When considering weekend get-away destinations, Santa Barbara is tough to beat. Lively bars. Intriguing restaurants. Abundant shopping. Chic hotels. All accented with that worry-free weather. What's not to love, right?

Well, with so much to love, there's a ton of people who love to visit. Santa Barbara can get crowded.

But head a little further north on 101 to Goleta. There, you'll find many of the same charms, but with fewer people. Plus, you're still within striking distance of Downtown Santa Barbara. So you can enjoy everything there, but then slip away when you're ready to leave the crowds behind.

That was the key discovery we made on a recent weekend in Goleta. We established our base at The Kimpton Goodland. It was our first overnight stay after a previous visit to its restaurant made us promise each other to return.

A self-described boutique surf hotel, its hipster-inspired guest rooms look like a Sunset magazine photo shoot. They come equipped with record players, along with vinyl ranging from The Lumineers to Linda Ronstadt.

The Goodland is a lively place, especially when they're pouring local wine in the lobby at happy hour. We enjoyed a glass before settling into our table for dinner at Outpost, the hotel's restaurant. A reservation is recommended, and so are the brussel sprouts. They come dressed in yellow curry, roasted garlic aioli and chili flakes. From there, you can decide whether to share several small plates or order an entree for yourself. Either way, you'll have plenty of choices, and none will disappoint.

Saturday morning found us exploring Ellwood Mesa, a 137-acre blufftop open space with ocean views and a monarch butterfly grove. Trails lead down to an uncrowded beach, but we went in search of butterflies instead. It took some effort. We stood among the eucalyptus, which swayed and creaked as onshore gusts blew in ahead of an advancing storm. A speck of orange broke the butterflies' otherwise thorough camouflage. What we had first mistaken for brown, dead leaves were suddenly recognizable as clumps of monarchs clustered on the branches.

Hiking the mesa can serve to work up an appetite, or work off a meal. Start with whatever feels right, but when you're ready to eat, head for Domingo's Cafe. The former 1950s-era post office is now Goleta's answer to The Way Station - hot, hearty food served fast, with coffee that keeps coming. We settled into a window booth that afforded a view of the comings and goings on Hollister Avenue and dug into omelets and crispy home fries. April opted for the Santa Barbara - olives, avocado, cheddar, sour cream and tomato.

Santa Barbara the city is not far away at all. State Street and Stearns Wharf are just 9 miles away from The Goodland. Probably too far to pedal on one of the hotel's beach cruisers, but certainly an easy drive.

Handlebar Coffee Roasters is one of our can't-miss stops. Besides offering amazing almond milk lattes, the shop boasts a cool local connection. Co-owners Kim Anderson and Aaron Olsen met while racing in the 2008 Amgen Tour of California, which coincidentally rolled through Santa Clarita.

A new discovery is the Book Den. One of the oldest independent bookstores in California, it outlasted both Borders and Barnes & Noble stores in Santa Barbara. It's a great place to avoid the hustle and bustle of State Street. With a carefully chosen stock of new and used books, you can linger for hours making your own literary discoveries.
With another Santa Clarita summer upon us, everyone will be looking for cooler climates. Goleta delivers the best of both worlds - a place to beat the heat - and the crowds.
Eric Harnish lives in Castaic with enough books to open his own used book store.

Do It!
The Goodland thegoodland.com
Ellwood Mesa tpl.org
Domingo's Cafe 805-967-0655
Handlebar Coffee Roasters handlebarcoffee.com
The Book Den bookden.com