I recently spent a few days in Northern California with my family and we had a full day stop in Santa Barbara before driving back down to LA. So here is a little overview of how our day went and how you can enjoy the city, even with just a few hours. 

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@topcityspots/video/7116221356269882670" data-video-id="7116221356269882670" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@topcityspots" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@topcityspots">@topcityspots</a> <p>A day out in Santa Barbara 🇺🇸</p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ ALMOST HOME - Mad Adix, Marc Steinmeier" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/ALMOST-HOME-6768784033171130370">♬ ALMOST HOME - Mad Adix, Marc Steinmeier</a> </section> </blockquote> 

Although we technically started the day a little outside of Santa Barbara, I would definitely still recommend this hike to the **Montecito Hot Springs**. It was a pretty simple walk but the end result was amazing - natural hot springs! However, I would probably recommend going as early as you can, since this isn't a secret spot and it was already pretty crowded by the time we arrived. But some morning exercise, a dip in the hot springs, and even a little meditation will set you up for a great day. 

Then we made our way into the main **Santa Barbara State Street**. A long street filled with endless shopping, restaurants, cafes, a little bit of everything. With an iced coffee in hand, I was ready to carry on the day. Going from one shop to the next, one cafe to the next, visiting local boutiques and stumbling upon live music performers, I can easily say I got my steps in that day. 

A final stop for the day was a delicious beach-side dinner at **Bluewater Grill**. We got lucky with the best table (in my opinion) on their terrace, giving us a beautiful view of the Santa Barbara waterfront. This was the perfect way to spend a summer evening, with a refreshing cocktail and seafood dinner. In case you were wondering, our dinner included:
- Drinks: Aperol Spritzer, Te-Killa Time, Cucumber Mojito
- Food: Calamari Fritti, Grilled Spanish Octopus, Gemelli Pasta with Shrimp & Sea Scallops

Although this barely covered the things to see and do in Santa Barbara, it was still a great way to spend a day out if you are in the area! 

How to spend a summer day in Santa Barbara 