Today I want to share my 2-day itinerary for Santa Barbara with you. This city on the Central Coast is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Southern California. You can do and see a lot if you have 48 hours or a weekend here. From the shops and restaurants on State Street to the wineries in the Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara has something for every visitor. I'm here now and I can't wait to share my itinerary with you. I've included a map with all the places I recommend, too.

2-Day Itinerary for Santa Barbara

The nice thing about a 2-day Santa Barbara itinerary is that it will give you enough time to see the highlights at a relaxed pace. The city and surrounding county are big, and having a couple days here will allow you to see the best of downtown, coastal gems, and inland areas.

Whether you're interested in sightseeing, hitting the beach, shopping, delving into the city's history, or going wine tasting, you'll find plenty to entertain you during your trip.

My 2-day itinerary for Santa Barbara includes a variety of things to do and see. It's an ideal guide for first-time visitors and those who've been away for a while. Like my 1-day Santa Barbara itinerary, it will give you an introduction to the city and make you want to come back and discover more of this part of Southern California on a future visit.

Where to Stay

If you're spending 2 days in Santa Barbara, there's no shortage of places you can call home-away-from-home. Whether you want to base yourself downtown, by the beach, in the hills, or inland, there are plenty of hotels, apartment rentals, and other options to choose from.

On this trip, I'm spending 2 nights at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara. This beautiful coastal resort is right on the beach in Goleta, and I love the spacious guest rooms, expansive grounds, and pool area. If you want to follow in my footsteps, you can book a room here.

If you want more options, you can see some of the most popular hotels in the city here. There are plenty of great places to stay in Santa Barbara.

Day 1

My Santa Barbara weekend getaway starts when I arrive on Friday night. My other half, his dog, and I pull into The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, check into our room in one of the Spanish-style villas on the property, and meet a group of his family and friends for a drink at the 'O' Bar, which is buzzing.

From the hotel we drive into downtown Santa Barbara for dinner at a restaurant called Sandbar on State Street. This lively open-air Sonora-style Mexican place is the perfect spot to kick off our trip. We enjoy everything from margaritas to fajitas as the music plays and the night gets going.

After dinner we head back to The Ritz-Carlton Bacara for a nightcap at the bar, which is still packed. It's a fun place to top off the first night of our stay.

Wine Tasting in the Sta. Rita Hills

The next morning our 2-day itinerary for Santa Barbara officially starts. We grab breakfast at the coffee shop at the hotel before boarding a mini-bus we've rented for the day. Our driver is going to take us all over Santa Barbara County, and we can't wait. If you want to follow in our footsteps, you can book a tour here.

Our first stop is Peake Ranch Winery, which is located at the eastern end of the Sta. Rita Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA). We've pre-booked a tasting in the library, which has internal windows overlooking the fermentation tanks. As we sit, our host pours us everything from Gruner Veltliner to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The wines are excellent, and they go down a treat in the contemporary space. Outside, there are tables for al fresco wine tasting with views of the hills. We could stay here all day, but we have more to see. We buy wine to take home, then board the bus for the next leg of our 2-day Santa Barbara itinerary.

Lunch in Santa Ynez

Our driver takes us to the town of Santa Ynez for lunch at a restaurant called The Victor in The Genevieve hotel. It's known for its unique, chef-driven renditions of flavors found on the California coast.

We sit outside at a long table on the sunny back patio and enjoy everything from tomatillo Bloody Marys with bacon and prawns to tiered Mimosa stands with trios of champagne coupes.

The food is as beautiful as the drinks are creative. We tuck into buckets of bacon and plates of deviled eggs with smoked trout roe to start, then order main courses of huevos rancheros, vegetable frittatas, and big burgers. It all goes down a treat under the Southern California sun.

Cold Spring Tavern

The next stop on our 2-day itinerary for Santa Barbara is a unique one. Cold Spring Tavern is a hillside saloon that dates back to the stagecoach days in the 19th century. Once a stop on the San Marcos Pass, today this cluster of historic buildings is a fun bar, restaurant, and live music venue.

We pull up to Cold Spring Tavern at 3pm and get drinks at one of several bars on the property. For the next hour, we enjoy roaming in and out of the wooden complex, exploring the warrens of cozy rooms, peering into the old jailhouse, and warming up by the roaring fires.

It's an amazing piece of history, and we love the authentic Old West atmosphere. We even get lucky enough to meet the owner, who's visiting from Ohio. He tells us stories about how his family bought Cold Spring Tavern and shows us photos of him and his wife on the walls.

Dinner at San Ysidro Ranch

From the tavern our driver takes us back to The Ritz-Carlton Bacara and we have a couple hours to relax and enjoy the sunset from the hot tub.

Afterwards we drive up into the hills for a special birthday dinner at San Ysidro Ranch. This luxury resort in the foothills of Montecito is known for being one of the best hotels in Santa Barbara. JFK and Jackie Kennedy even stayed here on their honeymoon.

When we arrive, we're led down into an amazing wine cave that goes on for miles. Eventually we reach a private dining room called The Secret Cellar. Lined with bottles ranging from Petrus to Biondi-Santi, it's a beautiful place to dine. We enjoy a three-course menu with excellent wines as the sommelier takes care of us for the evening.

Day 2

The next morning we continue our 2-day itinerary for Santa Barbara by having a leisurely outdoor breakfast at the coffee shop at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara.

Afterwards we walk down to Haskell's Beach, which is right below the resort. The Pacific Ocean is like glass, and we spot dolphins right off the coast when we arrive.

As we stroll along the beach with the dog, we take in the long pier on one end and the Sandpiper golf course on the other. We throw the ball so the pup can swim, soaking up the sun as he plays in the waves.

Mission Santa Barbara

After leaving the beach, we check out of our room, grab a quick lunch at Choppa Poke in Goleta, and drive over to Mission Santa Barbara.

This place was established in 1786 by Fermin Francisco de Lasuen. It was the 10th of the 21 California Missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans, and the only one that's been under the continuous guidance of the Franciscan Friars since its foundation.

Today Mission Santa Barbara has a museum, gift shop, cemetery and mausoleum, and historic gardens. Visitors can tour the mission for a fee, too.

Downtown Santa Barbara

After exploring the mission, our 2-day itinerary for Santa Barbara continues as we drive downtown. We start on State Street, where there's a 10-block pedestrianized stretch between Sola and Gutierrez. It's buzzing when we arrive, and it's a beautiful day to walk up and down it to take in the scene.

From historic theaters to restaurants and cafes, there's a lot going on here. We walk by a place with live piano music, pop into shops selling everything from clothing to surfboards, and enjoy the atmosphere.

When we're done, we hop in the car and wave good-bye to Santa Barbara. It's been an amazing weekend trip, and we're glad we got to see so much of both the city and county.

Santa Barbara Map

Itinerary for 2 Days in Santa Barbara

I hope my 2-day itinerary for Santa Barbara has helped you plan how to spend your time here. This is one of the best coastal cities in California, and it's worth a special trip. There are so many things to do here in 48 hours you're bound to have a good time.

There are lots more places to see here, too. If you have the chance, it's worth staying in town a bit longer. You'll be able to see more inland, downtown, and coastal highlights, as well as other famous parts of the county. Happy travels!

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