historic dam built in 1806 by native Indians. There are several tours, some self-guided, and others with their knowledgeable docents for both adults and children. « hide
5.	Stow House and Railroad Museum Stow House and Railroad Museum is a park in Goleta Valley that combines rustic charm with history. There is a Rail Museum onsite as well as a beautifully restored home built in 1873 by a prominent ranching family, which is filled with period furnishing, toys, clothing and other memorabilia. Billed as the oldest frame house in the Valley, Stow House is a fun way for children to learn the local history. The Rail Museum is housed in a restored Victorian-styled Southern Pacific Railroad depot built in 1901 and there is a twenty-five acre lake with walkways all around it. It is located just two miles from the Santa Barbara Airport. « hide
6.	Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is dedicated to presenting and preserving the maritime heritage to the public and features highly interactive exhibits such as the very popular periscope that extends from the roof and gives the viewer a 365 degree view of the surrounding area just like an actual periscope on a submarine. « hide
7.	Santa Barbara Zoo Santa Barbara Zoo has a collection of five hundred animals and has been consistently ranked as one of America’s best small zoos. People visiting the zoo at around 4 p.m. can watch the animals being fed including the sea lions, which is always a treat. Located right next to the ocean, visitors are sure to enjoy animals such as lions, tigers, gibbons, and exotic birds along with the miniature train ride, children’s playground, snack bar and picnic area. « hide
8.	Santa Barbara Mission Santa Barbara Mission was founded in 1786 and is known for its graceful beauty. Referred to as the Queen of the Missions, it still functions as a church and offers self-guided tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Featuring colonial art from the baroque or neoclassical eras, all imported from Mexico and South America, and statues carved by a mission Indian, which are the only sculptures existing today by California Indians. Tours cost $4.00 for adults and start in the gift shop. « hide
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Top rated restaurants

1.	Santa Barbara Shellfish Company Santa Barbara Shellfish Company features a mouth-watering array of seafood that will leave the diner feeling full and satisfied. From oysters on the half shell to a Calamari Sandwich, Lobster Pasta, and fresh shellfish, seafood lovers are sure to find something they will enjoy. « hide	6.	Pacific Crepes Pacific Crepes specializes in strictly French cuisine featuring the delectable French Creperie. Whether enjoying such crepe specialties as Mediteranee, Mont-Blanc, and Santa Barbara Crepes or polishing off a tasty meal with one of their desserts like Crepe Suzette or Crepe Flambé, the diner is sure to enjoy these exquisite taste sensations. « hide
2.	Moby Dick Restaurant Moby Dick Restaurant serves both seafood and American food, which can be enjoyed outdoors on the deck overlooking the ocean and harbor. The Moby Dick Restaurant offers fresh fish at affordable prices for the whole family. There one can dine on yummy dishes such as Ceviche Tostada made with fresh halibut or their famous filet mignon, which was voted the best in Southern California. « hide	7.	Trattoria Mollie Trattoria Mollie allows the diner to feast on tasty Italian soups, salads, and specialty topped breads, as well as pasta and rice dishes for a dining pleasure some people feel should not to be missed. « hide
3.	Fish House Fish House is yet another seafood restaurant featuring such favorites as Seafood Skewers with fresh local fish, shrimp, scallops, red bell peppers, mushrooms and pineapple served on teriyaki rice, Pacific Salmon, and Pan Braised Halibut in white wine. « hide	8.	Giovanni’s Pizza Giovanni’s Pizza is a place where one can go for pizza, hot sandwiches, salads and pasta that not only serves wonderful Italian food but is also easy on the pocket book. Award winning Giovanni’s has been serving great meals for over a quarter of a century, and still uses only 100 percent mozzarella cheese and the freshest vegetables in their pizzas. « hide
4.	Bouchon Bouchon serves such delectable French dishes as Bourbon and Maple Glazed Duck, Molten- center Chocolate Cake and Venison Loin. Bouchon also holds the Santa Barbara Independent runner-up award for Best Restaurant Wine List seven years running. Diners can also eat on the patio or by the glassed-in kitchen, where they can observe the meals being prepared. « hide	9.	Petrinis Family Restaurant Petrinis Family Restaurant has been in operation since 1958 serving Italian and American food. Specialty entrées include Eggplant Parmesan, Pasta Primavera Alfredo, a host of chicken dishes and all of the regular Italian dishes like spaghetti, ravioli, pizza, antipasto and sandwiches. « hide
5.	Mimosa Mimosa specializes in French and Californian foods where such full-flavored food as French Onion Soup Gratinee and Duck can be enjoyed and the pastries are simply divine. The hungry visitor might also want to try the Onion Tart, Crème Brule or their especially delicious Fillet Mignon. « hide

Santa Barbara Insider tips

Getting About Town

Tourists visiting Santa Barbara wanting use other means of getting around the city than their automobile have a few options available to them. MTD operates electric shuttles used to transport tourists and shoppers up and down State Street and to the wharf. Amtrak provides rail service through the Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight from the train station on State Street. Although service is reportedly slow, still the route is very scenic. And the Santa Barbara Metro provides service throughout the city on their buses. « hide

Things to Avoid

One of the areas visitors should avoid in the evening is lower State Street. Apparently the scene there is similar to girls gone wild, something families would not appreciate their children seeing. Also it is advised that tourists take care not to j-walk or ride a bicycle in the evening without a headlight or they will be inviting a ticket from the local constabulary. One last word, like many large cities where the climate is temperate, visitors will also want to steer clear of panhandlers. « hide

Santa Barbara nightlife

In Santa Barbara
1.	Wildcat Lounge Wildcat Lounge is the place for the younger set interested in the night life in Santa Barbara. Complete with red vinyl walls, leopard prints, drop-in celebrities, local bands, and eclectic deejays, one is sure to have a swinging time. The music ranges from old school, hip-hop, alternative, rock, to house. « hide
2.	Q’s Sushi a Go Go Q’s Sushi a Go Go is an upscale club for the chic and trendy set. Clientele can start out with dinner then dance the night away to lively dance music. There are also occasional karaoke and Brazilian music themes. Club ranges over three levels with a balcony, pool tables, sushi bar and dance floor. Non-sushi food is also available in the full menu. « hide