Santa Barbara

The "American Riviera," a Spanish Colonial Revival town of red tile roofs and white walls, with its mission, waterfront wharf and Santa Ynez Valley wine country.

Santa Barbara lies on the Southern California coast, about 150 km northwest of Los Angeles, backed by the Santa Ynez Mountains and facing the Pacific and the Channel Islands. Its east–west coastline and mild climate have earned it the nickname "American Riviera." After the 1925 earthquake, the whole city was rebuilt in Spanish Colonial Revival style, and its red tile roofs, white walls and arcaded courtyards give it a distinctive look. The main sights fall into three areas: the old town, centered on State Street, linking the County Courthouse clock tower, El Presidio, El Paseo and the Museum of Art; the waterfront, including Stearns Wharf, the Funk Zone tasting rooms, East Beach, the harbor and Shoreline Park; and the foothills, with the Mission, the Museum of Natural History, the Botanic Garden and Montecito estate gardens such as Lotusland. Farther afield, Highway 154 crosses San Marcos Pass to Santa Ynez Valley wine country and the Danish village of Solvang, or you can take a boat from Ventura Harbor to Channel Islands National Park. It's mild with little rain year-round; September–October is the sunniest, while May–June mornings are often foggy ("May Gray/June Gloom"). Getting there: drive about 2 hours from Los Angeles on Highway 101, or ride Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner along the coast; around town you can walk, bike, or take MTD buses and the downtown electric shuttle. Plan on 2–3 days: one for the old town and the Mission, one for the waterfront and Funk Zone, and one for wine country or the islands. Lodging is pricey, so book ahead for weekends and summer; some gardens and estates require reservations.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries