SANTA BARBARA, CA: Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Vacation

Santa Barbara, California is a really nice relaxing place to spend a vacation. I wasn’t there for many days and could have easily spent a week. Besides it being beautiful and having some really great beaches, there were also a lot of gardens to explore, excellent food, and an adorable bookstore called Chaucer’s Books. My only complaint is that I wish I had more time, but there are some things I wish I knew before hand. Below are quick facts to help you plan and prepare for your Santa Barbara adventure.

Misty mornings on Hendry's Beach - Arroyo Burro Beach County Park — Misty mornings on Hendry’s Beach – Arroyo Burro Beach County Park

Always bring sunscreen with you, even if you are just going to be at the beach for “only an hour.” That’s what I told myself the first day and we were there for five hours as I slowly burned to a crisp.
Arroyo Burro Beach County Park has a small parking lot, get there early. We are talking get there around 8 in the morning to get a nice parking space and claim your spot on the beach.
Arroyo Burro Beach County Park does NOT have the amount of sea glass the internet led me to believe. There’s some, but you really need to hunt for it.
Half of Arroyo Burro Beach is a dog beach. It’s pretty fun watching all the dogs chasing each other.
There is a restaurant at Arroyo Burro Beach County Park called – Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach. The food is delicious, but it does get crowded so expect to wait. Especially if you want to eat outside.
You can sometimes see seals swimming off the East Beach of Stearns Wharf.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden isn’t open very late. Make sure you check out the hours and plan accordingly.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden gives out stickers as admission tickets. In the gift shop you can ask for an extra sticker for your travel journal.
Don’t scoff at the idea of seeing a fig tree. The Moreton Bay Fig Tree is free to see and the size is incredibly impressive.
Rori’s Artisanal Creamery is inside Public Market and not a storefront. Don’t keep driving around the block thinking you missed it.