Where to Stay in Santa Barbara

Beautiful Santa Barbara, California is often known as the American Riviera because of its Mediterranean climate, gorgeous beaches, and upscale lifestyle. Santa Barbara’s cosmopolitan culture includes an abundance of theaters, museums, great restaurants, and shops, not to mention those amazing beaches. It’s a great destination for travelers of all tastes and budgets.

The weather on the Central Coast is great all year round, with mild winters and cool summers; but you can expect some rain if you visit in January or February; and May and June are notorious for their morning fogs. April may be the most beautiful month, with the landscape a verdant green after the winter rains, but naturally summertime is the most popular time to visit.

Whenever you chose to visit Santa Barbara, you’ll have a great selection of local hotels to chose from. The Cabrillo Waterfront area is the most popular place to stay for tourists. There are several hotels right across the street from the beach, within easy walking distance of the the historic Stearns Wharf. Also nearby are many excellent restaurants, and the breakwater, home to hundreds of colorful boats docked in the sheltered harbor.

Good choices for hotels in the waterfront area include the Hotel Oceana, Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Inn, West Beach Inn, Villa Rosa Inn, Hotel Mar Monte, and the Cabrillo Inn at the Beach. Expect to pay around $100 for a night at one of the cheaper hotels in this area up to several hundred for the more expensive hotels. Rooms with ocean views will naturally run extra.

A somewhat cheaper alternative to the waterfront area, but also a good choice for tourists or visitors who want to see the sights is the Lower State St. area. This area is in the heart of the downtown area, near to shopping, restaurants, and theaters, and just a short car trip from the beaches. For the budget-minded, good choices in this area include the Hotel Santa Barbara, the Presidio Inn, the El Prado Inn, and Holiday Inn Express – Hotel Virginia. Those looking for more upscale accommodations should check out the Canary Hotel, or the Inn of the Spanish Garden.

If you’re in the market for a resort or luxury hotel, the area has several to chose from. The San Ysidro Ranch in nearby Montecito was the site of John and Jackie Kennedy’s honeymoon, and has been called the “best hotel in America”. The Bacara Resort, at the far north end of the metropolitan area, is a good choice for those wishing to get away from it all. Also a great choice is the Biltmore hotel. Known as the Queen of Santa Barbara hotels, it’s right on the beach a few miles from downtown Santa Barbara.