Squeezed between the mountains and the Pacific, the sunny city of Santa Barbara is known for its beautiful beaches, the Mexican heritage that influenced its architecture and culture, and for its winemaking tradition and top-notch food scene.
I’ll show you around this laid-back Californian town as we discover historic landmarks overlooking the sea and stunning trails through the Santa Ynez mountains while enjoying Santa Barbara’s delightful Mediterranean climate.
Here are 15 things Santa Barbara is known for.
Table of Contents
1. Beaches
This is hands down the one thing Santa Barbara is most famous for: its 177 km (110 mi) of beaches. The city proper sits on a low plateau between the Santa Ynez mountain range and the Pacific.
Santa Barbara has the longest south-facing stretch of coastline in the western United States. Its beaches are typically narrow, thanks to the imposing bluffs that run along most of the country’s coast.
Surf culture is strong here, as pretty much everywhere else in southern California. If you’ve ever wanted to catch waves, it’s recommended to book a surfing lesson in Santa Barbara’s chilly waters.
Downtown Santa Barbara has two top-rated beaches: East Beach, which is great for swimming and unwinding, and West Beach, which is close to the harbor and is best for water sports like kayaking and windsurfing.
And in case you’re looking for a quieter spot, you’ll find more secluded beaches like Arroyo Burro and Gaviota all over the county.
2. Spanish and Mexican heritage
Although California was claimed by the Spanish crown as early as the mid-16th century, the region wouldn’t be settled by Europeans until two centuries later. The region would go on to make up the Mexican state of Alta California from the independence of Mexico in 1821 through its annexation by the U.S. in 1848.
That of course had a great impact on place names, architecture, cuisine, and even the local outlook on life.
In Santa Barbara specifically, that influence isn’t limited to the past — 48% of the county’s population is either Hispanic or Latino.
The heritage has been celebrated for almost a hundred years during the Old Spanish Days Fiesta, which takes place in early August.
3. Santa Ynez Mountains
The Santa Ynez mountain range crosses Ventura and Santa Barbara counties from east to west, but in Santa Barbara, they rise majestically and serve as a sort of backdrop for the city.
The mountains split Santa Barbara County in two; the city to the south and the winemaking valley to the north.
And if your idea of fun involves hiking through the Californian chaparral, then start off at one of the trailheads in the Mission Canyon neighborhood. One of them will lead you to the ruins of Knapp’s Castle (pictured above), which was destroyed by a wildfire in the 1940s.
4. Santa Barbara County Courthouse
It’s not every day that a courthouse is featured among a city’s major landmarks, yet Santa Barbara county’s has deserved its spot as an exception.
Built in 1929 to replace a smaller structure that had been destroyed by an earthquake four years earlier, the historic courthouse single-handedly launched the Spanish Colonial revival as Santa Barbara’s preferred architectural style.
The four-building complex, located right at the heart of downtown and across the city’s public library and museum of art, is topped by a clock tower that you can climb for commanding views of Santa Barbara, the mountains, and the ocean.
5. Wine
While Santa Barbara may not be as famous as Napa and the rest of Wine Country in Central California, Santa Ynez Valley was established as a winemaking region almost 40 years ago.
The area, which is separated from the city by the Santa Ynez Mountains, is home to more than 70 wineries whose Chardonnay is especially renowned.
The largest wineries in Santa Ynez have flagship shops in downtown Santa Barbara, but you should definitely take a wine tour of the valley if you’re particularly passionate about the drink.
6. Mediterranean climate
It’s no wonder Santa Barbara has been dubbed the “American Riviera”: its climate and geography are quite similar to southern France’s. Winters are relatively warm and summers are cool, and rain is less frequent year-round than in much of California.
Thanks to all these amazing features, Santa Barbara’s has been ranked the most agreeable climate in the United States.
7. Mission Santa Barbara
Between the late 18th and the early 19th centuries, a group of Spanish Franciscan priests following Junípero Serra were literally on a mission: making it through the desert and reaching the Californian coast to evangelize native tribes.
They went on to find 21 outposts between San Diego and San Francisco which eventually became historic landmarks and ultimate symbols of California. Mission Santa Barbara, the tenth-oldest, was built in 1786.
Widely considered the most monumental of the whole set of outposts, Mission Santa Barbara is, alongside Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in San Diego County, one of only two missions that are still run by the Franciscan order.
But the beauty of the complex isn’t the only reason why you should check it out; Mission Santa Barbara is also home to a long tradition of choral singing. Performances take place every Sunday morning.
8. Food scene
Although fewer than 500,000 people live within Santa Barbara County, the whole area is brimming with grade-A eateries which cater to the obsession of locals with locally sourced and authentic food.
Seafood in general is a must-try in Santa Barbara, yet one delicacy, in particular, stands out: sea urchins, the freshest of which you’ll find at the Fish Market by the Santa Barbara Harbor.
Greater Santa Barbara even has two Michelin-starred restaurants: the tiny Sushi Bar Montecito to the east of town and the French-Californian bistro Bell’s in the remote village of Los Alamos.
For a more affordable meal, hit the lively Funk Zone, Santa Barbara’s arts district par excellence. Squeezed between the harbor and U.S. Highway 101, the enclave boasts taquerias, diners, tapas bars, wineries, and more.
Heading towards downtown, check out the Certified Farmers’ Market, which is open from Tuesday through Sunday. And when you get to the historic core to visit the County Courthouse, don’t miss the Public Market and its amazing diversity of choice.
9. Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago made up of eight islands off the coast of southern California. Four of them are split between Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, while the remaining four belong to Santa Barbara County.
Despite being sparsely inhabited and used primarily by the U.S. military, the islands can be visited and, in fact, welcome about 70,000 travelers every year.
Five of them have camping grounds, including the four islands located within Santa Barbara County (Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara).
The archipelago hosts a wide array of wildlife, including sea lions and many species of whales. Whale watching, by the way, is one of the most popular activities along the coast of Santa Barbara.
10. Santa Barbara Harbor
The harbor is the beating core of Santa Barbara. It’s where locals and tourists alike go to dine, fish, sail, watch the sunset, or simply people-watch.
Lined with Santa Barbara’s iconic palm trees, this is the one and only starting point for any tour of the city.
11. Celebrities
Granted, most Hollywood stars live within great L.A. to stay close to work and to the city’s hustle and bustle. Yet those who want to lead a quieter life in the suburbs pick the rolling hills around Santa Barbara instead.
Especially popular with the glamorous crowd is the eastern neighborhood of Montecito, which the likes of Oprah, Tom Cruise, Ellen DeGeneres, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, and Gwyneth Paltrow call home.
Some, rather than outright move to the area, get a summer residence there. That’s the case with Brad Pitt, who owns a house in Goleta. President Ronald Reagan in turn established his “Western White House” on a ranch atop the Santa Ynez Mountains.
And in late January, famous residents and nonresidents alike flock to the city for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which was created in 1986 to honor independent movies.
12. Stearns Wharf
While the Santa Monica Pier in L.A. and those along Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco are more famous, Santa Barbara’s Stearns Wharf is probably older.
Dedicated in 1872, the pier is an icon of the city’s waterfront and locals’ go-to spot for delicious seafood and stunning sunsets.
The pier was originally built to let passengers and cargo reach land more easily, but eventually rail then road transport made it obsolete. By the 1940s, Stearns Wharf started to become the restaurant hub it’s known as today.
Highlights on the pier include the city’s aquarium (aka the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center) and the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, which serves the freshest seafood in town.
13. Shoreline Park
Santa Barbara is both dotted with and surrounded by parks of all sizes and shapes. Shoreline Park to the west of downtown and Leadbetter Beach is where you should head for a slow afternoon on the grass and perhaps a picnic overlooking the ocean.
Santa Barbara is the kind of place that seems too big to walk around and too small to drive from one attraction to the next. So a bike tour that crosses the historic core all the way to the waterfront and Shoreline Park may as well be the best way to tour the city.
14. El Presidio
Santa Barbara grew around its oldest structure, which was built 240 years ago. The city’s presidio, like similar structures across the U.S. (most famously San Francisco), was designed as a fortress to guard the Spanish Empire’s holdings against the advances of other European powers (and the newly independent country).
The complex was severely damaged in the early 1800s by a few earthquakes, so only two of its original structures remain intact. One of them, an adobe building called El Cuartel, is the second oldest in the entire state of California to have survived.
The rest of them have either been renovated or are currently being rebuilt and are worth seeing along the museum and archeological site that you’ll find within the grounds of the presidio.
15. UC Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara campus of the University of California is located 17.5 km (11 mi) from downtown.
The third-oldest campus in the system is the alma mater of six Nobel Prize recipients and two Oscar and Emmy winners. UC Santa Barbara is also one of the most bike-friendly campuses in the country.
Conclusion
When I think of Santa Barbara, I can almost smell the sea air and hear the cool breeze that blows from the Pacific as it caresses the palm trees on the waterfront.
Santa Barbara is known for the charming contrast between its small-town feel and all its world-class features, from tempting cuisine to attractions like the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Overall, the city is a must-see if you’re planning to stay in Southern California for more than a couple of days next time you visit.
