<p>Reporting back in, we ended up leaving SoCal early enough to make it to Santa Barbara by late afternoon. We considered the Cliff House Inn but the reviews online ranged from iffy to awful, so we decided to play it a little safer. The B&B in Santa Ynez was booked (looked nice though). We ended up at the Casa Del Mar in Santa Barbara - a block off the beach, and a very good off-season, last-minute rate of around $100/night. The room was small but clean and quiet. Wine & cheese in the lounge was ok, we’d hoped for some Central Coast wines but they weren’t offered. An ok place to stay, especially for the price.</p>