Santa Barbara’s nickname ‘The American Riviera’ comes from this posh city’s Spanish-Mediterranean architecture and dry climate. But it also bespeaks of a certain high-class ambiance which permeates the shops, cafes and galleries of this historic but hot destination for Los Angeles refugees. It’s not cheap to hang in SB, but the perfect weather and stunning coastal scenery brings them back every time.
With soft sandy beaches on one side and the towering Santa Ynez Mountains on the other, the core of Santa Barbara lies on the rolling foothills in between. State Street is the city’s main strip for shopping, dining and partying. It runs right through town, ending at Stearn’s Wharf along the ocean, and is literally lined with trendy places to spend your money.
Along the coastal side of town runs Cabrillo Street, separating the public beaches from the hotels and restaurants. An electric trolley runs along these two key boulevards, providing convenient transportation. Sundays bring the popular Arts and Crafts Show along the waterfront, but every day is a circus for the eyes at Chase Palm Park.
Highlights
Mission Santa Barbara: the ‘Queen’ of California’s Spanish colonial missions is a real beauty set against the towering mountains at the edge of town. Still functioning as a church, there’s also an interesting museum on site.
State Street: the trendy cafes, boutique shops and art galleries that pack the wide sidewalks of this central thoroughfare are where visitors will spend most of their idle time in consumer bliss.
Stearn’s Wharf: the oldest working wharf in California attracts locals and visitors to stroll, shop, and dine along the sea as fishermen unload their boats. This is the place to catch a spectacular sunset cruise around the harbor.
Santa Barbara Zoo: it may be a small zoo, but the emphasis here is on the quality and realism of the animal’s habitats. This is a great place to bring the kids.
Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens: right in the heart of the city is this stunning 65 acre garden interlaced with nearly 6 miles of wandering trails that pass through an exclusive ecosystem of native Californian plants and trees.
Channel Islands State Park: the eight islands in this archipelago can be clearly seen from Santa Barbara on a clear day. Being a national park, the unique flora and fauna of these islands have been well-preserved and are worth a day trip.