This inviting coastal community has been an escape for Los Angeles residents for over a century. Even before the name Hollywood became forever attached to the film industry, the city was a recognized production center of silent movies. Its varied human history dates back to ten-thousand year old native villages, and the community has endured two major earth tremors in modern times. Santa Barbara, CA today has become a popular and exciting place to visit.
After the devastation of the 1925 temblor, the town was rebuilt in a style that has a distinctive Spanish flair, epitomized by the County Courthouse building. Although linked by the ubiquitous freeways of Southern California to the Los Angeles metropolis, that prevailing architectural culture has not completely overtaken the city, which still has a distinctive character that is immediately recognizable.
It is also a good place to stop and explore before heading up the central coast to the wineries in the Santa Ynez region, as well as legendary Hearst Castle, which has been preserved in an elegant time warp. The region has been dubbed the American Riviera because of the balmy seaside climate. Many visitors book an excursion to the Channel Islands, a protected group of offshore ocean mountaintops hosting unique wildlife.
Stearns Wharf is a well-known landmark. It juts into the sea at the end of State Street, and has existed in various forms since 1872. The structure has endured several natural disasters, and today is home to restaurants and stores, as well as the Natural History Sea Center. People come here not only for fine dining, but also just to experience the natural beauty of ocean surf on one side, and the hills behind.
Lovers of nature will not want to miss seeing the Botanic Garden, a world-class display of both exotic and native vegetation. While tours are readily available, visitors can enjoy this oasis on their own, wandering the well-maintained pathways among specimens of plants unique in California. Portions of this garden are currently designated as a County Historical Landmark.
Fans of history appreciate seeing the Old Mission, originally founded by the Franciscans in 1786, and still referred to as the Queen Of the Mission Stations. It was the tenth in California, and the interiors were decorated by skill native American artists. Although there has been extensive restoration work completed due to earthquakes, the facade still looks very similar to the original.
The Casa de la Guerra is another significant historical high point. It was used as a sort of community center, and today forms a portion of the El Pasea, a complex modeled on a traditional Spanish street. The original city fortress, also called a Presidio, became irrelevant after the Americans assumed control in 1846, but some of the original rooms and soldier quarters still stand.
Within a relatively short driving distance is the Chumash Painted Cave Historic Park, the transplanted Danish community of Solvang, and the craggy central coastline. There are numerous award-winning restaurants, and a wide range of hotels and motels for nearly any taste. Whether visiting for a weekend or in town for an extended stay, there is always something to see.
After the devastation of the 1925 temblor, the town was rebuilt in a style that has a distinctive Spanish flair, epitomized by the County Courthouse building. Although linked by the ubiquitous freeways of Southern California to the Los Angeles metropolis, that prevailing architectural culture has not completely overtaken the city, which still has a distinctive character that is immediately recognizable.
It is also a good place to stop and explore before heading up the central coast to the wineries in the Santa Ynez region, as well as legendary Hearst Castle, which has been preserved in an elegant time warp. The region has been dubbed the American Riviera because of the balmy seaside climate. Many visitors book an excursion to the Channel Islands, a protected group of offshore ocean mountaintops hosting unique wildlife.
Stearns Wharf is a well-known landmark. It juts into the sea at the end of State Street, and has existed in various forms since 1872. The structure has endured several natural disasters, and today is home to restaurants and stores, as well as the Natural History Sea Center. People come here not only for fine dining, but also just to experience the natural beauty of ocean surf on one side, and the hills behind.
Lovers of nature will not want to miss seeing the Botanic Garden, a world-class display of both exotic and native vegetation. While tours are readily available, visitors can enjoy this oasis on their own, wandering the well-maintained pathways among specimens of plants unique in California. Portions of this garden are currently designated as a County Historical Landmark.
Fans of history appreciate seeing the Old Mission, originally founded by the Franciscans in 1786, and still referred to as the Queen Of the Mission Stations. It was the tenth in California, and the interiors were decorated by skill native American artists. Although there has been extensive restoration work completed due to earthquakes, the facade still looks very similar to the original.
The Casa de la Guerra is another significant historical high point. It was used as a sort of community center, and today forms a portion of the El Pasea, a complex modeled on a traditional Spanish street. The original city fortress, also called a Presidio, became irrelevant after the Americans assumed control in 1846, but some of the original rooms and soldier quarters still stand.
Within a relatively short driving distance is the Chumash Painted Cave Historic Park, the transplanted Danish community of Solvang, and the craggy central coastline. There are numerous award-winning restaurants, and a wide range of hotels and motels for nearly any taste. Whether visiting for a weekend or in town for an extended stay, there is always something to see.
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