Santa Barbara isn’t exactly known for its nightlife, but downtown is a great place to have a good time with a group a friends without all the hustle and bustle you might see in downtown LA or other big cities.
The best nights to go downtown are definitely Thursday nights. Thursday nights are when downtown clubs and bars have their “college nights.” There are no cover charges and the nightclubs are filled with students, so you’re always bound to run into friends! Here is a guide to a fun, safe, and inexpensive night downtown!
The Before
Although there are no cover charges on Thursday nights, drinks are still regularly priced at most places. In order to save a little money, my friends and I make a plan to meet at someone’s house and all pitch in for drinks together, rather than drink downtown.
Transportation is another thing to worry about when you go downtown. Rather than take an uber or get a designated driver, the multitude of buses that drive downtown are a really fun transportation option. Bars like Sharkeez and Wildcat have their own buses that take you straight to there! They all meet up between Seville and Trigo and most of them are 10$ cash for a round trip. An even cheaper option is to RSVP for the 6$ Wildcat bus that leaves at 10pm. You have to RSVP online ahead of time. You get a cheaper bus option and a wristband that allows you to get discounted drinks once you arrive at Wildcat. Honestly, the bus ride downtown can be just as fun as the club you’re going to. You can bring whatever drinks you would like on board and the bus driver blasts your favorite songs, so it’s basically just a mobile dance party!
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The During
Sometimes, after getting dropped off my friends and I like to go to a bar before we go to a nightclub (our favorite is Wildcat). When you arrive downtown early the night clubs tend to be pretty empty so it’s a good idea to go to a bar before and Sharkeez is tends to be the favorite. They play great music and it has a small dance floor. The best part, I have to admit is the ‘Shark Attack.’ It is basically a giant cocktail in a bucket you can share with about six people, it’s a good way to get the night started!
The most popular night clubs downtown are Wildcat, EOS, and Indochine. I’ve been to Wildcat and Indochine and they’re both great options. Indochine has a nice bar but a small dance floor, so if you’re looking for a place to dance Wildcat is probably the way to go! If you go to Wildcat make sure to go to the outside bar to get one dollar jello shots or a discounted drink, just make sure not to lose your wristband! The clubs all close at around 2 am, but make sure to try and get your group organized before that! The buses leave from downtown at 1am and 1:30 am. It is definitely worth leaving the nightclub a little early otherwise you have to pay ridiculous Uber prices.
The After
If you’re done with the club scene for the night and still have a little bit more time to spend downtown, there are a ton of late night food stops! Velvet Jones is sort of famous for their macaroni and cheese, it comes with basically whatever toppings you want including Hot Cheetos! One of my personal favorites is a place called Little Kitchen. It has an awesome late night menu, including french toast sticks that are crazy good. Most importantly, drink lots of water, make sure your friends get home safely and make sure no one has to walk home alone!
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Enjoy downtown SB!