Things To Do
The Funk Zone
Action packed district of Santa Barbara loaded with shops, wine tasting rooms, breweries, and restaurants. The heart of Santa Barbara's fun area :)
State Street
The "Main Street" of Santa Barbara with a mile + of shopping, dining, entertainment, and built in markets. Great for walking / biking. Don't miss it during your stay in SB!
Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara
Take a stroll along the pier and take in the views and ocean breeze. There are many places to eat / shop along the way.
Old Mission Santa Barbara 1786
One of the famous Missions on the El Camino Real.
Tunnel Trailhead / Inspiration Point
This hiking trail starts at Tunnel Trail Head and will make for about a 3.5-mile roundtrip with views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands.
La Super-Rica Taqueria
Apparently Julia Child couldn’t get enough of this authentic no-frills Mexican place and took everyone she knew to eat here.
The Black Sheep "SB Brasserie"
French and Californian food near State Street famous for French Onion soup and great cocktails.
Toma Restaurant & Bar
Wonderful waterfront restaurant serving Italian classics.
Bluewater Grill
Seafood with a view in a great location between the Funk Zone and Stearns Wharf.
Bettina
Known for their fantastic wood-fired pizzas and cocktails.
The Stonehouse Restaurant
If you're looking for a place worth splurging for, try this upscale restaurant at San Ysidro Ranch. Be sure to make a reservation FAR in advance and keep an eye out for famous people as it has a history of hosting celebrities. Fun fact: JFK and Jackie O had their honeymoon on the grounds.
Solvang
A day trip from Santa Barbara with European flair. Great for browsing the shops and wine tasting.
Los Olivos
One of the coolest little towns in the Central Coast. Blink and you'll miss it. Lots of great wine tasting. Beware, everything closes by 6p.
Ventura Pier / Downtown Ventura
Very laid back pier and downtown area for shopping / dining on the way to Santa Barbara from LA.
Griffith Observatory
Affectionately known as Aaron's "bae", this art deco gem gives you amazing views of Los Angeles and a world-class show in the planetarium / museum. You can park near the Greek Theatre and shuttle up, fight for parking near the top, or add in a little exercise and hike up the canyon by starting near The Trails Cafe off Fern Dell and following the path up to the observatory (25 mins each way, slightly challenging, wear gym clothes).
The Getty Center
One of Aaron's favorite places in all of Los Angeles - priceless art from Vincent van Gough, Monet, Manet, Degas, Cezanne, Rembrandt, in an fantastic architectural setting with sweeping views of LA and the Pacific Ocean.
Redondo Beach Pier
If you're down in the South Bay, Redondo Beach has a great pier for shopping / dining. Manhattan and Hermosa Beach are great choices as well.
Venice Beach / Santa Monica Pier
VERY touristy, but iconic - for more laid back, go up to Malibu or down to Marina del Rey or the South Bay. Watch out for people handing you CDs ;)
Peterson Automotive Museum
Great spot for car enthusiasts
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Fantastic Japanese garden to walk through. Check out the Gamble House from Back to the Future on your way there.
Will Rogers State Historic Park
Great park near the Bloch's house with light difficulty hiking trails and great views of LA / Pacific Ocean.
Gilbert's El Indio Restaurant
One of Rachel's favorite Mexican places.
Casa Vega
One of Aaron and Rachel's favorite Mexican places - featured in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Westwood Village
In the UCLA area - nice little shops, cafes, and a famous theatre.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Fantastic works of Art in a place with a lot of photo ops.
Exposition Park
You can hit the Natural History Museum, CA Science Center, Rose Garden, and see the LA Colosseum where USC plays and the Olympics are/were held in one stop.
Chinese Theatre / Walk of Fame
Famous theatre that has hosted movie premiers since the '20s. It's great to see once in your life, but WARNING - this area is VERY touristy, and not at all a representation of Hollywood. For the Hollywood feel, try Rodeo Dr in Beverly Hills or the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.
Rodeo Drive / Beverly Hills
Not really Aaron or Rachel's daily scene but fun to see! Window shop or browse the super high end stores, or have lunch on the street at a cafe and watch all the fancy cars drive by :)
The Original Farmers Market / The Grove
Chris LeMire's favorite spot in LA - the market inside of the Grove has dozens of food options and shops as well as a full farmers market for grocery shopping. A great place to sit down and relax at a table while trying out the different types of food and people watching. You can also stroll around the outdoor mall area while being serenaded by crooner era music. The Grove is home of Rachel's favorite fountain in LA, make sure to watch the dancing water show! Pro tip: park near the top of the structure to get some pretty great views of the city :)
The Sunset Strip
Strip of Sunset Blvd from Crescent Heights to Beverly Hills famous for being the center of Los Angeles's music scene and the birth place of The Doors, Guns & Roses, Motley Crue, Poison, Def Leapord, Kiss, Metalica, Black Flag and many more. Notable places: Comedy Store - LA's most famous stand up venue and origin of countless comedians Chateau Marmont Whiskey a Go-Go Roxy Rainbow Book Soup Tenmasa Sushi Prince St Pizza State Social House
KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar
FANTASTIC hand rolls
SUGARFISH by sushi nozawa
Aaron and Rachel's favorite Sushi spot. Get the "Trust Me".
Moonshadows Malibu
Can not beat the atmosphere! Have lunch / dinner right on the ocean. Great oysters and martinis.
Wurstküche Restaurant Venice Beach
Amazing sausages, beer, and fries.
Musso & Frank Grill
Since 1919 - Old Hollywood haunt featured in countless TV episodes and movies and dined in by Hollywood stars and beyond for over a century.
In-N-Out Burger
Make sure you get one before you leave - go for the "animal style" fries or burger if you want to feel like a local :) Multiple locations - not just this one FYI
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
The best of the available Studio Tours, especially if you're a Friends fan.
Father's Office
Amazing burger / beer spot. Scene of one of Ken and Ellen's first dates. Browse the shops on Montana Ave after.
Universal CityWalk Hollywood
Touristy spot for fun before or after going to Universal Studios or just to hang out and browse / shop / people watch.