Santa Barbara: Go there, do this!
Written: Jul 29 '06 (Updated Aug 13 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Many parks, beautiful location, local wine region
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: A beautiful beach town if you're looking for a nice Central California vacation.
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| ursula_b's Full Review: Santa Barbara |
This review reflects a recent 6 day trip I took to Santa Barbara with my husband and toddler. Many of these stops are things we would have done in our carefree childless days. We like to walk as much as possible and eat local foods when we travel. I’ve added Toddler Tips for any other parents who may be traveling.
Harbor View Inn
The hotel is located across the street from Stearns Wharf. For full details, please see my review of the Harbor View Inn. We like to walk as much as we can when we’re on vacation, but the hotel was also near the Harbor/Zoo and State Street Shuttles ($0.25 per ride) if we needed a lift. Toddler Tip: The hotel has a wading pool for the wee ones.
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden: A Long Walk Through a Big Garden
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is a gem and was certainly the highlight of our trip. This expansive property contains several different gardens, all with native plants and a spectacular backdrop. Walking shoes recommended. At the entry gate you will receive a map and a quick orientation to the garden. We chose to take the recommended loop through the oak forest. Benches are available for rest throughout the garden. Poison Oak was abundant through the forested part of the walk. Long pants recommended. We easily spent two hours wandering the paths and trails (and probably could have spent more if we didn’t run up against nap time). We walked across an old dam and saw parts of the old Mission aqueduct. On our way of the forest we came upon the Japanese Tea House complete with garden and also a Children’s garden for exploration and education. The sun-bathed meadow garden is stunningly beautiful as is Toad Hall, a building created from willows by artist Patrick Dougherty. A small garden-themed gift shop is located near the entrance. Toddler Tip: There are some brick paths that are fine for strollers, but if you want to wander on dirt it’s best to bring a baby backpack or be prepared to carry your toddler. As some of the dirt paths narrowed I felt less than comfortable pushing the baby in a stroller…the last thing I wanted was for her to get a face-full of poison oak. I ended up carrying her much of the way and letting her walk when the path was sufficiently wide that she couldn’t reach out and touch anything.
Natural History Museum: A Short Walk Through an Interesting Museum
The Natural History Museum is made up of several small and beautiful Spanish-style buildings. The museum boasts a blue whale skeleton in front and some of the oldest human bones found in North America. Inside there are several “halls” with a local focus. There are exhibits on the native people (Chumash), sea life, birds, and more, in the classic style of Natural History Museums. There are a few rooms with dioramas of mammals and birds. I always find these to look dusty and dated, but I do appreciate the artistry put into the exhibits. The exhibit on the California Condor was very interesting. There is a nature trail along the creek in back. There is also a small gift shop. Toddler Tip: There were a few steps as well as long staircases here. Be prepared to turn back or carry the stroller as you move between buildings.
Chase Palm Park: A Long Walk Through a Long Park
Chase Palm Park is on Cabrillo near Stearns Wharf. There are skaters, runners, and cyclists making use of the wide, paved path through the park. Tourists can rent a wide variety of bicycles or surreys to enjoy the area. The Skateboard Park appeared to be at full capacity. The Sunday that we walked through the park, the sidewalk was lined with vendors hawking their “arts & crafts fair” wares. If you think craft fairs are full of tasteless junk, avoid this area on Sundays. The park continues on the town side of Cabrillo with a nice pond flanked by a 1917 Herschell Carousel ($2 per ride) and a sea-themed playground. There is also a grassy area. The park is somewhat shaded. Toddler Tip: Carousel: All of the horses move, so if you have a wiggly child you may prefer one of the two chariots. The carousel also makes about 20 revolutions. It’s a small carousel, but 20 turns can be an eternity with someone screaming in your ear. Playground: There are some concrete structures that spray water at irregular intervals. This can make for some fun sand/water play. There are some rubbery sea creatures (large starfish) in the sand, a small mission-style “town”, and your typical playground equipment. The equipment looks like it’s for 5 and up.
Stearns Wharf: A Long Walk on a Short Pier
There are several attractions on Stearns Wharf: Restaurants, Gift Shops, Fishing, and the Ty Warner Sea Center. The Wharf itself is a drive-on wharf with parking. There was a lot of traffic the Sunday morning that we were there. The Dolphin Fountain at the Wharf entry gate appeared to be a popular photo spot. We were advised that the restaurants had great views, but not so great food, so we didn’t eat there. At the end of the wharf there was an area for fishing as well as a few pelicans who didn’t mind posing for the camera. The weekend we were there, a group of Veterans had put together a temporary Iraq Memorial at the beach off the wharf that was quite moving. People stepped down onto the beach to wander through 2,000 mini-tombstones to find the names of their loved ones who were lost in the war.
Ty Warner Sea Center
The Sea Center is very small, but packs a lot in. There were numerous hands-on activities including a shark petting tank. There are volunteers manning exhibits and answering questions throughout the building. While there are some fish in tanks, this is more of a science center than an aquarium. It has a small gift shop. Toddler Tip: The Center is not very stroller friendly. There is an elevator to get you upstairs, but even with our small umbrella stroller we felt like we were always in the way. Also, most of the center is geared to the school-aged (and up) crowd. There was also a sea-themed story time on the day we were there.
The Santa Barbara Zoo: A Short Walk Through a Small Zoo
The Zoo is very small (and it looks like the parking lot is, too). We walked to the zoo from our hotel, but we also could have taken the Harbor shuttle. The zoo is the last shuttle stop. The elephant exhibit was small and seemed out of place. The walk through Aviaries were very nice. There is a gift shop. Stay away from the cafeteria. It is bad even by zoo food standards.
Mission Santa Barbara: A Short Walk Through an Old Church
The best part of the Mission is the view from the street. The tour filters you through several exhibits and views of rooms. You can see the kitchen and some old adobe walls as well as a representation of a priest’s bedroom. You also pass through a small chapel, visit the center courtyard, and then exit through the main church to the cemetery, where the tour ends.
Kids World: A Short Slide Through a Large Park
Toddler Tip: Kids world is an 8,000 square foot playground in Alameda Park. Alameda is a beautiful neighborhood park that takes up 3 blocks. Kids World (you can’t miss it) is at the corner of E. Arrellaga and Garden Streets. The playground is separated into an area for older kids and an area for toddlers. We spent all of our time in the toddler area, so I have no feedback on the older kids’ area except that it sure sounded like they were having a great time. The entire playground is fenced off (low fence) and there is one entrance that leads to an area that looks like a stage with some seating, it was used as a rest area for tired parents. From there you choose either the big kid park equipment to the right or the toddler equipment to the left. The toddler area has two baby swings, a small climbing structure with a slide that is wide and not at all steep. My daughter had to “climb” on the climbing net. It was two feet from the ground and most of the net rested on the ground, so mainly she stepped in the squares and pretended she was doing something fun.
Tri-County Produce: Farmer’s Market Produce in a Store
We stopped by Tri-County Produce in order to have some fresh fruit around the hotel room for snacks. The fresh raspberries and strawberries were amazingly flavorful and the baked goods we picked up were very good as well. We made several stops here to stock up on fruit throughout our trip. Bottom Line: Stop here for picnic food.
Bouchon: Central Coast Californian
We were walk-ins again, this time at a restaurant with a lovely patio in front and a medium sized dining room inside. The restaurant had a romantic feel and the trees on the patio were wrapped in lights. We had our choice of seats this time, but as the patio was crowded, the restaurant was mostly empty, and we didn’t want to annoy anyone with our toddler, the hostess suggested a table with a view of the open kitchen. This turned out to be a great idea because we were able to provide hours of entertainment to the hard working kitchen staff. As we were seated, we were greeted by one of the cooks. The kitchen did put on quite a performance for us complete with flames! The bread we were served was crusty and good, and the kitchen noticed that we were picking out the soft center to feed to the baby. They sent out a beautifully prepared plate of soft white bread for her (slightly buttered and toasted). The hostess came by and took an off-the-menu order of pasta with butter and cheese for the baby to be prepared while we perused our menus. I started with the pan seared foie gras which was very well prepared. My husband had a salad with Santa Barbara greens and candied nuts (he didn’t share). This was followed by Pear Glazed Wild Pacific Salmon (me) and Bourbon and Maple-Glazed Duck Breast (husband). His duck was good, but my salmon was better. The duck and salmon were also very well prepared with just the right amount of pink. The side dish with the salmon was inventive, but not remarkable. The Vanilla Scented Beluga Lentils were intriguing, but not stunning. I don’t regularly eat lentils, but I was willing to give them a try. The dish was also accompanied by locally grown kale. The sides were nicely integrated into the overall preparation of the dish. Dessert was a Huckleberry and Blueberry Upside Down Cake with Lemon Zest Ice Cream. We needed to finish off with something light, but interesting. The cake was light and slightly crisped on the outside (similar to a coffee cake) and the ice cream was divine. Oddly, all the dishes were at least slightly sweet, which became monotonous. The wine selection was impressive with outstanding local wines by the glass that paired nicely with the dishes. Bottom Line: All in all, the entire experience was one that I would be happy to repeat. The service really made Bouchon stand out in my mind.
Bucatini: Good Italian
We were walk-ins at Bucatini during the dinner rush. The restaurant itself is very small, but they have a large outdoor patio with seating. The patio was full, so we took a table just inside the door, one of 6 or 7. As the evening wore on, the live band across the street generated a large amount of noise; it became difficult to have dinner conversation. The staff is friendly and the service is timely. We fed our daughter the table bread and Penne with Marinara, which was delicious. We ordered Risotto ai Porcini (for my husband) and Lasagne alla Bolognese (for me). We also ordered a side of the vegetables of the day (that day it was Garlic Sauteed Spinach and Roasted Potatoes). The Lasagne was served bubbling hot. It took a long while before I could dig in. Once it cooled off, it was a wonderful dish. My husband was happy with his Risotto, but it was under-seasoned. I never thought I’d say this about an Italian restaurant, but the kitchen needed to add more salt. The vegetables were very good (and very Italian). The menu also listed good local and Italian wines by the glass. Dessert is my favorite course, and, even though we were both full, I insisted that we try the Crostata di Pere (Pear Tart with Apricot Glaze). I’m glad we did. It was easily the best part of our meal. Bottom Line: We’re sorry that we didn’t have a chance to go back.
La Super-Rica: Slow Fast Food, and Worth the Wait
We were told not to miss La Super-Rica on our visit to Santa Barbara. Our first attempt to eat there was met with a line out the door. My husband stood in it and it moved one person in 5 minutes. It turns out that each dish is made to order…including the tortillas. I was sitting in a warm car with a sleeping baby, so he gave up. Our second attempt at a meal also involved a sleeping baby, but also a much shorter line. We parked in the residential neighborhood and he went off to get our meal. I can only describe the restaurant from the outside. It looks like a tiny taco stand. My husband ordered 2 beef tacos, one Super-Rica Especial Plate and a quesadilla for the baby. It was not enough food. The tacos, while good, are just beef in a small tortilla. No Frills. The Super-Rica was a plate with tortillas, grilled chicken, chilis, and cheese. Tasty, but we had to share it. The baby wasn’t interested in her Quesadilla. It, too, was delicious, but it was made with a small tortilla. It was added to our plates and we still had to find more food to make a meal for ourselves. Bottom Line: The food is very simple, very fresh, and delicious. I wouldn’t wait in a long line for it, but my husband would. Order more food than you think you want to eat.
Sambo’s: Coffee Shop with a Fantastic View
We had breakfast at Sambo’s because my husband had fond childhood memories of the chain. The original Sambo’s (and only one remaining according to the menu) is on Cabrillo in Santa Barbara. I had very low expectations because of its chain history. This left me very pleasantly surprised with our meal. The restaurant has some outdoor seating, but most of the tables are inside. It’s a standard coffee shop layout with booths on the walls and several tables in the center of the room. There is also a counter area on the opposite side of the restaurant from the main dining room. The service was excellent: quick and very professional. After we were seated a basket of mini muffins (blueberry and chocolate chip) were left at the table for us to munch on while we decided what to eat. I had apple pancakes and my husband chose the buttermilk pancakes. We each had a side order of bacon. My pancakes were good with the apples baked right in, but the bacon was great…chewy, just the way I like it! (I think I must not be eating enough bacon at home.) The restaurant is right across the street from the beach, so a glance out the window makes for a wonderful view. Bottom Line: We’d go back for breakfast.
Carlito’s Cafe y Cantina: Tourist Mexican
We were early walk-ins at Carlito’s and scored a table just inside the door. (This seems to be a theme with us.) It was a beautiful evening and the patio filled up quickly. There was a burbling fountain on the patio that helped make the strip mall location more pleasant. We were served fresh tortilla chips and salsa and offered the house made guacamole (extra charge). The guacamole was worth it. I ordered the Chicken Enchiladas Combination and my husband had the Rock Shrimp Tacos with Papaya Salsa special (deep-fried, frozen, breaded shrimp under a bed of purple cabbage and some diced papaya). We didn’t enjoy our meals as much as we expected. I’ve never been to a Northern California Mexican restaurant that touted “no lard” on the menu. Maybe it was the lack of lard that kept us from thoroughly enjoying our meal. We ended our meal with the Mexican Flan and it was really nothing to write home about. Bottom Line: Guacamole is good, food is disappointing.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
ursula_b
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Reviews written: 35
Trusted by: 1 member
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