Santa Barbara, CA Summary

photo by dwroblewski

Santa Barbara, 92 miles northwest of Los Angeles, sits between the Pacific Ocean and the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains just as the coastline jogs eastward. Directions can be confusing as the ocean now is to the south, not the west, but this is the calmest stretch of water along the state’s coastline as a result.

Chumash Native Americans lived here long before the European settlers arrived. Although Portuguese navigator Juan Rodriguez Castillo discovered the channel in 1542, December 4 is now celebrated as Santa Barbara Day, commemorating the day Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino entered the channel in 1602.

The city is a planned community and the current local population of about 87,200 now supports strictly enforced building codes preventing further development. Driving is the best way to get around the whole area, but the best way to enjoy the downtown and waterfront areas is on foot.

Chase Palm Park, along the waterfront, hosts an arts and crafts show each Sunday. The Santa Barbara Museum of Art has nationally recognized collections of antiquities, nineteenth-century French, British, and American art, contemporary European, North American, and Latin American art, Asian art, photography, and works on paper.

Other popular attractions include the Museum of Natural History, the Historical Museum, the Santa Barbara Courthouse, and the Zoological Gardens. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy golfing at the municipal Santa Barbara Golf Course or at the 18-hole oceanside Sandpiper.

Yachting, sailing, and fishing are serious sports here. World Cup hopefuls train in the waters. Sailing races around the Channel Islands take place from April to October. In-line skating and bicycling along the waterfront are popular, as are the less strenuous eating, shopping, and whale-watching.

Up into the foothills from downtown is the Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786 and known as “the Queen of the Missions” for its magnificent architecture and sheer size—at one time it served as a beacon for passing ships. Further up into the foothills is the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, as well as romantic hideaways frequented by movie stars and tycoons.

The Santa Ynez Valley—the heart of Santa Barbara’s wine country—is 30 minutes from downtown, and the local pinot noir is some of the best in the nation. Wineries ranging in size from little roadside shacks to huge estates are open for tastings.

Los Angeles residents make up a great part of the tourist traffic in Santa Barbara, and restaurants and hotels are geared to meet their demanding expectations for food and wine, but there are plenty of options in the middle and lower tiers as well. Like anywhere else along the coast, summer weekends are the busiest, and US-101 can turn into a parking lot.

Trains and buses serve downtown Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Municipal Airport offers limited service.