The Manor Bar at Rosewood Miramar Beach resort in Montecito is a chic and inviting haven for enjoying cocktails in a luxurious setting. This elegantly designed candle-lit lounge boasts cozy alcoves adorned with leather couches, velvet chairs, and rich wood-paneled walls. In keeping with its literary theme, the cocktail menu features drinks named after classic works, including Rum Diary and A Clockwork Orange."

Don’t be fooled by the unassuming exterior of Silvers Omakase, opening Tuesday: the former Seven Bar & Kitchen space in the Funk Zone has been converted to a plush jewel box, the better to spotlight the cooking of chef Lennon Silvers Lee. A sense of theater is embedded throughout, starting at the entrance, where there’s a discreet sign, opaque windows, and a doorbell you have to push for entry. Act one takes place in a sitting room with art rotating in from the Greens’ collection. Once all of the patrons have arrived, the group is ushered into the main chamber, where a row of 10 seats face the chefs and a mountain mural by Kelly Claus, with artworks by Joan Rosenberg-Dent on either side.

The two-hour dining experience ($185, plus beverages, tax, and gratuity) is designed to offer Lee and his team maximum flexibility, with anywhere from 13 to 20 courses, depending on what’s available and in season.

The dreamy atmosphere of Plow and Angel Stonehouse at the San Ysidro Ranch is only elevated by an evocative menu, which is prepared with a host of herbs & vegetables harvested from the ranch’s garden. Every evening, the venue comes alive with the sultry notes of live music, making it the perfect place for those seeking an escape from the ordinary. Inspired by the clandestine bars of the Prohibition era, Plow & Angel Speakeasy revives the spirit of hidden indulgence. This exclusive enclave is where craft cocktails and one-of-a-kind spirits flow, wrapped in an atmosphere of seductive charm. Welcome to a world where secrets are whispered and memories are created.

Toast the sun as it sinks below the horizon of downtown Santa Barbara with a Crimson Rose Paloma from the newly opened Azul Cocina & Cantina, complimented by their divine selection of ceviche.

Executive chef Manny Diaz, co-owner of the newly opened Azul Cocina & Cantina, has introduced a new Mexican eatery in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. This charming space shares authentic Mexican cuisine with a modern contemporary twist, from shrimp & mango tostadas to wild mushroom tacos. “Azul Cocina & Cantina delivers Mexican cuisine and mixology with the finest locally sourced ingredients from Santa Barbara County,” says Diaz.

There’s no shortage of beautiful beaches spots to surf, sun-bathe, and relax in Santa Barbara, however, these are some of the most idyllic beach spots, often kept under wraps by locals.

Tucked away in the charming beach town, Carpinteria, Santa Claus Beach, is one of Santa Barbara’s lowkey sandy secrets, where you’ll find a dreamy stretch of soft white sand and clear blue water. Enchanting slopes of sand and elegant beach homes set the perfect ambiance for unwinding.

A 15 minute drive from downtown Santa Barbara to Summerland will bring you to Loon Point Beach, where towering cliffs, warm golden sand and a lack of crowds make it the perfect summer spot for a beach day. As you continue down a canyon path to this secluded shoreline, you’ll discover bare, untouched California beauty.

Hammond's Beach, in the Montecito village, has a quiet winding shoreline and clear blue waves making it a quintessential spot for surfing, especially as it is set against the picturesque backdrop of the Santa Barbara foothills. At lower tides, you can meander from Butterfly Beach and take in views of the Channel Islands and bordering meadows.

One of our favorites is located in the chic lower village of Montecito. Butterfly Beach is beloved amongst locals and visitors alike for its beauty and pristine shoreline. Its unique east-west orientation makes for truly spectacular sunrises and sunsets.

The allure of Santa Barbara is hard to miss when you’re weaving through the whimsical gardens at Lotusland and discovering over 3,000 native plants and flowers blooming there. Tucked away in the idyllic hillside of Montecito, Lotusland spans over 37 acres of lush gardens and exquisite architecture. The Garden is the former estate of opera singer and socialite, Madam Ganna Walska, who transformed the garden into thematic displays. As the Los Angeles Times describes, “Evidence of Walska’s art is everywhere—in surprising juxtapositions of form and playful shocks to our expectations. But Lotusland’s garden is not simply an eccentric fantasy, any more than Alice in Wonderland is just a children’s book. For Walska, plants were more than plants; they were colors to paint with, a family to nurture, characters to direct.”

You can experience Madame Ganna Walska’s vision firsthand as you tour Lotusland’s gardens, each one of them distinct in design while seamlessly transitioning to the next. Several of the gardens feature fanciful themes, an enormous array of plants, and historic architecture. You’ll spot ferns, aloes, lotuses, water lilies, bromeliads as well as several extraordinarily rare botanical collections, such as cycads, cacti, palms and euphorbias. Other must-sees include the classic topiary garden, horticultural clock and Neptune fountain, as well as the garden’s newest additions: a palmetum (palm collection) and insectary garden. Make a reservation in advance on their website: lotusland.org.

Austin seafood restaurant Clark’s Oyster Bar, which also has an outpost in Aspen, is taking over the former Cava space on Coast Village Road—and Jeff Shelton is redoing the buildings in his inimitable style.