Santa Barbara is a city situated on the coastline between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Having a Mediterranean climate, Santa Barbara is called California's "South Coast", while also casually being referred as the "American Riviera" of the West. The area includes the cities of Goleta, Carpinteria, along with the regions of Montecito, Mission Canyon, Hope Ranch, Summerland and Isla Vista.
Santa Barbara has a robust economy which includes a large service sector, education, technology, health care, finance, agriculture, manufacturing and local government. Education in particular is well represented with five institutions of higher learning on the south coast. (University of California Santa Barbara, Westmont College, Santa Barbara City College, Antioch College, and the Brooks Institute of Photography)
The architectural image of Santa Barbara is the Spanish Colonial Revival style of architecture adopted by city leaders after the 1925 earthquake destroyed much of the downtown commercial district. The domestic architecture of Santa Barbara is predominantly California bungalow built in the early decades of the 20th century. There are also many Victorian and Spanish style homes designed by well-known California architects in Santa Barbara and on estates in Montecito and Hope Ranch.
The following is a list of neighborhoods with descriptions and comments:
- The Mesa stretches from Santa Barbara City College on the east and extends 2.5 miles to Arroyo Burro County Beach (aka Hendry's Beach/The Pit to locals).
- The Riviera bridges a two-mile span which separates Mission and Sycamore Canyons, and has for the past 65 years been known as the Riviera due to its resemblance to slopes along the Mediterranean coast of France and Italy. Most of the area has curving streets with mature trees and foliage, the topography is relatively steep.
- Samarkand currently has approximately 600 homes on 184 acres with a population of 2000 people. The name Samarkand comes from an old Persian word meaning "the land of hearts desire". It was first applied to a deluxe Persian-style hotel that was converted from a boys school in 1920. Samarkand later became identified as its own neighborhood located around Los Positas, State Street, De la Vina, Oak Park and Highway 101.
- Hope Ranch is a suburb of Santa Barbara. The neighborhood occupies a hilly area immediately adjacent to the coast.
Santa Barbara is a year-round tourist destination renowned for its fair weather, downtown beaches, and Spanish architecture. In addition to the city's cultural assets, several iconic destinations lie within the city's limit. Mission Santa Barbara, "The Queen of the Missions," is located on a rise about two miles (3 km) inland from the harbor, and is maintained as an active place of worship, a sightseeing stop, and national historic landmark. The Santa Barbara Courthouse, a red tile Spanish-Moorish structure, provides a sweeping view of the downtown area from its open air tower. The Presidio of Santa Barbara, a Spanish military installation built in 1782, was central to early development and remains an icon of the city's colonial roots.
Also famous is the annual Fiesta (originally called "Old Spanish Days"), which is celebrated every year in August. The Fiesta is hosted by the Native Daughters of the Golden West and the Native Sons of the Golden West in a joint committee called the Fiesta Board.
Here is a list of just a few tourist centered attractions:
- Stearns Wharf - Santa Barbara Harbor, features shops, several restaurants and the Ty Warner Sea Center.
- Moreton Bay Fig - A giant Moreton Bay Fig, 80 feet tall, which has one of the largest total shaded areas of any tree in North America.
- De La Guerra Plaza - Site of the first City Hall and still the center of the city's administration.
- Covarrubias Adobe - Built in 1817. Adjacent to the Santa Barbara Historical Society Museum on Santa Barbara Street.
- Cold Spring Tavern - Restaurant on historical on Old Stage Coach road.
- El Paseo Shopping Mall - California's first shopping center
- Santa Barbara Zoo
In 2008, the Santa Barbara Dining Guide listed 674 restaurants in the region, many of which are highly rated. Santa Barbara also has many parks, ranging from small spaces within urban environment to large, semi-wilderness areas which remain within city limits. Some notable parks and open spaces just outside of the city limits include:
Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens, located in Mission Canyon, which contains a diverse collection of plants from California. Gould Park, the Painted Cave National Historical Landmark and Rattlesnake Canyon are just a few other beautiful locations Santa Barbara has to offer.
