Santa Barbara

[bubba10]

Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful places in California. Located on the coast, in a very temperate area, it was originally founded as a Mission and has become a destination vacation location. There is a lot of Spanish Style architecture, great restaurants and the beach. What's not to love. One photo of note, the green orbs in the box in the farmer's market food images are what almonds look like when they are harvested. 
Main Mission in Santa Barbara


View from the hilltop where the Mission is - looking out over the Pacific


The Mission was being restored while we were visiting


In the corridors of the grand City Hall


A shopping street


In the open air foyer of the historic Granada Theater


City Hall at night


Grand arch leading to the civic gardens


City Hall


Architectural details


The main beach, with a grand drive, park and bike paths


Architectural details


Beach path on way to Montecito










Weekend farmer's market




Heirlook carrots at the farmer's market




Almonds from the tree - 2-3" in length. The flesh is removed to reveal the nut








Heritage Day celebration




Another old mission


As part of Heritage Day, a local hula group performs


A classic old mission courtyard. Blank now, but use to be the area for all activities, animals, raising crops etc, in a protected area. 




In a temperate climate, many things grow to great heights and widths


Restoration of an historic structure






An unusual small church, looks more like should be in the mid-west. 


Hendry's beach, a few miles north of town, and instead a flat sand park, there are cliffs










One of my favorite houses in Santa Barbara = based on an Antonio Gaudi style




Lots of artist live in the city and area and this is a local icon






A local park 










View from the top of City Hall


One of the historic murals in City Hall depicting early settlers. 

[kerouac2]

My brother has lived in the Santa Barbara area for the last 35 years or so but never really showed me the major tourist sights of the city whenever I visited, so thank you for this.

[bjd]

And thank you for showing the truck covered in seashells and other junk -- otherwise it would all look too good to be true.

I just looked at a map and it's not far from Los Angeles, so I imagine it's indeed a big tourist draw. What are the dancers in red supposed to represent?

[bixaorellana]

I just love your pictures and had no idea of Santa Barbara's beauty. Would asking for more captions be too greedy?

[bubba10]

Bixa: Ask and ye shall receive.

Bjd: Yes, it is a big tourist draw and those were hula dancers performing at a Heritage Days Festival.

[bubba10]

A few more images of the waterfront beach and park. These were taken with a cheap lens I picked up in Chinatown in San Francisco before visiting Santa Barbara, so they are slightly weird looking. I was sold a bill of goods.

[kerouac2]

Those look more like visions of Santa Barbara in the 1970's with some chemical enhancement remedies from Goleta.

[bixaorellana]

Ooooo ~ thanks so much for the captions, Bubba.

You're not afraid you're going to start a stampede to Santa Barbara with these pictures? You definitely showcase how it's such a tourist draw.

I'd also like to thank you for knowing and showing that right around where a person lives makes for rich travelogue fodder!