Bacara sits on 78 acres of coastal bluff in Goleta, west of Santa Barbara, with the Santa Ynez Mountains behind it and the beaches below. It became a Ritz-Carlton in 2017. Its 358 rooms and suites are in low Spanish-style buildings set around courtyards and gardens, each with a patio or balcony, and the saltwater pools look out over the ocean.
The spa covers about 42,000 square feet, and there are several restaurants, including the Angel Oak steakhouse. Downtown Santa Barbara is a short drive east, and the Santa Ynez Valley is under an hour away over San Marcos Pass. Gray whales pass offshore from about December to April, and boats leave Santa Barbara harbor for whale watching and the Channel Islands.
Bacara suits families and couples who want a full-service resort with space to spread out. It is a large resort that hosts weddings and groups, so it can feel busy at weekends, and it is a drive from town rather than a walk. As along the rest of this coast, May and June mornings are often gray.
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara is a large oceanfront resort on the bluffs at Goleta, just west of Santa Barbara, set on 78 acres with beaches below and a large spa. It suits families and couples who want a full resort by the sea within easy reach of the town and the wine country.
The Bacara is a standout for its beach access. The beach below the hotel is generally deserted, and you can walk for miles.
The trade-off is the pool, which gets very crowded. This is an attainable Ritz-Carlton, and it fills up with weekenders from LA.
Marine life
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