Santa Barbara · Backpacking
ON A BUDGET
Small, flat along the front, and cheaper than its reputation if you stay near the train station.
Lower State and Funk Zone
The budget beds sit at the bottom of State Street near the station, which puts the beach, the wharf and the tasting rooms within ten minutes on foot.
What a day costs
Bed 45–70 USD, food 20–40, and almost nothing on transport — the waterfront shuttle costs small change and the town is walkable.
Getting around cheap
MTD runs electric shuttles along the waterfront and State Street for a fraction of a normal fare, and the Pacific Surfliner train runs up and down the coast.
Free by day
The county courthouse opens its clock tower for nothing and looks over the whole town, East Beach and Butterfly Beach are open, and the Sunday craft show lines Cabrillo Boulevard.
Where travellers meet
The Funk Zone tasting rooms between the station and the sea, where the pours are small, the crowd is mixed and nobody minds a solo traveller.