The Perks of a Midweek Visit
5 Reasons to Book Your Next Stay Monday through Friday
We often get asked about the best time to visit Santa Barbara and our hotels. Santa Barbara's Mediterranean climate offers attractive weather year-round, so there is truly no "bad" time of year or off-season. As a result, weekends are always busy and buzzing here on The American Riviera. So, one of the best insider tips we can offer is to plan a visit midweek, when you'll be able to stretch your budget further and tap into all sorts of perks. Here are 5 reasons to time your next Santa Barbara vacation Monday through Friday:
Lower Room Rates: Hotel room rates are driven by demand, and since that generally softens midweek, you'll find lower rates when booking stays Sunday through Thursday nights. And given post-pandemic business travel is predicted to take longer to come back, we are expecting our fall and winter midweek rates to be very enticing for guests going into 2022. Click here to browse rates by dates at our four properties. And consider our "Four Days and Three Nights in Paradise" package for even greater savings.
Smaller Crowds: While Santa Barbara always offers abundant open spaces to easily social distance, you will find even more "elbow room" during the week. From the shops on State Street, cultural attractions, and restaurants to the beaches, bike paths, and hiking trails, crowds thin out midweek giving you the sense of having the town to yourselves.
Live Like a Local: Midweek makes for a great time to get into the rhythms of local life, be it taking a sunrise jog along the waterfront, sipping coffee and catching up on emails in a neighborhood café, or shopping the vibrant Tuesday Farmers' Market downtown on State Street. You can take advantage of midweek happy hours at local bars and restaurants and special events like the 1st Thursday art walk, which takes place the first Thursday of every month.
More Restaurant Availability: Santa Barbara is a prime destination for foodies in search of memorable meals and creative seasonal fare. When you visit midweek, you won't have to compete for restaurant reservations at the newest hot spots and classic favorites, and can even luck out with walk-in availability if you don't book ahead. That said, please note that some restaurants close on Mondays and/or Tuesdays, so do your research ahead of time if there's somewhere you are keen to try and time your visit accordingly. See Visit Santa Barbara's guides to the best restaurants and new eateries for dining inspiration.
Lower Airfares: If you are flying into The American Riviera, airfares tend to be lower Monday through Thursday, too. Santa Barbara Airport offers nonstop service to Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The airport is only 10 minutes away from our beach and downtown hotels, and Best Western Plus Santa Barbara offers a complimentary airport shuttle service.