Santa Barbara California

Santa Barbara, basking in natural beauty, sunshine, lush vegetation, and cultural opportunities, is located along the southern coastline of California. Its topographical diversity promises a truly unique experience for everyone who visits, relocates, or already lives there. Santa Barbara, tucked in a spectacular setting between Los Angeles and San Francisco, inspires people from all cultural backgrounds to travel to this area.

Set at the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains alongside the Pacific Ocean, Santa Barbara, also known as the American Riviera, is home to one of the best vacation experiences in the country. The higher elevation of the northern reaches coupled with the Pacific Ocean breezes to the south produces a pleasant, temperate climate that encourages outdoor activities and sight seeing.

An exciting array of recreational activities tempts not only the thrill seekers, but also, the athletes, fun lovers, and aesthetically minded. Los Padres National Forest and the San Rafael Wilderness Area provides the rugged touch including horseback riding and hiking, the Wine country offers a drier and hotter, though comfortable, atmosphere complete with taste testing, and the busy hustle and bustle of the city offers fine dining at area restaurants, cultural trips to museums and galleries, and shopping excursions galore.

Specially designed tours offer an entire gamut of experiences ranging from tourist-like escapades to amazing whale watching adventures. Customized wine tours, shopping tours, kayaking and bike tours, cultural tours, and private city tours offer additional choices that will keep the enthusiastic sightseer content for days.

The Santa Barbara Trolley delivers an informative, narrated tour through town, while the Red Tile Walking Tour allows for a self-guided trip back in time through the historical buildings of the town. The architectural style found in Santa Barbara reflects the distinctive cultural heritage of the city.

A sandy coastline faces south, providing a myriad of beaches showcasing a variety of sun-drenched activities, including swimming, volleyball, dolphin sighting, surfing, fishing, sailing, and picnicking. Private beaches offer a sense of exclusivity along with the fun and sun, while public beaches offer camping, sporting events, and parties. Many of the beaches are ideally located a pebble’s throw from restaurants offering mouth-watering delights.

Although the Santa Barbara style is casual and comfortable, plenty of opportunities and nightlife exist for evening attire. Operas, symphonies, galleries, live theater, and museums keep the city alive at night. Dining takes on a whole new meaning with tantalizing tasting experiences at numerous restaurants offering culinary delights from a variety of cultures, including, Cajun, Danish, Chinese, French, Californian, traditional American, Greek, German, Italian, Japanese, Indian, Mexican, and more.

Santa Barbara boasts well over one hundred different resorts, hotels, and bed and breakfasts that offer a peaceful repose at the end of a long and busy day and night. Accommodations may be comfortable just like home, be it ever so humble, or elegant and luxurious just like a movie star’s mansion. In fact, dating back to the 1920s, numerous movie stars have made Santa Barbara their getaway.

The perfect dream wedding can become a reality in one of the elegant Santa Barbara locations where romance not only comes alive but also sizzles. Stunning views and a gorgeous setting for a wedding are offered at the Ty Warner Sea Center, Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens, the El Presidio Historical Chapel, twenty-five different city parks, The Peppers Estate & Ballroom, an array of beautiful garden locations, and a variety of churches, ranches, and resorts. A Santa Barbara Honeymoon is a visit to paradise.

A kaleidoscope of festivals entertains area residents and visitors alike throughout the year. Cultural celebrations highlight Spanish history, France’s Bastille Day, Greek baklava and gyros, the music of Ireland, and Jewish culture.

Santa Barbara, famous for beautiful beaches, glorious weather, spectacular scenery, and cultural diversity, offers vacations with a flair for endless enjoyment. Whether you fly direct, travel by train, or drive in the comfort of your own vehicle, the Santa Barbara experience awaits you in unforgettable splendor.