5 Things to do in Santa Barbara in One Afternoon
Visit the Beach
For an easy beach day without the parking hassle, stop by East Beach — a short walk to Santa Barbara’s downtown scene.
721 East Cabrillo Blvd.
2. Chromatic Gate
Check off this free experience off your bucket list by visiting the Chromatic Gate, right by East Beach. The multi-colored 21-foot arch displays six colors, ranging from yellow to blue, extends upwards as each color gets bigger. Standing right across the from the beach, the chromatic gate can easily be your second spot. It stands near a patch of grass and walking trails, but it’s picturesque and makes for cute photos.
15 West Gutierrez St.
3. Chocolate Maya
Santa Barbara has very quaint shops to peak into. With easy to find street parking and lots, stop by Chocolate Maya. They offer a variety of truffles infused with flavors ranging from lavender, hibiscus, thyme and caramel and even stoneground hot chocolate.
2911 De La Vina St.
4. Los Agaves Mexican Restaurant
A short walk from Chocolate Maya is the delicious modern cantina, Los Agaves. With delicious cocktails and entrees, it’s a win-win. Choose from their crab enchiladas to their pulpo–cooked to perfection. Los Agaves offers outdoor seating to soak up the summer heat. View their menu.
Ablitt Tower, 13 West Haley
5. Jeff Shelton Architecture Tour
Jeff Shelton is a local architect who grew up in the Santa Ynes mountains of Santa Barbara. His unique style buildings stand apart, but also embody the Spanish/Moorish designs of the city. He has five buildings within the Santa Barbara downtown. We chose to drive, which in hindsight was silly, because each building was a walking distance apart. Jeff offers a walking tour map, so you can search them out. I loved finding each one with such beauty in design, detail and structure. Read our story on Jeff Shelton’s four Santa Barbara’s locations.