The SB Post

Sipping on Santa Barbara’s Urban Wine Trail

Many locals don't even know about the excellent selection of wine tasting rooms located in downtown Santa Barbara, which are definitely worth checking out. So consider yourself in-the-know. The Urban Wine Trail is ideal for visitors who don't have the time to drive to wine country but want to taste superb local wines, or want to mix wine tasting in with a day at the beach, exploring museums and shopping downtown. The Urban Wine Trail is a perfect place for those new to tasting to dip a toe into the world of wine because pretension and snobbery are absolutely not on the menu!

From the classic vibe of Santa Barbara Winery to the laid back, surfboard-adorned Jaffurs Wine Cellars, these tasting rooms are relaxed, welcoming and, at times, quite lively. Wineries like Carr and Oreana put on the occasional after-hours event featuring live music or film screenings, so you can rub elbows with locals and get a dose of culture with your vino. You'll want to linger in the fresh, modern atmosphere of neighboring hot spots, Kunin Wines and Municipal Winemakers, located in the Funk Zone neighborhood by the beach. And you can taste several different local wines at The Alliance, which also offers the added benefit of the Wine Cask Bar Café menu if you crave a bite to eat.

Check out the map and listings for the full line-up of wineries-each has a distinctive personality, atmosphere and offerings. You can also pick up a map at any of the wineries or at the Visitor Center.

Most of the eleven tasting rooms are located within easy walking or biking distance of each other, and accessible via public transportation. If you're on foot/bike, they'll even arrange to have any wine you purchase delivered to your hotel for you. Prefer to let someone else do the driving? Book a tour with Captain Jacks, or put an eco-friendly spin on it and let someone else do the pedaling on an SB Pedicab tour.

Tasting room staff are a great resource for restaurant recommendations and insider tips, so don't be shy about tapping into their local knowledge. And know your chances of meeting a winemaker or two are pretty great, as most of these are boutique, hands-on operations.

Happy tasting!