Need time away from the city? Leave the smog and crowds behind and head up the coast to Santa Barbara. Ideally situated between the mountains and the sea, rich in history and culture, with beautiful vistas in every direction, it’s the quintessential Southern California escape. Spanish revival architecture surrounded by dozens of varieties of exotic and fragrantly blooming vegetation, create a timeless serenity that will have you wishing you could make the weekend permanent. Rewarding anytime you can make the drive, but visit March through May after a rainy February and the fragrance will linger with you for days. Beaches fill up on summer weekends, but can be remarkably uncrowded midweek. Quieter solitude, consistent temperatures and clear skies follow October through November.
1820 sandstone church, one of 21 California missions founded by 18th-century Franciscan monks.
A chill Mexican spot that offers traditional fare with some of the best chips and salsas around.
Katy Perry loves it, Julia Child loves it, you're gonna love it.
The SB Courthouse is a must visit, especially if you’re not having to go for legal reasons! Built in 1926, the Santa Barbara Courthouse is a beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival building that occupies an entire block and still functions today as both a place for local law and visitors to walk around it’s beautiful grounds. There are several areas open to the public, including: the Mural Room, the Law Library, the sunken garden, and the observation tower (saved the best for last). The whole building is interesting to walk around, but be sure to make it up to the Observation Tower, which is perhaps the best view you’ll get in all directions of Santa Barbara, with a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. It’s free to enter, and surrounded by plenty of 2-hour free parking spaces.
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