The Best Vacation Rentals to Book in Santa Barbara, California

When it comes to vacation rentals, Santa Barbara knows exactly how to please
When it comes to vacation rentals, Santa Barbara knows exactly how to please | Courtesy of Mira Vista Retreat / Booking.com
Abigail Blasi

A short drive northwest of LA, Santa Barbara is a breezy, sun-blessed town in California, squeezed between the Pacific and the verdant Santa Ynez Mountains. The location, cuisine and local wines are top-notch – and so are the luxurious vacation rentals. With fireplaces, outdoor dining and lush gardens, they’re as good for families as for groups of friends. In easy reach of soft sand beaches and the local surf scene, here are the very best vacation rentals Santa Barbara can offer, bookable on Culture Trip.

1. Beach Breakaway, for a family vacation by the beach

Homestay

Double bed and wooden headboard in a Beach Breakaway room
Courtesy of Beach Breakaway / Booking.com

A spacious beachside Santa Barbara vacation rental, this property has three bedrooms, neutral furnishings, an open fireplace and plenty of space in the communal areas. Outside, there’s a hot tub and a garden terrace dining area. It’s all in a great location, a short walk from white-sand Hendry’s Beach, and overlooked by a bluff. Los Padres National Forest is also an easy day trip.

2. Mira Visa Retreat, for mountain views and an outdoor hot tub

Homestay

Long sofa, soft chairs, table and chairs overlooking patio doors and mountains from a Mira Vista Retreat living area
Courtesy of Mira Vista Retreat / Booking.com

With pitched wooden ceilings and large plate glass windows overlooking snow-dappled mountains, this is a fabulous Santa Barbara vacation rental. Inside, there are exposed flagstone walls and long sofas with cushions the color of Delft china. Outside, there are large armchairs, a hot tub, a long dining table and a barbecue, all overlooking manicured lawns. You’re also within an easy drive of the beach and the mountains.

3. Big Ocean View Retreat, for lofty ocean views

Apartment

Single bed in a Big Ocean View Retreat room, facing a TV and open doors to an ocean-view terrace
Courtesy of Big Ocean View Retreat / Booking.com

Decked out in neutral shades, this spacious one-bedroom apartment lives up to its name, with expansive views of the Atlantic from its lofty, palm-fringed vantage point. The glass bedroom doors open onto the terrace, so you can gaze at the water from the comfort of your queen bed. The large terrace is equipped with a table and chairs, so you can enjoy your meals al fresco with a side of ocean panoramas. There are polished wood floors, a wood-lined kitchen and an arched ceiling, adding a little drama to the airy space.

5. Modern Serenity, for proximity to a sheltered beach

Homestay

Large bed and overhead fan in a Modern Serenity room; there are doors to a garden with shaded seating
Courtesy of Modern Serenity / Booking.com

Large sliding doors open onto lush green lawns at this well-appointed vacation home with three bedrooms and two baths, blond-wood floors and a subtle color palette. The kitchen has stone worktops that extend into a breakfast bar beneath brass lanterns. Outdoors, there’s a dining table big enough for your entire family, plus shaded seating on the terrace for long, lazy summer days. Here in Montecito, a tranquil neighborhood just to the east of downtown Santa Barbara, you’re a five-minute walk from the sheltered Butterfly Beach and a longer stroll away from East Beach.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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