Santa Barbara – Back at America’s Riviera

After a few days in Los Angeles, we head north – along the coast, past eucalyptus trees, beaches, and familiar names. Our destination: Santa Barbara. A place we’ve visited twice before – and one that left such a lasting impression, we wanted to see it again. This time, we’re staying for one night and realize: even favorite places change. Or we do. Perhaps both.

Classic coastal California – where palm trees meet the Pacific.

Charm and Shadows

While the Pacific sparkles to our left in the winter sun, the charred tree stumps on the right still remind us of the devastating Thomas Fire that struck this region a few years ago.

“True forest will only return about 80 years after a wildfire,” an ecologist told us back then. The skeletal trees reaching into the sky – silent, yet powerful – show just how slow healing in nature can be.

 

Our Stay: Beautifully located – with tight quarters

We booked a room at the Simpson House Inn – a lovingly restored Victorian home with a beautiful garden and an impressive facade. From the outside: absolutely charming. The welcome is warm, the atmosphere calm.
But once we step inside the main house, it’s clear: the charm is real, but space is limited. The staircase is steep and narrow, the hallway tight – and our room at the end of the corridor surprisingly compact.

The bathroom is closet-sized, with a sink built into the room itself – small, but functional.
To breathe freely, we take our luggage up to the rooftop terrace. Which is, by the way, the loveliest part of the room.

A quiet garden, a historic house – the Simpson House Inn welcomes with charm and character.

Breakfast with a side of disappointment

The much-praised “gourmet breakfast” gives us hope – but only briefly. My softly-boiled egg arrives hard – and doubled. Reinhold’s sunny side up eggs are flipped and overdone. The French press coffee is good – but costs extra.
We were looking forward to a delicious start to the day. It stayed a hope.

Beautifully served – but definitely overcooked.

A Cityscape in Transition

We head back out and walk down State Street, Santa Barbara’s main drag. Some small shops are still there, others have disappeared. That flashy boutique I shopped at a few years ago is gone. Some storefronts are empty, cafés sparsely visited. The charm is still there – just slightly faded.

Still: the view from the pier across the coastline is as beautiful as ever. The huge Moreton Bay fig tree by Highway 101 remains – over 140 years old, standing peacefully in its shade.

 

State Street – still charming, but not quite as lively as we remembered.

Ending with Bratwurst

We wrap up with a visit to Hoffmann Brat Haus. Reinhold dares a bratwurst hot dog with sauerkraut – a culinary leap of faith. I stick with the non-alcoholic wheat beer. It was the better choice last time, too.

Beer, Bratwurst and a touch of German Americana in Santa Barbara.

Conclusion? Layered.

Santa Barbara remains a special place. Even if it’s changed. Even if we’ve changed. Sometimes, seeing a place again isn’t quite the same as finding it again. And still: we’ll be back – maybe not to the same room.

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Some Practical Tips?

• A walk down State Street in the morning is lovely – quiet, shady, and great for photos.
• Our favorite bench: under the huge Moreton Bay fig tree near Highway 101.
• Breakfast idea: Backyard Bowls – healthy smoothie bowls, much better than any hotel egg.
• Parking tip: Chapala Street Parking Lot – central and free for the first 75 minutes.