Best of Santa Barbara® 2024
By Tyler Hayden
Photos by Ingrid Bostrom
October 17, 2024
Find more Best of Santa Barbara® 2024 winners here.
Bicycle Shop
Velo Pro Cyclery
This year, Velo Pro Cyclery is celebrating four decades as Santa Barbara’s oldest, independent, family-owned bike shop. To mark that major milestone, they’re releasing new shirts and cycling kits made in collaboration with artist DJ Javier, arguably one of the hottest young talents in town. What else can customers expect for 2025? “We will also be hosting more community events, in addition to our weekly Friday-morning rides,” said manager Matt Peterson. “Most of all, our customers can look forward to another year of top-notch service at the friendliest bike shop in town.”
Runner-Up: Open Air Bicycles
Campground
El Capitán State Beach
How could this slice of paradise get any better? Kate Wilson with State Parks explains: “The El Capitán State Beach Entrance Road Project is scheduled to begin in December 2024 to improve public safety, coastal access, and environmental sustainability.” That means removing the fish barrier along El Capitán Creek, she said; widening the entrance road and rehabbing the pavement; replacing the existing culvert with a new bridge; and making the entrance kiosk and trails more accessible. The beloved state beach is also updating its General Plan, which will guide operations for years to come. “Your feedback is essential to shaping the future of these parks!” said Wilson. To take the survey, visit ecrgplanupdate.com/participate.
Runner-Up: Cachuma Lake
Dance Studio
Santa Barbara Dance Arts
“We look out for each other, we celebrate all the blessings life brings, and we lift each other up when it gets hard,” said Santa Barbara Dance Arts director Alana Tillim about what makes their staff so special. “This naturally extends to our students and families. Dance lessons truly teach life lessons, and we become a part of the fabric of their lives, especially when kids spend over a decade growing up on stage in our program.” SBDA has re-partnered UCSB Arts & Lectures, Tillim was excited to announce, and recently linked up with the nonprofit Move with Purpose, whose Leadership Academy offers teens the chance to become paid dance teachers.
Runner-Up: State Street Ballet Academy
Fitness Program
RiseUp Fitness
“The team at RiseUp Fitness is composed of people who want to see you leave the studio stronger, healthier, and happier every day, week, and year,” said Addie Clarke, who co-founded the program in 2018 and “rised” to the top of this competitive category for the first time this year. “Our owners and trainers come from a variety of fitness backgrounds, and use the lessons they have learned to enrich both their training and their connection with our members,” she said. Those connections clearly make a difference. “I love the community and workouts at RiseUP,” said member Laura S. “Inclusive and supportive environment!” echoed Sarah G.
Runner-Up: Bond Fitness
Golf Course
Sandpiper Golf Club
What do players like best about Sandpiper Golf Club, which lines the bluffs just west of Elwood? “Beautiful ocean views,” said nominator September R. “Best sunset views,” said Grace B. “Incredible ocean view and great lessons,” said Angela S. You get the idea. Often compared to Monterey’s famed Pebble Beach, Sandpiper was designed by renowned golf course architect William F. Bell and has hosted several professional events, including the final stage of the PGA Tour’s Q-School and the LPGA Tour’s Santa Barbara Women’s Open. Well before that — from 1938 to 1954 — the property was a site for ARCO crude oil production.
Runner-Up: Santa Barbara Golf Club
Health Club
Santa Barbara Family YMCA
“My experience at the YMCA has been exceptional,” Indy reader Audrey G. attested, name-dropping Kristine and Fay as “fantastic instructors.” “The staff really care and are welcoming to everyone.” Stephanie C. said she appreciated the “great location, great equipment, and clean, spacious facilities.” “Thank you very much,” said Executive Director Craig Prentice. The 140-year-old club always strives to provide a “safe and inclusive environment” so that everyone who walks through their doors “feels a sense of community.” The kids feel it, too. “Best preschool!” said Jean S.
Runner-Up: Swell Athletic Clubs
Hiking Trail
Inspiration Point
With all the great trail options out there, this 3.5-mile, there-and-back route still stands above the rest, both literally and figuratively. The creek crossings, occasional scramble, and patchy shade make it a moderately challenging hike with a major payout at the end: an uninterrupted panorama of our slice of coast with cars crawling silently along, Storke Tower like a Lego piece in the distance, and the oil rigs, seen from above, a lot closer to shore than you think. Parking can be difficult, so get there early and be respectful of the neighbors, because our trails can get crowded, as reader Megan I. points out: “I choose to nominate Inspiration Point because I don’t want to call attention to another trail that is already too popular.”
Runner-Up: Rattlesnake Canyon Trail
Martial Arts Studio
Paragon Academy
It’s right there in the name — “paragon”: a model of excellence. And the proof is in the pudding; the martial arts studio, with locations in Santa Barbara and Goleta that teach boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling, has been voted the best for the sixth year in a row. “Our understanding of the word ‘team’ is what sets us apart,” Paragon’s leaders said. “Knowing we are in this together, everyone putting their best foot forward,” especially when it’s aimed at an opponent. In addition to producing a number of world-champs in recent years, the studio offers a robust Kids & Teens Program. “The kids’ coaches are super attentive,” said nominator Kelly G.
Runner-Up: Santa Barbara Dojo
Outdoor Gear Store
Place to Get Athletic Gear
REI
The staff at REI aren’t salespeople. They don’t need to be. Their massive selection of top-quality gear sells itself. Instead, they advise and guide, steering customers toward that perfect piece of equipment with knowledge and patience that’s hard to find anywhere else. “It has been, and continues to be, our honor to serve the wonderful Santa Barbara community,” said manager Shane McGlynn, whose team frequently partners with local nonprofits like the Wilderness Youth Project “to be stewards of the outdoors for all.” “Thank you so much for the continued support,” he said.
Runner-Up (Outdoor Gear Store): Mountain Air Sports
Runner-Up (Place to Get Athletic Gear): Big 5 Sporting Goods
Pilates Studio
Fit Buddha
“At Fit Buddha, our fitness and wellness modalities are intended to provide effective, efficient, sustainable answers to life’s challenges,” said co-founders Marcus and Eva Kettles. “We invite you on a path that takes you on a personal journey of evolution to live a more empowered life that is in harmony and balance within you and around you.” Their method combines various fitness programs with spiritual awareness classes “to serve the next evolution of your body temple, your mental clarity, and your spiritual focus,” they said. “At Fit Buddha, you’ll find a genuine, loving team of caring professionals that inspire and empower you to leap into a stronger, more confident, and more balanced inner experience of self.”
Runner-Up: Club Pilates
Place to Play Pickleball
Municipal Tennis and Pickleball Center
sbparksandrec.santabarbaraca.gov
Why are the city courts along Old Coast Highway the top spot in all of Santa Barbara to play some pickleball? Recreation Supervisor Jeff Smith explains: “The Municipal Tennis and Pickleball Facility offers eight tennis courts and 16 pickleball courts for public use year-round from 8 a.m. to dark,” he said. “Adult player fees are purposely kept low, and youth 17 years and under play for free.” Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation offers after school tennis clinics, summer camps, holiday camps for youth, year-round pickleball clinics, and pickleball leagues for adults.
Runner-Up: Swell Athletic Clubs
Surf Shop
Channel Islands Surfboards
If you grew up in Santa Barbara, or ever set foot on a surfboard, then you know about Channel Islands Surfboards and how revered they really are. “Since 1969, Channel Islands has been operating in the Funk Zone, pumping out the best surfboards in the world,” said manager Evan Gambetta, who picked up his first CI surfboard, a Flyer F, at age 14. He now favors the Happy and Neckbeard 2. “The store is iconic, and the legacy Al and Terry Merrick have built will live on forever,” Gambetta promised. “From the entire staff at CI, we want to thank you for voting us Best Of!”
Runner-Up: Surf N’ Wear Beach House
Swimwear Store
Bikini Factory
Since 1965, Summerland’s Bikini Factory has been in the business of two things: selling swimsuits and making women feel good about themselves. Next to each dressing-room mirror hangs a sign. “The first rule in body appreciation is not to knock it!” it reads. “Do not stand in front of the mirror berating the bad points. Do stand in front of the mirror praising the good parts.” As well-versed as they are in today’s trends, the staff are just as knowledgeable about what pieces work best for different body types. And their stock of bikinis, tankinis, and one-pieces run the gamut from ultra-chic to über-practical. “This fabulous store is an icon in our community!” said supporter Randi R. “I’ve been a fan for 20 years and still going strong. All the girls there are amazing.”
Runner-Up: Surf N’ Wear Beach House
Tennis Club
Santa Barbara Tennis Club
“This place really feels like home,” wrote Avery C. recently. “It’s tucked away in the hills, which gives it a really peaceful vibe.” The courts are well-maintained, the members are friendly, and the staff treats you like family, he said. “It’s a great place to come relax and just enjoy yourself. Plus, the food is great, the gym keeps getting better and better, and they even just got a cold plunge.” Home to some of the region’s best competitive and club players, Santa Barbara Tennis Club also hosts a number of events throughout the year, including the men’s 50 Hard Court National Championships, Rally for the Cure, and the Special Olympics.
Runner-Up: Swell Athletic Clubs
Yoga Studio
CorePower Yoga
Cara Ferrick, co-owner of CorePower’s S.B. location, gave all the credit to her instructors for making their studio a regular Best Of winner. “Every single one of them is committed to making peoples’ lives better each day,” she said. “Their experience and belief in what yoga does for them personally is translated into how they communicate, teach, and give their ALL at our studios.” And to their many limber and satisfied clients, she said, “Thank YOU for your energy and support over the years! We are honored!”
Runner-Up: Yoga Soup
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