Where to Stay in Santa Barbara: The Goodland

Thank you to the Kimpton Goodland for the hospitality and for hosting our stay. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Your weekend called. Please send good music, good vibes, and a glass of wine, STAT.

I knew very little about Santa Barbara before this weekend. What I did know though, was that it was one of those places you just had to visit, like Temecula, San Diego, Joshua Tree, or Yosemite. We all have those local destinations that you can’t NOT visit if you live within driving distance, and in Southern California, Santa Barbara is definitely on that list. But, until now, the closest I’d ever been was Solvang, 2 Christmases ago, with my parents.

Then, 2 weeks ago my friend and I decided to take a much-needed girls’ trip up the coast for a short 2-hour road trip from LA to Goleta (Santa Barbara’s sister town, just outside of the downtown area). Since we left late after work on a Friday night, we were both dead-tired by the time we arrived.

That quickly changed once we saw where we’d be staying for the weekend.

Location

The Kimpton Goodland is a boutique hotel located in Goleta, CA, about 10 to 15 minutes from downtown Santa Barbara. There’s a bike path that leads you straight to the beach, and the hotel has bikes you can borrow so you can hit the surf without renting a car.

In the town of Goleta, not only are you close to Santa Barbara, you’re also situated by the University of California Santa Barbara campus, and the Santa Barbara Airport.

The Goodland Hotel Property

After my friend and I checked in, we navigated through the chic interiors, outdoor fire pits, poolside gatherings, and colorful walls to find our room.

The Goodland can best be described as boho surf chic, a coastal-inspired decor-lover’s dream, and everywhere you looked, you couldn’t help (for better or worse) but think, “wow, that would make a good Instagram post.” Our room, while a bit more understated than the loud, vibrant lobby decor, had all the right vibes to cozy up for the night.

The best part? Each room–every last one–is outfitted with your very own record player. Forgot your record collection at home? Don’t stress!–you can rent one from the lobby’s in-house vinyl library. This was my favorite feature of the entire stay by far! Full disclosure – not all of the vinyls are going to be in their best shape due to some wear and tear (I witnessed this firsthand when my friend literally threw an M83 vinyl onto the player after turning the turntable on, exclaiming “how do you get this thing to work??” while I tried to stop myself from laughing uncontrollably in horror), so you might get some scratchiness here and there. But luckily, all of the records in our room were in decent condition. 

We accentuated our mornings getting ready each day with loud jams showcasing all things old and new. You can just feel music 10x better when it’s on vinyl, don’t you think?

Food and Drink

Back in the lobby, imbibe in upscale coastal fare at the Outpost, or sip on your favorite drink at the GoodBar (“Who’s Your Daddy?,” a signature Goodland cocktail, was my personal favorite. When I see mezcal on a menu, I don’t look back).

And, remember how I told you this hotel was perfectly decked out for social media? All your Instagrammable efforts aren’t for naught, because in exchange for a post during your stay, the hotel will actually give you credit to cash in at their restaurant or bar!

That was just too good to pass up, so we went all-in on social media over the weekend, and we did it in the name of mac n’ cheese. Oh, and a couple more mezcal cocktails, obviously. This is the stuff dreams are made of. 

Things To Do

During the day, take a yoga class, hit up the pool or gym, borrow a bicycle to head down to the beach, or lounge around one of the many hotel’s laid-back, cozy hideouts.

Or, if you’re in need of a change of scenery, downtown Santa Barbara is just a 10-minute drive down the 101.

We spent our days driving around Goleta and exploring the shop- and wine-filled streets of Santa Barbara. Our nights were filled by snuggling up on the couches at the GoodBar, listening to music and taking things easy.

By all accounts, this was a much slower-paced weekend getaway than I am used to, since personally, I always try to jam-pack my trips FULL of sight-seeing and action. But the relaxed, beachy vibes of Santa Barbara really have a way of mellowing you out.

And honestly, we all need that once in a while, don’t we? So the next time you find yourself in Santa Barbara, head to the Goodland and pour yourself a glass, pick out your favorite tunes, and slow your roll for once in your life–if only for a moment.

Ready to pack your bags? Book your stay at the Kimpton Goodland here.

Book Activities In or Near This Hotel Here:

Read This Next:

• My Review of The Getaway House: A Tiny Cabin For Urban Dwellers
• Essential Weekend Guide to Santa Barbara
• A Guide to Los Angeles’s Best-Kept Secret: Palos Verdes

Pin For Later: