Santa Barbara

Just outside Santa Inez, Hwy 246 merges with Hwy 154, which takes you through the heart of this beautiful landscape and the lush green valley gives way to hills as the road climbs through the mountains up the San Marcos Pass. Rounding the crest of the pass, you see Santa Barbara stretched out below, hemmed between the mountains and the sea. The red-tile roofs and abundance of palm trees add an affluent look to this prosperous town. Santa Barbara is one of California’s loveliest cities. The homes and public buildings show a decidedly Spanish influence and make such a pretty picture—splashes of whitewashed walls, red-tiled roofs, and palm trees snuggled against the Santa Ynez Mountains to the east and stretching to blue waters of the Pacific to the west. A pleasant introduction to Santa Barbara is to follow the driving tour published by the Chamber of Commerce. You can probably pick up a brochure at your hotel or by calling the Chamber of Commerce at 805-965-3023 or www.sbchamber.org. The route is well marked and gives you an overall glimpse of the city as you drive by beaches, the wharf, the old downtown area, and affluent suburbs. The brochure also outlines what is called the “Red-Tile Walking Tour,” which guides you through the town’s beautiful streets. It takes discipline to stay on the path as you pass the multitude of shops filled with so many tempting things to buy. The highlight of the tour is the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a magnificent adobe structure with a Moorish accent. You definitely must not leave town without visiting the splendid Mission Santa Barbara, which is located at the rise of the hill on the northern edge of town. This beautiful church with two bell towers faces a large park laced with rose gardens. As in many of the other missions, although the church’s main purpose is for religious services, a museum is incorporated into the complex with examples of how life was lived when the Spaniards first settled in California. When your allotted stay in Santa Barbara draws to a close, it is a little less than a 100-mile drive to the Greater Los Angeles area.