🌊 Santa Barbara – A Spanish-Style Seaside Town Near LA ✨

Perfect for a day trip from Los Angeles! This beautiful coastal city is known for its red-tile roofs, white walls, and charming Spanish-inspired architecture. 🏛️🌴 🧡 Uni so fresh & sweet – My Japanese colleague once told me the sea urchin here is even sweeter than in Japan! If you visit around mid-October, don’t miss the Santa Barbara Seafood Festival. It’s lively and full of local flavors! 🎉🦀 🦑 Santa Barbara Fish Market Extremely fresh seafood! If you go in the morning, they often have live uni (sea urchin) cracked open right in front of you. 🏼💦 🦞 Santa Barbara Shellfish Company Located right on Stearns Wharf — enjoy ocean views and sea breezes while you dine! Their oysters and uni (served with a scallop underneath!) are highlights. Skip the rock crab/spider crab — too little meat for the work. 🦪🌊 🥘 Loquita Santa Barbara A lovely Spanish restaurant open after 5 PM (4 PM on Saturdays). Beautiful outdoor seating! Must-tries: Jamón Ibérico, grilled octopus, and squid ink paella. Walk-ins are accepted, but it gets busy — better to make a reservation! 🔥🥘 🏛️ Santa Barbara County Courthouse Climb the clock tower for a stunning view over the city — but check opening hours ahead of time (it was closed last time I went 😅). The large lawn is popular for weddings and picnics. 💒🌿 💖 Old Mission Santa Barbara A photogenic historic mission with pretty pink walls — great for photos! Across the street, there’s a romantic rose garden. 🌹📸 🍹 Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort The hotel grounds are beautiful with perfectly manicured lawns and a giant chair sculpture. But skip the drinks here — overpriced and mediocre 🥤💸... Instead, check out the colorful Chromatic Gate installation nearby — a cool rainbow arch perfect for photos! 🌈✨ #SantaBarbaraFood #SantaBarbara #SBCoffee #CoffeeShop