santa barbara

Just northeast of Los Angeles is a town that nearly all Californians would agree is paradise, even when compared to the multiple well-known cities of the state: Santa Barbara. Its downtown consists of white buildings with red tile roofs, a Spanish-derivative style that references lasting ties to the Spanish Franciscans who founded this paradise in the late eighteenth century. Even just a few days in Santa Barbara can show you why this old city is a treasure to California.

Visit the Santa Barbara Courthouse. Photo by Aimee Robbins.When Spanish missionaries came to Santa Barbara, they didn’t realize they had stumbled into a palm-tree-ridden, beauty-soaked paradise that would someday be known as the “American Riviera.” This nickname aptly describes the quaint, red-tile- speckled city surrounded by alluring mountains and sunny beaches, all wrapped in a Mediterranean climate. The water, vistas, and culture of this Californian city can be enjoyed no matter the mode of exploration.