What to Do in Santa Barbara with Kids
Mar 31, 2025
If you’ve never been to Santa Barbara, put it on your bucket list stat. It may very well be the most magical place ever. No wonder Oprah and the Duchess of Sussex live there. From the basically perfect weather to the natural beauty of mountains, beaches, and plant life, it is definitely a place I’ve fallen in love with and dream of retiring in one day.
As former California residers, we had previously road tripped to Santa Barbara and absolutely loved it. In my honest opinion, if we hadn’t been from California and were just visiting as tourists, it probably wouldn’t be the place I’d go. There’s so much to see, and so many famous spots to visit in this very large state, I don’t know if a central coast, small beachy city would have lured me in. I’m so glad we did though. It was love at first sight for us. And I’m about to share some of my favorite reasons why. Also, I know three of them involve food, and trust me, I love way more than the food in Santa Barbara, but also-the food was THAT good. You’re welcome.
Here are some of our favorite, family-friendly spots in Santa Barbara:
- The Beach
Our favorite beach in Santa Barbara is definitely Butterfly Beach. Technically, this beach is in Montecito, but it’s just a short drive from Santa Barbara. Beware, you may need to walk a bit from where you park, but our stroll was absolutely gorgeous on a paved bike/walking trail. Besides being incredibly beautiful, it was clean, fairly quiet, and had a mix of local people and tourists alike, although it seemed like more locals honestly. We saw engagement photoshoots happening, a beach/soccer birthday party for one lucky seven-year-old, and even a sea lion who was sunbathing on the shore. It felt safe and relaxed. What’s better than letting your kids run around in sunshine and basking in the beauty of ocean, mountains, and palm trees? I’m not sure there is much else.
- Ice cream
I don’t know about you, but I indulge in desserts daily when I’m on vacation. Isn’t just like an unspoken thing? Since we’d been to Santa Barbara before, we knew exactly where to go to find the absolute best ice cream in town: McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream. I mean, even the name says it’s fine, so you know it’s gonna be good. With nearly 2K positive reviews on Google, don’t just take my word for it.
- Breakfast/Bakery
I’m normally pretty gluten low (not totally free, but I try to eat it in moderation). I broke every rule I have about gluten at D’Angelo’s Bakery. And honestly, you probably would too. From the buttery croissants to the savory scones to the French toast. I died and went to gluten heaven. My body didn’t appreciate it, but in that moment my taste buds did. They have tables where you can sit outside and enjoy the quaint beauty and mild weather that is perfection in downtown Santa Barbara.
- Dinner/Food
We’re so lucky we came across Lucky Penny-see what I did there? Amazing, artisanal pizza that our kids inhaled and we are still dreaming about. I kid you not, when I ordered the “Californian”, I didn’t think I’d be job hunting for an additional side hustle just so I could fund coming back here to eat this again on a quarterly basis. It was THAT good. Also, this place has outdoor seating, craft beer, and friendly folks. We met another family visiting from Dallas and instantly became fast friends chatting throughout our meal. Another fan favorite was Corazon Cocina, which had been recommended to me by a SoCal friend. It’s a super lowkey spot in a marketplace with lots of other food options if someone in your crew doesn’t dig Mexican cuisine. If I close my eyes and imagine hard, I can still taste the delicious Mercado quesadilla I thoroughly enjoyed there.
- Hotel
Since we knew we’d be renting a car and didn’t need to pay the added price tag of staying downtown within walking distance to everything, we opted for a nice hotel just 10 minutes from it all. The Steward did not disappoint. First things first, it was clean. No weird hotel carpet stains because there was none. The flooring was probably some form of engineered wood or vinyl and the sheets smelled crisp and clean-like they’d just been bleached. Yes! The hotel is family friendly and not gross. Sometimes I think the two can be confused in descriptions. I know kids are messy, but I don’t want to stay somewhere that feels like it’s been inhabited by littles. There was a pool and hot tub, which was a nice way to spend some downtime too. The lobby had chess. The outdoor swinging chairs had a homemade Jenga set. There was a firepit. And even though the hotel is on a main road with heavy traffic, it feels like a little oasis once you’re on the property. Also, gold star that we were able to all stay in one suite that had a bedroom and separate living room. It was definitely tight for six of us, but also a savings to not have to book two rooms.
Hopefully these recommendations are helpful if you decide to visit heaven, I mean Santa Barbara, with your family.
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