With all the money we'd been saving, we considered buying breakfast at Esau's Coffee Shop, a State Street cheap-eats institution. Alas, it was difficult to beat the hotel freebie, so we eschewed Esau's.
The brown pelicans were out in force at Stearns Wharf, the city's Landmark pier, where we prowled the souvenir shops. One store carried a small picture frame featuring a dolphin driving an old Woody. We had yet to see that exact tableau, but this was Santa Barbara and the day was still young.
Armed with a two-for-one coupon (available at the Santa Barbara Visitor Center and local hotels), we walked to the harbor and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum ($5), a good spot for local nautical history, although I was most intrigued by the Jules Verne–style diving equipment. As the fog cleared, we carried out a turkey burger and fish tacos (we live for those things) from the Shoreline Beach Cafe ($17.57) to a beachfront picnic table.
Back downtown, I took Becky to the Moorish Santa Barbara County Courthouse (free) to admire its tilework and the cinematic 1930s murals of artist Dan Sayre Groesbeck. Then we headed over to one of the city's most amazing places, the Karpeles Manuscript Library and Museum (free). The documents ranged from a down payment for the Louisiana Purchase (talk about a good deal) to Handel's Messiah written out by Beethoven.
We then had time to catch the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market on State Street. It seemed that all of Santa Barbara was strolling the stalls, from stylish matrons to dreadlocked slacker dudes. We headed home $398.11 poorer but, as always, enriched by Santa Barbara.
DAY THREE
Hotel continental breakfast and pelican-watching on Stearns Wharf: FREECP]
Sail into Santa Barbara Maritime Museum on two-for-one admission: $5
Casual picnic lunch from the Shoreline Beach Cafe: $17
Architectural stroll through Santa Barbara County Courthouse: FREE
View a variety of historic documents at the Karpeles Manuscript Library and Museum: FREE
Veg out at Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market on State Street: FREE
Remaining change: $2
Total spent: $398
