Sample Itinerary V.I.P. Pass to Santa Barbara
-- City of the Arts Luxury Tour

In addition to the events listed for the VIP Pass, all tours include the following: (Note: The sequence may vary depending on performance schedules.)

Day 1.    Arrive in town and check into the beautiful oceanfront Four Seasons Biltmore* at your convenience.  Enjoy a 5:00 p.m. Welcome Reception/Buffet, where you'll be serenaded at a private musical performance.  After dinner, you'll gather for a congenial fireside chat:   "What insiders know about the history of Santa Barbara's arts community."   

Day 2.    A day of wine and . . . Set out at 9:00 a.m. for a relaxing 45-minute ride up the Central Coast to a private winemaker's tour and tasting at three of the Santa Ynez Valley's outstanding wineries, Sunstone, Bridlewood and Foley.  After a picnic lunch you'll tour the art galleries and Wildling Art Museum in charming Los Olivos, then head back to Santa Barbara, where the late afternoon and evening are your own.

Day 3.    Enjoy a morning visit to the art studios and homes of two renowned Santa Barbara artists, followed by a gourmet lunch at the waterfront.  Then tour the Maritime Museum with a local VIP before stopping by the Arts Fund Gallery to view a special exhibit and sample some appetizers.   Need an idea for the evening?  Why not embark on a sunset sail dinner cruise?

Day 4.    Wake up to a private, curator-led tour of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.  Your lunch at Arts & Letters Café will include a concert and time to stroll through the gallery.  Then head to the Contemporary Arts Forum for a private tour and docent lecture highlighting the current exhibit.  Afterward, you'll have some free time.   Why not browse the shops of open-air Paseo Nuevo?  Later your dinner, prepared by a top chef at a historic private home, will include a musical soiree.

Day 5.    A day celebrating two classic Montecito estates.  Begin with a visit to historic Casa Del Herrero, a recreated Andalusian-style manor and gardens virtually unchanged since being built in the mid 1920s. After lunch in Montecito, you'll tour the spectacular Lotusland Gardens, created by the legendary opera singer Ganna Walska.  

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Lotus Flowers
  

You'll see the work of ceramic artist Danyel Dean, whose lily pad platters carry out the floral theme. Savor your dinner back in Santa Barbara on the beautiful patio of Café Buenos Aires, then walk across the street for a performance at the historic Arlington Theater.

  

Day 6.    Early morning is a perfect time to stroll the sands of Butterfly Beach or to explore historic Stearns Wharf.   At 11:00 a.m. you'll visit a studio such as that of award-winning sculptor Bela Bacsi.  After lunch, and a stop at SAKS Fifth Avenue, the State Street galleries in the Historic Arts District will be hosting wine receptions.   Dinner will be served at a historic restaurant with yet another beautiful courtyard.

Day 7.    Start the day with a continental breakfast at the Studio By The Sea, overlooking Arroyo Burro Beach, followed by a Historic Walking Tour of downtown Santa Barbara.  At 1:00 p.m. join a docent-led tour of the lavish Moorish-style County Courthouse itself.   Dinner is a gourmet experience at the Wine Cask in the historic El Paseo complex.  Afterward, cross the street to the landmark Lobero Theatre for a performance and meet-the-artists reception.  

Check out, or stay another day on your own, to play!   Other exhibits are offered by countless art galleries and studios.  VIP Pass guests will receive a detailed list for their convenience.  Footnote: If your traveling partner would rather be golfing, just mention the password "JJ" and you'll have discreet getaways (from the arts crowd) planned into your program.   
* Hotel accommodations based on availability.


Contemporary Arts Forum

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Biltmore Hotel


The Biltmore Hotel

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