Santa Barbara California
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Santa Barbara California, with its abundance of palm trees and lovely weather year round, has a Spanish-Mediterranean ambience. The Santa Ynez Mountains rise majestically behind, while the Pacific Ocean curves around the front of the area.
Santa Barbara’s appeal lies largely in its historical heritage and beautiful Spanish Mediterranean architecture, with its white walls and red tiled roofs being prevalent throughout the city.
There are several beaches to enjoy in and around Santa Barbara, while the town itself boasts a lot of cultural sites and events. For the recreationally inclined, watercraft rentals and cruises are available as well.
The Waterfront
Stearns Wharf (the main pier) contains restaurants, shops, fishing access, and the Ty Warner Sea Center, a fun and educational place to bring the kids. Afterward, you can treat them (and yourself) to ice cream on the pier if you wish.
The main beaches around the wharf have very small waves compared to most Southern California beaches. A coastal bike path runs along the back of the beaches along Cabrillo Boulevard.
Bike and surrey rentals are available near the end of State Street. You can ride over to the Santa Barbara Harbor or to the Andree Clark Bird Refuge. Volleyball is very popular here on the beach. Local artists display their works on Sundays at Chase Palm Park at the back of the beach. A skateboard park here provides nonstop action.
If your kids love swimming at the beach, you might consider signing them up for one of the
Santa Barbara surf camps.
Around Town
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State Street goes through the heart of town, with easy access to galleries, shopping, museums and historical buildings. Santa Barbara travel is made easier with a shuttle bus that travels around town, the waterfront and up to the mission.
Mission Santa Barbara
founded in 1786, is a popular place to visit and tour. It sits up on a hill overlooking large, grassy Mission Historical Park and a rose garden.
Santa Barbara also has a small zoo with animals in beautiful, natural habitats. Just strolling around the lush grounds and breathing the sea air feels like a vacation.
The Santa Barbara Botanical Garden has 5.5 miles of trails winding through native plants.
Another popular activity is visiting the Santa Barbara wineries. There are tasting rooms right in town as well as the Santa Ynez Valley wine country to explore.
Here is a little video tour of downtown Santa Barbara that I found on Youtube:
Where To Stay
There is a wide range of
Santa Barbara accommodations
, from moderately sized
hotels
, to exclusive resorts to charming
bed and breakfasts.
You have the choice of staying downtown, or on the pricier waterfront.
Click here for Santa Barbara vacation rentals.
If you want to camp near Santa Barbara California, there are these choices:
- El Capitan State Beach,
- El Capitan Canyon,
- Gaviota State Park and
- Refugio State Beach to the north, and just 15 minutes south on the 101 is the mellow coastal community of
- Carpinteria California which also has a beachfront campground.
If you are looking to buy real estate in Santa Barbara, click here.
Getting To Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara California is about 1 ˝ to 2 hours north of Los Angeles off the 101, depending on traffic. There is a small airport that offers service to many U.S. cities. Amtrak also has service right into town.
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