Guidebook for Goleta
Essentials
This grocery store offers items that are predominately organic, local, etc. Great quality, fair price, but NOT the inexpensive option.
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Isla Vista Food Cooperative
6575 Seville RdThis grocery store offers items that are predominately organic, local, etc. Great quality, fair price, but NOT the inexpensive option.
Keg N Bottle - Santa Barbara
915 Embarcadero del MarAs good a beer selection as I've seen anywhere!
Go-to for inexpensive food, household items, and toiletries, within walking distance.
Isla Vista Market
939 Embarcadero del MarGo-to for inexpensive food, household items, and toiletries, within walking distance.
Parks & Nature
Walk or ride your bike to this beautiful beach. A great spot to catch the sunset and a well-known surf spot. Walk along the beach during low tide, or through IV to see what a beautiful and crazy place these undergrads live in.
Coal Oil Point
Walk or ride your bike to this beautiful beach. A great spot to catch the sunset and a well-known surf spot. Walk along the beach during low tide, or through IV to see what a beautiful and crazy place these undergrads live in.
See why UCSB is one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Also a good surf-spot for beginners.
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Campus Point Beach
Lagoon RoadSee why UCSB is one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Also a good surf-spot for beginners.
Beautiful beach where you can find some solitude and even build a bonfire. Lots of great walking/biking trails around here (we often bike here from our house).
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Ellwood Mesa
Cannon Green DriveBeautiful beach where you can find some solitude and even build a bonfire. Lots of great walking/biking trails around here (we often bike here from our house).
The best beach nearby for a bbq and horseshoes. There's also a playground for kids.
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Goleta Beach
5986 Sandspit RdThe best beach nearby for a bbq and horseshoes. There's also a playground for kids.
Food Scene
Among the best simple/affordable tacos in the Santa Barbra area (and that's saying a lot).
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Lilly's Taqueria
310 Chapala StAmong the best simple/affordable tacos in the Santa Barbra area (and that's saying a lot).
Great bread bowls and soups. Especially recommended because the guys who opened it are recent UCSB graduates who've put a lot of work into the place.
Buddha Bowls
901 Embarcadero del MarGreat bread bowls and soups. Especially recommended because the guys who opened it are recent UCSB graduates who've put a lot of work into the place.
Very good food and a couple excellent bars. Pricey, but my visits have been well worth it. There's often live music.
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Kimpton Goodland
5650 Calle RealVery good food and a couple excellent bars. Pricey, but my visits have been well worth it. There's often live music.
IV Bagel Cafe
6551 Trigo RdA popular breakfast spot with lots of tasty bagel options.
This is a burger chain that started in the Santa Barbara area, but has started to grow beyond California. Great burgers and sandwiches, sides, and shakes/malts, all at reasonable prices.
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The Habit Burger Grill
628 State StThis is a burger chain that started in the Santa Barbara area, but has started to grow beyond California. Great burgers and sandwiches, sides, and shakes/malts, all at reasonable prices.
CAJÉ
948 Embarcadero del NorteProbably the best coffee in IV, with good breakfast options.
Yes, it's in a strip mall, but it serves some of the best Thai food in the Santa Barbara area.
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Meun Fan Thai Cafe
1819 Cliff DrYes, it's in a strip mall, but it serves some of the best Thai food in the Santa Barbara area.
A tiny restaurant nestled within a market, this delicious Korean eatery is one of my go-tos.
Choi's Oriental Market
185 S Patterson AveA tiny restaurant nestled within a market, this delicious Korean eatery is one of my go-tos.
One of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the area. Try the rajas burrito! Lot's of good juices, as well.
El Sitio
102 S Fairview AveOne of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the area. Try the rajas burrito! Lot's of good juices, as well.
Goleta Bakery
5784 Hollister AveAn unassuming Mexican bakery. My choice for tamales.
Great coffee and the best cafe workspace in the area. Be sure to try the delicious empanadas!
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Old Town Coffee
5877 Hollister AveGreat coffee and the best cafe workspace in the area. Be sure to try the delicious empanadas!
Drinks & Nightlife
Mercury Lounge
5871 Hollister AveEclectic, intimate bar with good beer selection.
Low-key bar with excellent cocktails. Yes, it looks like a dump from outside, but don't let that fool you.
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The Imperial Lounge
320 S Kellogg AveLow-key bar with excellent cocktails. Yes, it looks like a dump from outside, but don't let that fool you.
This brewery may seem out of place amid small commercial warehouses, but I think they make some of the best beer in the entire Santa Barbara area.
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Captain Fatty's Brewery
6489 Calle RealThis brewery may seem out of place amid small commercial warehouses, but I think they make some of the best beer in the entire Santa Barbara area.
Getting Around
Santa Barbara Airport
500 James Fowler Rdcatch a flight or rent a car
Catch a bus that will take you to downtown Santa Barbara in 15 minutes.
UCSB North Hall Outbound station
Catch a bus that will take you to downtown Santa Barbara in 15 minutes.
Bus stop that will take you to the UCSB Bus Loop (from which you can catch all sorts of other buses), or to Goleta's main shopping area (Camino Real Marketplace).
Seville & Embarcadero Del Mar station
Bus stop that will take you to the UCSB Bus Loop (from which you can catch all sorts of other buses), or to Goleta's main shopping area (Camino Real Marketplace).
Shopping
Costco, Albertsons, Hollister Brewing Company, the movie theater, and lots of other stores and restaurants.
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Camino Real Marketplace
7004 Market Pl DrCostco, Albertsons, Hollister Brewing Company, the movie theater, and lots of other stores and restaurants.