What to see in Santa Barbara

Once, by the will of fate (or a pre-planned vacation), I visited a charming and one of the most famous states of not only America, but the whole world – California. But this time, I decided not to follow the popular plan to see Hollywood and die. Of course, this place is impossible not to visit, but on my list of “must have” vacations on the west coast was the city of Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara: serial life with your own eyes

Perhaps this one of the most beautiful cities in the United States would not have become world famous if in the distant 1984 the Dobsons family did not start filming a series called “Santa Barbara”, the events of which developed in the town of the same name. To be honest, I haven’t watched all the two thousand-plus episodes of this epic, but I still looked at a couple to understand what this town is. Later, after the visit, it became clear to me that the spirit of Santa Barbara in the series was conveyed quite adequately. It is cozy and calm here like in Santa Fe .

So what exactly is Santa Barbara? This small town was founded in the early 19th century by the Spanish Franciscans, and is named after Saint Barbara. It stands approximately 140 km northwest of Los Angeles. On the northeast side, Santa Barbara is surrounded by the Santa Ynez mountain range, which protects it from continental winds and also contributes to the subtropical Mediterranean climate. Because of this, the city is often called the California Riviera.

Population

For quite a long time, the population of Santa Barbara is about 90 thousand people. Despite the advantageous location, the city does not grow further due to the shortage of fresh water. Nevertheless, the place itself and its outskirts have been chosen by many Hollywood stars, for example, Gwyneth Peltrow, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and the famous Michael Jackson’s Neverland ranch is also located here.

Important! Scientists recently confirmed that the 100 km long geological fault in the earth’s crust, on which Santa Barbara stands, is seismically unstable, and could cause a powerful earthquake and tsunami that will completely destroy the city. A similar situation already happened in 1925 when many buildings were damaged.

Historic Santa Barbara: breathtaking views

After watching the already mentioned series, I had the experience that expectations and reality would be too far apart. But, fortunately, this did not happen. Literally every street in the historical part of the city is dotted with beautiful Spanish-style houses that reflect all the traditions of colonial architecture.

There is definitely a lot to see in Santa Barbara. All the sights, of which there are many in the city, are better to get around on foot. You can check in near all the main architectural monuments of the city in a couple of hours, but I advise you to set aside more time for this so that your Instagram is full of unrivaled photos of Santa Barbara.

To begin with, the creators of the serial soap opera did not deceive us, and Santa Barbara literally consists of unique arches. They can probably be called the hallmark of the city with confidence, since almost every second building has arched elements: galleries, windows, doors, etc.

The first step is to visit the main attraction of Santa Barbara – Mission of Saint Barbara. Photos of this temple decorated the screensaver of the same well-known TV series. The chapel has survived from the time of the hostilities between the Americans and Mexicans for the possession of the territory of California, and Catholicism was imposed on the Americans themselves.

Style Fits Perfectly

The ancient Roman style fits perfectly into the architecture of the city. Inside the church is now a museum, where you can see black and white photos of the destruction from the 1925 earthquake. Another historical heritage of the city is the Santa Barbara County Courthouse. I was simply amazed at the hand-painted walls and ceiling of this building, as well as the wrought-iron chandeliers. By the way, there is an observation deck on the clock tower, from which you can view all the surrounding landscapes.

Also not far from the court is another interesting institution – the University Art Museum. It contains a large collection of works by contemporary artists and photographers. For history buffs, I recommend visiting the Historical Museum with its famous huge skeleton of a blue whale, the Maritime Museum, a tour of which will turn into a real adventure, as well as museums of natural history and arts.

Modern Santa Barbara

If you think that Santa Barbara will be boring because there is nothing to see besides the historical sites, you are wrong. Do not forget that the city is on the ocean coast and you can relax no worse than in Malibu . There are many good beaches to be found here. The most famous:

Leadbetter Beach;

East Beach;

West Beach;

Butterfly Beach.

I managed to visit the latter. This beach is more popular with locals, and only here you can see the sunset. I will say that the photos of the sunset are simply unique.

Since Santa Barbara is a resort town, there will be no problems with food here either: there are both “budget” establishments and expensive ones. For example, you can have an inexpensive snack in hamburgers, which are full on the main street, and gourmets should visit the famous French restaurant Vouchon. Moreover, a luxurious lunch full of delicacies will cost about $ 20 here. Personally, I really liked the Savoy Cafe & Deli. It prepares a delicious signature tuna salad.

Also, be sure to take the time to attend the wine tasting. Santa Barbara is located in the heart of the wine valley, so the drinks here are incomparable. Such establishments can be found on the main street, but it is better to visit some country ranch. In general, the city is full of various parks (the most famous Francesca Park), gardens (for example, the botanical) and other places that will not leave you bored.

How to get to this heavenly place and where to stay

The most convenient way to fly from Moscow is Aeroflot flights with a transfer in Los Angeles. So the flight will take about 18 hours. Lufthansa, British Airways make two transfers (in Los Angeles and New York), so the journey will take about 21 hours. Personally, I flew to the “City of Angels”, and from there I went in a rented car. This is most convenient because you can see many breathtaking places in one fell swoop. I drove along the southern Pacific Coast Highway, because I read in advance on the Internet that it is very beautiful: on the one hand, the endless ocean, on the other – beautiful landscapes.

Finding where to sleep in Santa Barbara is easy. There are many different hotels, guesthouses, motels and hostels. Large hotels are located mainly along West Beach and opposite the port. They are predominantly 3 stars. Photos and reviews about them can found on the net without any problems. The most popular hotels:

Balmond El Encanto;

The Eagle Inn;

Cheshire Cat Inn;

Lemon Tree Inn.

I stayed at the last one. It is quite inexpensive. Rooms with all conveniences. There is also an Italian restaurant, swimming pool and jacuzzi. It is not located very close to the center, but with a rented car this is not a problem.

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