Santa Barbara, located on California’s Central coast, has a great deal to offer the tourist (especially if you like bed and breakfasts that offer such five star luxuries as a built in spa service or breakfast in bed). These five star rated bed and breakfasts cater to the well heeled and are a cut above the usual mom and pop operations. Most of them are clustered near California’s Santa Ynez mountains, famous vineyards, five star restaurants and the Karpeles Manuscript Museum (that holds the original copy of the Declaration of Independence.)

In Santa Barbara proper there are many former stately residences in the historic section of the city.  Would you rather live in your own private cottage rather than stay in a stately mansions.  Many of the stately homes also have cottages that used to house the hired help.  Some hotels and B&B’s offer visitors an entire functional cottage.

One of the most famous of these Santa Barbara B & B’s is the Simpson’s Inn, which features fully outfitted cottages nestled among award winning rose gardens. You will feel like you have been transported to another world.

Another Inn that is well known for it’s cheap but affordable little cottages is the Secret Garden Inn which lives up to it’s name as all the cottages face into a beautiful green alcove with decorative tables and chairs. It is located right on Mission Street in downtown Santa Barbara close to all of the great shopping.

If you like the Spanish style of Villa and want to live right on the beach then try out the Brisas Del Mar. This is a mission stye place that has is just across the street from Pershing Park and the white sands of West Beach.

If you want to live in a standard beautiful motel for a few days then the Blue Sands fits the bill.  A combination of retro design with modern conveniences makes this a glamorous little place to stay.

There is plenty to see in beautiful Santa Barbara including a gorgeous coastline with a pounding surf, nature trails and many museums devoted to both English and Spanish colonial history. The museums, many of which are located within steps of Santa Barbara bed and breakfasts include The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (that contains an impressive collection of marble Roman statues) and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural Art (that has an exclusive shark exhibit and a Lizard Lounge.)  However you do not have to walk far from any B & B to see the real marine life as whale watching on the city’s shores is a popular pastime.