Santa Barbara
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The American Riviera | The American Riviera
Why visit
Old Mission Santa Barbara (1786) is the architectural gem. The Santa Barbara County Courthouse with its Moorish tower offers free observation views over the red-tile roofs to the Pacific. State Street runs from the beach inland through tapas bars and wine-tasting rooms (Santa Barbara County wine country starts just inland, Sideways territory). The Stearns Wharf and East Beach anchor the seafront. Day-trip into the Santa Ynez Valley for Pinot Noir or up the coast to Refugio and El Capitan beaches. Whale watching peaks May to September.
When to avoid
Santa Barbara is famously expensive, hotel rates rival LA and SF, and parking downtown can be brutal. The 'June gloom' marine layer often parks fog over the coast through morning. Wildfire smoke episodes have grown more common. Check air quality. Santa Barbara County wildfires sometimes close inland routes. Avoid driving 101 north on summer Friday afternoons or south on Sunday, LA bound traffic is gridlock. Mudslides during winter storms periodically close the Pacific Coast Highway sections.
