Santa Barbara Honeymoon- Looking for recommendations

Ugh, SB is one of my most favorite places on Earth.
To Eat:
- Olio (best authentic Italian pizza place ever OMG)- Eureka Burger (amazing California hamburger joint; try the havarti truffle fries)- Habit (another burger place, this one actually originated in Goleta, just north of SB)- McConnell’s Ice Cream (ya just gotta)- Fresco Cafe (great brunch and pastries)- Brophy Bros. (Great seafood, great views)- Boathouse @ Hendry’s (American food, right on the beach. Great for sunset and a walk after or before)Things to Do:- I know you can rent HobieCats, paddle boards, etc. - I don’t know about snorkeling, the water isn’t exceptionally warm or clear. - Running down along “The Mesa” is one of my favorite routes - you’re right on the beach/the cliffs above it. - Shopping/milling around down on State Street is so enjoyable; there are so many great local shops and treats- Go watch the surfers down at Rincon. It is truly one of the most spectacular surf spots and if you know who you’re looking for, you can often see some professional surfers here- go check out Carpinteria, love love love that “little town”- high end shopping at La Cumbre, if you’re into that- There are definitely some great hikes in the foothills, but I don’t know any of them by name (sorry), and I know you can rent mountain bikes from various places if you need to.
HAVE SO MUCH FUN!

Santa Barbara is beautiful! I went in February 2019. The Sunstone Winery is beautiful. There seemed to be a ton of Italian restaurants...we ate at Ca’Dario and Crust. Both were good! Ca’Dario was more romantic/intimate. They also had a ton of bakeries along State Street so I would leave room for browsing those! We got lunch from the Santa Barbara Public Market which is like a food hall with a ton of different vendors which was fun.

View Quoted Comment

Wow this is so informative! Thank you for taking the time to write a detailed response. I will definitely reference this when we're making plans on our non-beach only days (Which we all know I'll need!) Watching surfing wasn't even on my radar but sounds incredibly cool.

View Quoted Comment

That is fantastic news. I've been dying for a good cannoli for literal years.

We lived in SB for years and agree with others that there is so much to do. One thing I would check on ASAP is to see if there are any major events going on in the city while you are there (e.g., UCSB graduation, major festivals -- Summer Solstice used to be big, as did Fiesta...). Any festivals/special events will mean that there will be even more to do than usual, but it will also mean restaurants, hotels, etc. will likely be packed and you'll want to double check as many reservations as possible. In CA it's hard to know what will be open and what won't be this summer, but in a "normal" year, concerts at the Santa Barbara County Bowl and/or the Arlington Theatre are wonderful venues. The Santa Barbara Botanical Garden is gorgeous with a variety of hiking trails and magnificent views. In downtown SB, there are several really lovely parks just southwest of the Mission -- Alice Keck is one of them. Also, plan to visit the tower of the SB County Courthouse -- beautiful 360 degree views of the city, and the courthouse itself is beautiful. Take the drive from SB to Solvang/Santa Ynez via San Marcos Pass. Just outside of the city, take the turnoff for Stagecoach Road and go to Cold Springs Tavern -- again, Covid-regulations permitting, there used to often be live music on weekends. There are so many wineries from Santa Ynez all the way north to Paso Robles. Awesome, awesome city -- great choice!

PS -- we haven't been in a few years, but if you like Cajun food, Palace Grill on E. Cota St, is amazing.... My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Santa Barbra state street of course is a place you should go check out. Ventura spunky which is close by has a lot of some nice views that’s where I grew up. Summer time is amazing there!!