Staff Picks Series: Sergio’s Santa Barbara Recommendations
Here at Hotel Santa Barbara we take pride in our Santa Barbara recommendations. Knowing the best spots in town for our guests to get an authentic Santa Barbara experience is an important part of our job.
Being conveniently located in the heart of Downtown means our guests have easy access to a wealth of great restaurants, sights, activities and cultural attractions. But that means our staff does too! So we went straight to the source and interviewed our staff to get their insider scoop of what to do, taste and see here in SB.
Sergio, Front Desk Agent
Years at Hotel Santa Barbara:2
What is your favorite restaurant within walking distance to the hotel?
Rusty’s Pizza downtown/funk zone location is my favorite. It is locally owned and is just three blocks away. They have a great lunch special; individual pizza, salad, and drink for $8.95. And there is a lighthouse museum located inside the restaurant!
What do you think makes Santa Barbara such a special place to live AND to visit?
Picturesque scenery, cultural diversity, and the architecture.
What do you recommend for a fun sightseeing tour or recreational tour of Santa Barbara?
I recommend a drive up State Street to Los Olivos Street, over Alameda Padre Serra (what the locals refer to as APS), down to the beach via Salinas Street, Old Coast Hwy to Montecito’s Butterfly Beach.
What are your top 3 favorite outdoor places in town and what you enjoy most about them?
- Mission Rose Garden – beautiful landscape with benches and a picnic area.
- Cabrillo Boulevard Bike Path – The waterfront bike path has 4.5 mi of paved roadway to walk/run/cycle.
- State Street – shopping, dining, and entertainment.
What’s your favorite building in SB?
The Santa Barbara Mission – Queen of the Missions and the only mission in California with two functioning bell towers.
How would you describe Santa Barbara in one word?
Picturesque
Check back every couple of weeks as we feature a different staff member and their favorite SB spots. Have questions about our Santa Barbara recommendations? Call 1-800-549-9869.
