The notebook of Santa Barbara
Seek calm beyond the next point.
Mediterranean architecture, gardens and beaches at the foot of Santa Ynez Mountains.
At your own pace
Identity summary
3 to 6 days
Spring · Summer · Autumn · Winter
Recommended car
Coast · City · Heritage
Good accessibility
Sweet rhythm
General presentation
Santa Barbara
Mediterranean architecture, gardens and beaches at the foot of Santa Ynez Mountains.
The discovery of Santa Barbara revolves around Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Mission Santa Barbara and Stearns Wharf. The stay thus alternates between the coast, urban life and heritage, giving a concrete picture of the destination beyond its only best known site.
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For a stay of 3 to 6 days, a quiet rhythm works well. Also to be anticipated: variable influx depending on the season. A car is usually the easiest way to connect the different sectors. The main sites are generally easy to access.
Strengths and constraints
Strengths
- Santa Barbara County Courthouse
- Mission Santa Barbara
- Stearns Wharf
Before you choose
- Variable frequency depending on season
- Parking to anticipate in the center
Places worth visiting
A selection to start dreaming and organizing the stay — not an exhaustive list of everything there is to see.
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Santa Barbara County Courthouse
The Santa Barbara County Courthouse mix patios, azulejos, painted staircases and towers in a particularly neat Spanish neo-colonial decor. The interior galleries are worth as much as the panorama from the tower, where red roofs, palm trees, mountains and ocean can be read with one look.
Culture and heritage
Mission Santa Barbara
Mission Santa Barbara Its façade is lined with two bell towers facing the mountains, in a garden of open roses and lawns. Its museum, church and cemetery evoke the Franciscan period, while recalling that this story is also part of the older one, the Chumash.
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Stearns Wharf
Stearns Wharf extends State Street over the water, with restaurants, small shops, fishermen and views of the hills of Santa Barbara. From the end of the pier, the city seems to be framed between beach, palm trees and mountains, especially when the light falls on the white facades.
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Lotusland
Lotusland is a very composed botanical garden, born from the estate of Ganna Walska in Montecito. Cactus, cycas, broméliaceae, lotus and thematic gardens follow it as plant theatre plays, with a tour by reservation that is suitable for travellers sensitive to landscape design as well as rare plants.
Practical tips
This information helps know if the destination matches the planned trip before starting a fuller search.
To go further
More activities
Restaurants, walks, culture, leisure and outings to search without leaving the destination card.
The nearest destinations
The closest ideas on the map, to extend your trip.
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