SO many choices and we can help but we do need more info on what yo like to do and see. Santa Monica will give you the city and coast and shopping and beach and boardwalk experience and you may get some of that in Santa Barbara but on a smaller scale. If you want to go inland, Palm Springs is great but it is hard for strangers to give arbitrary advise without more details of your likes or dislikes

If i were in your place, I would call the family who I presume are local to SB and ask them. If that family is also visiting, oh well then please be more specific or just flip a coin between say Palm Springs or SM. Look at hotel rates as well.

Also look at Orange County for beaches say laguna beach or perhaps just downtown LA for the cultural experience. If you want to stay 2 hours from SB then you don't have much choice in terms of where to go. SM or LA or perhaps OC would be closest

I think with your time limit, you are pushing it if you go inland to Palm Springs and then head to Santa Barbara.

Santa Monica is very close to Hollywood, as is Malibu, so maybe Ventura Harbor area makes the most sense

http://www.ventura-usa.com/

Most places would be in your price range, such as the Marriott and Four Points by Sheraton.

tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g60769-Ventura_Califo…

well I could probably tolerate 3 to get to SB

Thank you...I did look into Palm Springs and that wouldn't be bad. I've also looked into Ventura, the best hotel looks like the Crowne Plaza, but the reviews aren't great.

I'm in St. Louis so we will be out of our element, but we love wine, the outdoors, music, shopping, eating

What if you headed just a little bit south to Dana Point south of Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach & Newport Beach? You can get a great room at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott in your price range.

This would be about 2.5 hours to Santa Barbara but you could take the 405 to Highway 1 in Santa Monica onward for a nicer drive

I just looked at it on a map, sounds great! Thank you very much, I will research tonight.

Have you asked your family in SB ? What do they suggest ?

"but we love wine, the outdoors, music, shopping, eating " You are in a huge urban area so you can do that pretty much everywhere you go. With Music perhaps staying in the LA area would be best. For Wine since you are going to SB, that would be the closest area to visit wineries ( unless you are talking about drinking wine). LA has some great restaurants.

If you want to do all of the above why drive to Palm Springs ? Stay in Santa Monica and you will be within a short driving distance to SB

True, I did find a great resort/spa in Dana Point by Suzi's suggestion