I like to imagine these were written about our beautiful beachside home of Santa Barbara. If so (probably not), Brad, you shouldn’t have included seasonal limitations on your laid-back lifestyle. It’s time to expand your horizons because the livin’s easy almost year round here, making charming patios as essential to our city as flip flops are to our wardrobes. Add a happy hour to the mix and you’ve got a truly sublime pairing. 

Hilton Garden Inn Rooftop Bistro and Bar

Santa Barbara doesn’t have enough rooftop patios. I mean, we’ve really let The Kimpton Canary Hotel do a lot of the heavy lifting…until now. I bet you didn’t know about this Goleta rooftop gem right outside of Santa Barbara with its 360º views, cozy fireside couches, and twinkling bistro lights. The laid-back, warm setting is sure to provide solace from a long work day or be a start to an unforgettable evening. Get a few friends together and share a $12 carne asada flatbread or $15 artisanal cheese and charcuterie board. You won’t need to share drinks because at $6 each, you should be able to afford your own.

There’s something so relaxing about watching boats sway in the breeze and bob around in the ocean. Anchor Rose takes every advantage of its waterfront location on the Santa Barbara Harbor with upstairs and downstairs patio options. They both boast expansive views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains as well as excellent people and pooch watching, as the bustling path gets busy with those stepping out for a breath of fresh sea air. This is a perfect location to catch one of the American Riviera’s signature sunsets while sipping a $9 cocktail and munching on $10 fresh seafood snacks. 

Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone has become a thriving district replete with tasty, local restaurants like the renowned and popular Shalhoob’s. You can’t go too many places in this city without seeing this name and for good reason! It’s synonymous with quality and delicious food. The Funk Zone location is no exception, with a happy hour menu boasting half off ALL snacks, $12 handhelds, $4 beers and $5 wine selections. The patio has a fun vibe accompanied by a rustic ambience with converted barrels for smaller groups seated at the bar and giant, custom wooden tables for those who have more party people. Large planters add some greenery and cheerful, red umbrellas dot the scene providing much needed shade for your day drinking. If you can, plan to get there early because the line to order can take awhile.