Looking to escape to Santa Barbara for the weekend? Here's how to enjoy your summer by living like a local!

Spending the summer is Santa Barbara typically means spending your whole day outside whether thats walking the old spanish streets of downtown or having family bbq's on the patio. For those longer weekends like Labor Day weekend, there are so many things to do.

TRY ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION!

Mix up your getaway weekend by taking the train! I love taking Amtrak's Surfliner up and down the California Coast. It takes a little longer than driving but you don't have to worry about traffic (or infuriating drives) and you can relax, read, write, take 1000 pictures and enjoy a bottle of wine ;)

VISIT OUR LOCAL CRUSH!

I cannot get enough of Crush Cakes! In the last 4 years, Crush Cakes has had a meteoric expansion as being the place to go for brunch and cupcakes now with not 1 but 4 locations! Every time I visit Santa Barbara I have to stop by for either brunch or for their killer dirty Chai's. Hands down the best velvety Chai I've ever had (For all you LA peeps, they use Intelligentsia). Their cupcakes are a work of art, from their "Red Velvet" to "Peace Cake" you almost don't want to have your cake and eat it too! Lastly, Crush Cakes kills it in the brunching department. My go-to is the Lucky Goat Burrito. They jam pack it goat cheese awesomeness and it is everything.

EXPERIENCE THE SB WELLNESS SCENE!

Santa Barbara leads the pack when it comes to living a health-centric life and The Juice Ranch is Santa Barbara's locally owned cold-pressed juice shop. Whether you swear by your detox juicing regime or you simply want a refreshing pick-me-up in the summer holiday, Juice Ranch offers a variety of col-pressed juice flavors as well as wellness shots. I love fresh ginger so I always get Johnny 5 Alive,it hits the spot and is a great way to boost your immue system if you are sick! Its made from apple . lemon . ginger . cayenne.

FEELING LUCKY?!

Lucky Penny is part of a restaurant group that is taking over Santa Barbara and are part of the reason that The Funk Zone is what it is today. It is a cafe that serves great food and even greater coffee. They have a small interior where you order, but their patio has school yard styled picnic tables with a hanging succulent garden and umbrellas. Lucky Penny's parent restaurant is the Lark, which it backs up to. Their business model is based on locally sourced farm-to-table which an emphasis on the food. If you are out for lunch or want to meet up with friends, Lucky Penny is great to chat over a cup of coffee or order their delicious pizza or sandwiches.

FEED THE GIRAFFES AT THE SANTA BARBARA ZOO!

Giraffes are my favorite animals and for a whopping $15 YOU can feed them too! Having grown up choosing the SB zoo for almost every birthday party activity, I love it but the Giraffe Feeding Experience is new and worth it! We got to feed George, the alpha male of the group who, according to the zookeeper, has a bottomless stomach. As my sister, boyfriend, and I stood in line behind a mother and her 3 year old daughter, it was fantastic to see the focus George had on the handful of lettuce in the little girl's hands. She kept waving the lettuce just out of reach of George's massive tongue both in timidness and excitement. George, you are truly a patient one and I love you! Gemina FUN FACT: Santa Barbara Zoo was famous for housing the Crooked Necked Giraffe: Gemina. Born that way, she lived a long and healthy life and gained national attention for her birth defect.

A GOOD OLE FASHIONED MONTECITO BBQ!

Montecito BBQ BBQ in Santa Barbara What I love most about Montecito, is that is tucked up into the Riviera hillside and feels like a retreat with all the sycamore trees and plant life around. This past weekend, my sister came to visit and we decided to have a good 'ole fashioned family BBQ. My mother and sister are known for their entertaining and hosting skills down to the last fork and candle. No detail is ever overlooked, not to mention my sister rocks it as a grill master.

WANT TO EAT OUT ON THE TOWN? CHECK OUT MY FAVORITE GRINDS!

Zaytoon

Zaytoons is my favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara (Voted Best Mediterranean Restaurant by John Dickson's Santa Barbara Restaurant Guide) The have among the best outdoor patios in all of SB. The restaurant doubles as a hookah lounge and the patio is filled with large round tables, each with a gorgeous fire pit in the center. As a vegetarian, I always go for the Vegetarian Feast (too much food for one person, you will need a buddy to share with) and get a bunch of tapas style Mediterranean dishes. For all you meat lovers out there, I hear the lamb shawarma is excellent :)

CHECK OUT THE FAMOUS TURTLES OF LA ARCADA

La Arcada is a charing historic Spanish tile-lined arcade. It is most famous for the statutes that have been there since before I was born. You have your iconic Santa Barbara Dolphins, the bronze Ben Franklin, the window washer still trying to get out the pesky stain, and the large courtyard fountain that houses a dozen turtles. Many boutique shops also fill the arcade with lots of local and classic Santa Barbara memorabilia.

FINISH OFF YOUR NIGHT WITH A WALK!

I spent a lot of my life living in Romero Canyon and walking "up the road" leads to peaceful and scenic views of Montecito. Romero Canyon Hike is on of the more well-known hiking spots in Santa Barbara, and I absolutely recommend it but when you don't have the time for the 3 hour hike up and down the mountain, walking to the base of the trail is a relaxing post-dinner activity. There are gorgeous vista views but mostly it just reminds me that I'm home.