Every once in a while, you find a place that combines all of your favorite things. For me, Santa Barbara is one of those places – local wines, spanish architecture & easy access by train. Toss in another one of my favorite things – going anywhere with my sister – and I am in heaven. I was in desperate need of some laughter, some wine, and some fun, so I persuaded my sister to meet me for an extended-weekend sister-retreat, in the iconic California coast town of Santa Barbara.

I travelled by train, and I’m glad I did. The train is an easy, efficient, and trouble free way to travel. I was so grateful to have skipped the drama and delays that can accompany air travel (my sister, she wasn’t quite so lucky!). Once we arrived, we walked everywhere, or we caught the electric trolley outside our hotel to go downtown and along the wharf. So no matter how you get there, enjoy, and then let someone else do the driving!

Our hotel, the Harbor View Inn, lived up to the expectations! The location cannot be beat, walking distance to the train station, across the street from the beach, and around the corner from wine tasting aplenty. Our room was spacious, and the welcome note and treat were much appreciated.

Day 1

Started with lunch at Metropulos Fine Foods. A small deli and market great for lunch, treats, and specialty items (oils, pastas, and of course, wine!). Everything from the deli looked fresh – I settled on the quinoa salad, served upon a bed of lettuce.

Dinner was at Lucky Penny. Outdoor only seating, casual, & relaxed – offering pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and coffees. Busy spot, and all of the neighboring restaurants were packed too. We shared the chicken salad sandwich and garden salad.

Day 2

We walked to Stearn’s Wharf, down the boardwalk, and along the beach to check out the weekly Sunday art show. We stopped for brunch at Jeannine’s, a big, beautiful, popular spot – mimosas, eggs, biscuits, and potato hash filled us up for the rest of the day.

We visited the courthouse, the public market, and we cruised down State street, taking a break at McConnell’s for an ice cream flight!

Pre-dinner wine tasting was at Santa Barbara Winery – great space & great wines! Then we headed to dinner at Brophy Bros, a super-popular spot in the harbor. It’s a casual but lively place, a good value with GREAT food. We shared the ceviche – so fresh, the chowder – so delicious, and the crab cakes entrée – so good!

Day 3

We had breakfast at D’Angelo’s Bakery – feasting on the cinnamon roll, poached eggs on olive bread with artichoke spread, and the matcha latte. Surprise added bonus, Julia Roberts and her family were having breakfast a few tables away!

Rain pushed us indoors for coffee and cider from French Press, a movie, and a pedicure. Then we used the weather as another excuse to duck inside to Intermezzo where we shared a grilled cheese, and enjoyed more local wine from Pence Ranch.

Dinner was at Palace Grill – serving Cajun/New Orleans/Caribbean dishes. It was an indulgent meal, with Alta Rosa wine, and a MASSIVE sampler platter of coconut shrimp, blackened catfish, New York steak, chicken tchoupitoulas, potatoes, rice, and veggies. Dessert was divine, bread pudding with whiskey cream sauce!

All of that was great, seriously great – the city, the hotel, the food, the beach – we loved all of it. But guess what, nothing was better than laughing with my sister.  When we are together, we laugh, a lot. It’s a deep, belly aching, make-up is running because your crying, laugh. My sister, as my very first friend in life, knows the background, the inside track, and the back-story to most of my jokes, and that makes everything funnier. We’re typically laughing at ourselves –  something we did, or shouldn’t have done. 

So no matter where you are or what town you’re in, rain or shine, home or away, laughing is a TRIP for the SOUL. In a nutshell, Santa Barbara was good to us – it was a good trip for laughs, it was good for our bellies & it was great for our souls!