Santa Barbara California, a Weekend Getaway with Your Dog
Tuesday, October 10th, 2017
Santa Barbara is a wonderful beach town, isolated 90-minutes north of the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, and around 4 and a half hours south of the San Francisco Bay Area. The area is popular for its California central coast wines and nice beach weather. If you are a dog owner that likes to travel, Santa Barbara offers some dog friendly hotels and restaurants, as well as parks and beaches. Go to VoyageMonkey.com Travel for the best hotel accommodations, flights and car rentals.
The Fess Parker Hilton caters to dogs up to 75 lbs. (wink, wink). Dogs are greeted at the door with a dog biscuit and cool water. They give your dog a greeting package that includes: a dog room service menu; info on the hotel’s dog friendly restaurant (The Set); and, a list of local dog friendly restaurants, attractions, and dog information. All the hotel staff are super friendly to your dog, and you. The hotel is across the street from the beach, just south of State Street and Sterns Wharf. It is a prime location for walking the town with your dog.
State Street is the town’s “Main Street” that starts at the beach and runs inland. The street is lined with restaurants, bars, shopping and entertainment. There are several places you’ll find to dine with your dog on a patio, and many of the stores allow you to bring your dog inside. The Paseo Nuevo shops on State Street has some dog friendly shops. Sterns Wharf is a historic pier at the end of State Street, with a few shops, restaurants, and eateries. You’ll find an eatery or two like the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company that have dog friendly picnic benches on the pier. Dog friendly restaurants within a short walk from Sterns Wharf include the Santa Barbara FisHouse and the original Sambo’s (both across from the beach).
There are several beachfront parks along the water front where your dog can walk on some grass and meet other dogs. If you drive north a couple miles you’ll get to Arroyo Burro Beach Park (Hendry’s Beach at the Boat House Restaurant). This is a popular beach for dogs. Dogs need to be on leashes. If you want to let your dog off leash, the adjacent Douglas Family Preserve allows it. The preserve has great hiking paths and ocean views. Another popular dog beach is Summerland Beach to the south. The Summerland Beach Café is dog friendly. The Santa Barbara Botanical Garden is also a dog friendly attraction that gets you and your dog outdoors.
Hotels get busy in the summer, so plan ahead. Cruise Ships visit Santa Barbara regularly during Spring through Fall. You can check the City’s cruise ship visit schedule online to avoid the cruise days and crowds. If you have a dog small enough to fly, Santa Barbara does have an airport with flights to and from a few larger hubs, like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
If you need travel reservations for convenient flights and hotel accommodations to any destination, visit VoyageMonkey.com Travel, or call us at 650-368-6192. You can book online or call our travel consultants who can assist you in planning your getaway.