The last time my wife and I spent a weekend in Santa Barbara, we went all-out: a wedding dinner for 80 with an R&B group and three nights at the Four Seasons Resort Santa Barbara, among other extravagances. Of such nights are lifelong memories and long-term debt made.

With the bulk of the wedding party coming in from out of the area, we wanted a location that delivered the best that Southern California can offer. And without a doubt, Santa Barbara is that place.

Backed by the towering, almost purple Santa Ynez Mountains and fronted by a south-facing shoreline (the coast here runs west to east), Santa Barbara is blessed with one of the most striking urban settings anywhere in the world. Towering palm trees line its waterfront drive, Cabrillo Boulevard, and the most beautiful California mission looks out over the city from the hills near downtown. Compact and easy-to-navigate, the city also proved to be hassle-free for our guests — except for my college roommates, who managed to lose their rental car downtown one night.

Becky and I love Santa Barbara and were eager to get back. Our newfound fiscal responsibility gave us the impetus to search out bargains around town. And for all of Santa Barbara's glamour, you don't need to be Oprah (who I imagine isn't counting pennies at her nearby Montecito estate) to experience one of America's most distinctive cities. Go off-season midweek and you can enjoy three days for less than $400 — far cheaper than an ocean-view room at the Four Seasons.