Shannon & Emmett
Shannon & Emmett
Things to Do
SHANNON & EMMETT'S FAVORITES
BREAKFAST IN MONTECITO
Tod and I love to wake up early (because time zones and crowds!) and take a walk on Coast Village Road in Montecito, preferably with one of our favorite furry friends. Here, you'll find a variety of shops and restaurants. Stop by Jeannine's or Renaud's and enjoy your coffee outside or take your breakfast to go and make your way to the beach. Just be sure to get there early to beat the crowds!
THE FUNK ZONE
The Funk Zone is a unique Santa Barbara arts, culture, business, and industrial district between State Street and Garden Street, and Montecito Street to Cabrillo Boulevard. This amalgamation of historical marine structures, industrial lots, and houses has a unique history in manufacturing, lumber, citrus, produce, and fishing. Over the years, many artists have found creative freedom by carving out studio spaces in this “funky” area of Santa Barbara, and so have wineries, restaurants, art galleries, and shops. Check out the website for a map and guide to everything you'll find in the Funk Zone. NOTE: Our Welcome Party on Saturday night will be held at La Lieff Tasting Room in the Funk Zone. We suggest stopping by to say hi and grab some food and drinks (on us!) before exploring the rest of the neighborhood!
DINNER OPTIONS
Noticing a trend? Tod and I adore a good meal with great wine and even better company. Some of our favorite restaurants are also located on Coast Village Road. We highly recommend Tre Lune and Ca'Dario for Italian or Local for a more casual atmosphere and coastal Californian cuisine. You can also head to the harbor for local seafood at Brophy's or enjoy a beachside meal at Boathouse.
SANTA BARBARA ZOO
Tod and I visit the Santa Barbara Zoo every time we are in town. A great time for adults and kiddos alike, you'll find animal encounters, giraffe feeding, and a family play area alongside fennec foxes (Shannon's favorite) and otters (Tod's favorite). Visit the website to buy tickets, book experiences, and learn more about the zoo's conservation programs.
BOTANIC GARDENS
Another required stop for Tod and me when visiting SB. Dedicated to the plants of California, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s Living Collection features wild plants from across the state, including iconic redwoods. Learn more here!
MORE FUN!
SANTA BARBARA WINE COUNTRY
The Santa Ynez Valley (otherwise known as "Santa Barbara Wine Country") is an approximate one-hour drive over the mountains and offers a whole other world including ranches and world-class wineries. During the summer it can get quite hot (temperatures can soar to 100 'ish'), so dress cooly.
ARCHITECTURAL WALKING TOURS
FREE with a reservation. These 2-hour walking tours on Saturday and Sunday mornings (10 -noon) are a great way to start your day and see the wonderful architecture in Santa Barbara. The Saturday tour focuses on architectural styles, significant and historic buildings, aesthetics, past and present building usage, and landscape history. The Sunday tour continues the history of art and architecture of downtown Santa Barbara as it was reborn after the 1925 earthquake.
HIKING
When it comes to combining the mountains and the sea, it’s tough to think of a better place in the country for hiking than Santa Barbara. Nicknamed The American Riviera, Santa Barbara exudes a Mediterranean feel with its coastline, vegetation and architecture. Tucked between the Pacific and the Santa Ynez Mountains, which run east to west through the Los Padres National Forest, Santa Barbara creates a postcard-perfect backdrop for your next hiking adventure. Check out some of the best hikes in the area at the website below. We recommend parking at the trailheads and hiking from there.
OLD MISSION
Situated on 15 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Mission grounds include the beautiful Mission Church, historic cemetery and mausoleum, a nine-room museum of historical artwork and artifacts, and multiple lush gardens.
Self-guided tours include an audio tour available in English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Korean.
One-hour guided tours of the Mission are available most Fridays at 12:30 pm, Saturdays at 10:30 am, and Sundays at 12:30 pm.
SANTA BARBARA COURTHOUSE
A distinctive landmark in downtown Santa Barbara, the Courthouse's clock tower is one of the best viewing spots for the whole Santa Barbara area. It is open to the public, even though it is still an active courthouse. The sunken garden is a community gathering spot as well as a place to relax or have a picnic.
SANTA BARBARA HISTORIAL MUSEUM
Founded in 1932, the Santa Barbara Historical Museum is committed to preserving and sharing local history. The Museum’s extensive holdings include paintings, furniture, saddles, decorative arts, and costumes that represent over 500 years of Chumash, Mexican, Spanish and American history.
SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART
The Museum’s collection of the arts of Asia, Europe, and the Americas includes paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, ceramics, glass, jades, bronzes, lacquer, and textiles. The broad areas in which SBMA holds a significant number of works of exceptional quality include international antiquities from China, India, Greece, Rome, Egypt, and the Near East and 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century art from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Particular strengths of the collection are 19th- and 20th-century American and European art, contemporary American painting, photography, and the arts of Asia, especially China. Advance ticketing reservations are highly recommended and guarantee your entry time. Reservations are available (for purchase) on site at the Visitors Services desk or online at tickets.sbma.net.
LOTUS LAND
A world-renowned botanical garden with a variety of gardens such as Japanese, English, Italian, and succulents. It requires ADVANCE reserved tickets and the FREE docent- led guided tours are the best way to learn about the eccentric woman, Ganna Walaska, who was the last owner of the estate and established the gardens as well as the history of the plants.
SANTA BARBARA MARITIME MUSEUM
At the Harbor, there is a charming Maritime Museum that includes an interesting history of the Chumash tribe of this region, the history of surfing, exhibits on oil drilling off our coast, plus the lighthouse lens from the lighthouse at Point Conception. There is an observation deck in the same building that you can enter for FREE. It has beautiful views of the harbor up to the mountains surrounding Santa Barbara.
SURREY BIKE RENTALS
Located right at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort), these surreys are fun for the whole family and you can take them safely on the sidewalks to the Wharf and all along the beachfront.
THE LANDSHARK
This is a bus that transforms into a boat. Enjoy an open-air tour of Santa Barbara and then marvel as it transitions to a boat and you cruise around Santa Barbara Harbor enjoying the view.