There's alot of good places. Dont know how long your staying but I definitely recommend you get a bicycle because it's hard to get to any good spots without one. Really nice scenic area between goleta, gaviota, and solvang. You can get your bike on all the buses. Unless your really dead set on hitching. anywhere near the city of Santa Barbara proper is loaded with home bums. it's really hard to stay away from people. Home bums are really territorial and petty. The areas I listed are your best bet.
Note: clean air Express bus runs between. Sb, goleta, buelton, santa Maria. Weekday mornings south, north in the evenings.