We just got back from five nights in Santa Barbara, and honestly, it was such a good trip. We were desperate to escape the nonstop rain in Washington, get some sunshine, and slow things down a bit—and this checked every box. Not to mention how festive it was with all the Christmas decor. We’ve always wanted to go to Santa Barbara, but have never been.
We split the trip into two parts: three nights in Los Olivos at the Inn at Mattei’s Tavern (about a 40-minute drive inland into the Santa Ynez Valley, tucked into the hills and vineyards), then two nights right on the water at an airbnb in Santa Barbara.
Traveling with Hayes at 1.5 years old felt way more doable than I expected. This was his 16th and 17th flight, but we’re always so surprised at how resilient he is. Everything was pretty easy, relaxed, and low-stress (besides anytime we ate out lol IYKYK), which is exactly what we needed. Great food, beautiful scenery, plenty of time outside (we NEEDED this), and a pace that worked for both adults and a toddler. It ended up being one of those trips where you come home feeling genuinely refreshed, and already talking about when you’ll go back.
Here’s a link to my TODDLER FLIGHT ESSENTIALS folder with so many things we use while traveling.
I gathered all the recs I received from you guys and put them into this guide. Some are for Los Olivos and Solvang, others are for Santa Barbara and Montecito.
Los Olivos and Solvang
Sights & Must-See
- The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern: this is where we stayed for the first three nights. Such an incredible boutique hotel, great food, and offers a pool, gym and spa.
- The Lavender Barn at Mattei’s Tavern for a spa day!! Highly recommend.
- J. Woeste in Los Olivos: cutest little shop
- Ostrich Land USA: located near Buellton and Solvang. You can pay to feed the ostriches and emus. We did this!!
- Sunny Fields: huge wooden playground, baseball field, walking path. Hayes loved it!
Places to Eat in Los Olivos & Solvang
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern: such a great breakfast, lunch & dinner! Try the chicken from their dinner menu.
- Solvang Bakery
- Copenhagen Sausage Garden in Solvang: yes to this place!! Outdoor eating area, great when you have kids (or dogs)
- Panino in Los Olivos
- Nella Kitchen & Bar in Los Olivos
- Bar le Côte in Los Olivos
- Coast Range in Solvang
Coffee Shops
- Lefty’s Coffee
- The Tavern: some of the best coffee we’ve had!
Santa Barbara
Sights & Must-See in Santa Barbara
- La Arcada: a cute town square with coffee and donuts, a few little shops, and a fountain with turtles.
- Santa Barbara Zoo: we went here and had a great time! Obviously very kid-friendly and a great stop.
- Santa Barbara County Courthouse: A historic landmark known for its Spanish-Colonial architecture; visitors can climb the clock tower for panoramic city views.
- Stearns Wharf: The oldest working wooden wharf in California, offering coastal views, restaurants, and souvenir shops.
- Old Mission Santa Barbara: Often called the “Queen of the Missions,” featuring historic buildings and a beautiful rose garden.
- The Funk Zone: A vibrant neighborhood filled with art galleries, boutique shops, and a trail of local wine and beer tasting rooms.
- Botanical Gardens: Explore diverse landscapes including rare cacti, native-plant trails, and scenic overlooks.
- Channel Islands National Park: Accessible by boat from the harbor, offering unique wildlife and outdoor activities like kayaking through sea caves.
- Inspiration Point: A popular hiking destination that provides wide views of the city and the Pacific Ocean.
- Sea Ranch Montecito: people say the pool is amazing
- Field & Fort: Homegoods and healthy food/coffee
- All the shops in Summerland: just walk the street where Field & Fort is (like a 5-10 minute drive)
Places to Eat in Santa Barbara
Breakfast:
- Helena Avenue Bakery: we ate here two mornings and one lunch and it was great! Especially when traveling with a toddler. Get the Chinese Chicken Salad for lunch btw!
- Jeannine’s
- Scarlett Begonia
- Paula’s Pancake House
- Alessia Patisserie
- Oat Bakery: based on the Danish owner’s mom’s recipe she created to add superfoods while she was training for a marathon. Located in Montecito
- Dawn Cafe
Lunch:
- Tamar: SO GOOD. We went and definitely recommend
- Rosewood Miramar beach bar (a rec to get the tacos! plus great cocktails)
- The Lark – locally sourced California cuisine
- South Post Deli
- Mission Street Deli
- Helena Avenue Bakery (get the Chinese Chicken Salad!)
- Santa Barbara Public Market
- Bistro Amasa
Dinner:
- Santa Barbara Food Haul: we ate here one night for dinner. Tons of food options, TVs to watch any game, etc. Great for families.
- Loquita
- East Beach Tacos
- Third Window Brewing Smash Burgers
- Flor de Maiz: Mexican food
- Buena Onda
- SY Kitchen
- ‘Que Smoke Shack BBQ
- Rare Society
- Bettina Pizzeria – wood fired pizza
- Lucky Penny – wood fired pizza
- Los Agaves
- Sama Sama Kitchen – southeast-asian restaurant & cocktail bar
- El Zerape – Mexican food made from scratch
- Mony’s
- Gracie
- Pico Los Alamos
- Secret Bao
- Brophy Bros.
- Barbareno
Brewery & Cocktails
- The Good Lion
- Third Window Brewery
- Shaker Mill
- Lion’s Tale Bar
- Test Pilot Bar
- Santo Mezcal
- Dusk Bar
Coffee Shops
- Helena Avenue Bakery
- Handlebar Coffee Roasters
- Dune Coffee Roasters
- Kin Bakeshop (great matcha)
- Cajé Coffee Roasters
- Lighthouse Coffee
- Dart Coffee Co
- Santa Barbara Roasting Co
- Lokum Delights
- Little King Coffee
Family-Friendly & Toddler Activities
- Santa Barbara Zoo
- MOXI (The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation)
- Kids World (Alameda Park): A massive 8,000-square-foot wooden playground
- Shipwreck Playground (Chase Palm Park): A pirate-themed play area located along the waterfront.
- Lil’ Toot Water Taxi
- Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center
- Shoreline Park & Playground: great playground for kids! This was near our airbnb and Hayes loved it
- Pismo Beach
- San Luis Obispo
- Walk the pier or harbor + get ice cream on the pier
- Lotusland
- Ty Warner Sea Center
- Beaches: Hendry’s Beach, Leadbetter Beach, Miramar Beach, Butterfly Beach, Shoreline Beach
- SB Mission/ Rose Gardens
- Bells in Los Alamos
- McConnell’s – ice cream
