Santa Barbara is the perfect small beach town for relaxing and soaking up California history. It’s on the coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles, so it makes a good stopping place if you are on a road trip. The city greets so many tourists, and it offers a confusing array of hotels. In hopes of recommending a place to you, I chose to stay at the Mason Beach Inn on a recent visit, and it proved to be an ideal choice. 
My pleasant first impression of the Mason Beach Inn was that it fits into the Santa Barbara style of Spanish architecture, with white stucco buildings with tile roofs. Palm trees and other greenery surround the hotel. A patio with colorful umbrellas provides a place to relax outside your room. 
The rooms are spacious in this boutique hotel. Our suite had a living area with a sofa, desks in both rooms, and a kitchen area with a microwave, sink, and Keurig coffee maker. The refrigerator in our room was welcome, as we like to pack food for lunches and snacks whenever we travel. 
All of the rooms have new 55-inch televisions.
A breakfast of bagels and sweet rolls, yogurt, and fruit — and coffee, of course — is served in the airy lobby. We opted to sit outside, as the morning was warm and sunny.
Once we checked in and then set out to explore, we found the Mason Beach Inn just right as a base for our stay. It’s a short block from the harbor, on a quiet residential street. The neighborhood is central yet quiet, and we met locals out walking their dogs. We spent an entire afternoon walking along Fisherman’s Walk, the breakwater, and then the beach. We ended up at Stearns Wharf for dinner.
For location, home-away-from-home ambience, and quiet relaxation, the Mason Beach Inn proved an excellent choice. I would gladly return here. 
And if you’re looking for a place to visit on a road trip or a weekend getaway from Los Angeles or San Diego, Santa Barbara offers a beach, a harbor, a wharf, a bustling downtown, wineries, a zoo, a botanical garden, hikes on the foothills, and lots of palms. It truly is a gem of a small town. 
Disclosure: Exploring Our World was welcomed as a guest at the Mason Beach Inn. As always, all opinions are my own.
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7 Comments
What a lovely weekend get-away, Sharon. Have been in Santa Barbara and Solvang several times, but never headed out to harbor and the beach! Great to know for a next time we are there! Thank you for sharing this with All Seasons! Have a fun week!
What a lovely place!
Colored umbrellas and a flower garden! I felt “at home” instantly as you shared your stay here. Then when you took us to the near-by harbor I felt instantly relaxed as I saw the reflection of the boats in the water. Thank you for sharing your tips. I’ll know where to go when I’m in Santa Barbara.
What a great hotel!!
That looks a my kind of place to stay at. You surely had a great outing in the backdrop of the lovely looking landscapes.
The Mason Beach Inn looks like it’s the perfect location to explore! I love that it’s interwoven with local life and in a quieter neighborhoood. These are the exact types of places I like to stay in order to feel like I’m integrating into the local life.
That harbor looks like such a fun place to explore! And the inn looks cute! How nice that they welcomed you as a guest for review purposes! <3 What a fun excuse to get away for a night!