Media Field Guide
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Media Field Santa Guide Barbara Whether you’re just getting to know Santa Barbara for the first time or revisiting old haunts, our media field guide will help you identify destination essentials Santa Barbara is a rich environment for creating memorable experiences and inspiring compelling stories. This collection of key facts and story starters is designed to inform and enhance journalistic explorations of our lovely and vibrant habitat, also known as “The American Riviera.” Whether you’re just getting to know Santa Barbara for the first time or revisiting old haunts, our media field guide will help you identify destination essentials and discover off-the-beaten path finds. We’ve highlighted “Indigenous Species” throughout the guide to help you track down uniquely Santa Barbara activities, places and products. We’ve also included “Click Cues” to direct you to online resources where you can find more detailed information and full length press releases on subjects. Happy trails! Santa Barbara Basics anta Barbara is located 92 mi/148 km north of Los community leaders crafted a plan to rebuild the town in the Angeles and 332 mi/534 km south of San Francisco, spirit of its Chumash, Spanish and Mexican heritage, imposing spanning 100 miles of pristine California coastline. strict building guidelines that preserve views as much as they Part of the Central Coast region, Santa Barbara evoke history. The result is a cohesive, visually appealing is considered the northernmost part of Southern aesthetic, as well as an easily-navigated city center and SCalifornia and the southernmost part of Northern California. waterfront district. Santa Barbara lies on an east-west axis, a unique twist of Santa Barbara is also well-known for its farm-to-table topography that creates south-facing beaches. cuisine, boutique wineries, beaches, surf culture, hiking and Santa Barbara is known as “The American Riviera,” a biking trails, marine life, art galleries, gardens and estates, comparison to the French and Italian Riviera areas, sharing festivals and luxury resorts. The northern county is home to the same dramatic mountains, sparkling seas, lush gardens, charming small towns surrounded by vineyards, fields and white-washed buildings, red tile roofs and abundant sunshine ranches, and a rugged, remote coastline. Santa Barbara of these Mediterranean counterparts. offers a diverse mix of up-market and down-home, making Santa Barbara’s architectural style is a key defining feature. it an affordable, accessible and appealing destination for After an earthquake in 1925 leveled much of the town, a wide range of budgets and interests. 5 anta Barbara County spans the communities of Carpinteria in the south to Santa Maria in the north, with the City of Santa Barbara as the major hub and Sthe heart of “South County.” When locals say “North County,” they are referring to the wine country and towns of Solvang, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Buellton, Lompoc, Los Alamos, Guadalupe and Santa Maria. South County includes Goleta (home of University of California Santa Barbara), Santa Barbara, Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria. It generally takes 30-45 minutes to reach wine country from downtown Santa Barbara, depending on where you go and which scenic route you take. Highway 101 offers a gorgeous coastal drive, while Highway 154 The Lay of the Land (San Marcos Pass) cuts through the mountains yielding Street runs all the way down to the waterfront, intersecting with dramatic views alongside a few intense curves in the road. Cabrillo Boulevard at the base of Stearns Wharf. The Cabrillo Bikeway, a beachfront bike and footpath, stretches along Click Cue: Cabrillo Boulevard from East Beach to the Harbor. In addition Go to “Explore Cities” on SantaBarbaraCA.com for to wide, sandy beaches, the waterfront area is dotted with descriptions of each city in the county. hotels and eateries and is the launch for sea-faring pursuits Neighborhood Watch like kayaking, whale watching and sailing. A couple of particularly fun and funky neighborhoods The Downtown Historic Arts District and the Waterfront District are the most popular places for visitors to Santa are worth a detour from the main drags of State Street and Barbara, which makes perfect sense because of the high Cabrillo Boulevard. The Funk Zone is a mixed-use area east concentration of the region’s top attractions in these areas. of State Street (between State and Garden and Yanonali and Both are easily walkable, and connected by the Downtown- Mason Streets) by the waterfront that used to be an industrial Waterfront Electric Shuttle. State Street (between Sola and and manufacturing hub. Now it’s known for its eclectic mix Gutierrez Streets) is considered the heart of downtown, lined of artists, surfboard shapers, skilled craft workers as well as with shops, cafés, museums, galleries, day spas and theaters. locally-owned shops, art studios, galleries and wine tasting The self-guided Red Tile Walking Tour is an excellent way rooms. SoCo, the neighborhood south of Cota Street (just a to get acquainted with downtown and local history. The tour few blocks east of State Street), showcases the bohemian of 22 architectural and historic landmarks, including the side of Santa Barbara with urban wineries, a microbrewery, stunning County Courthouse and El Presidio de Santa coffee house, hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants, art Barbara State Historic Park, is contained to 12 blocks. State galleries, vintage clothing shops and more. 7 10 Iconic SB Experiences Everyone loves a top 10 list. Here’s our top 10 of the most iconic Santa Barbara experiences. Most of these classics happen to be free, and if they do have a cost, it’s nominal. That means you can live it up like a local whether you’re just passing through for a day, cutting costs by camping at the beach or retreating luxuriously at an exclusive resort. 1 Soak up local culture, shop and dine on State Street. Hit the beach for a sun, swim or surf—East Beach is a 7 hot spot for volleyball, Leadbetter is a family-friendly Take in 360° views of downtown from the fave and Butterfly Beach is perfect for people watching. 2 Santa Barbara County Courthouse clock tower. Meander through the downtown Farmers’ Market Step back in time at Mission Santa Barbara and stop 3 (Tuesdays and Saturdays) and meet the local growers to smell the roses at the Mission Rose Garden. 8 while sampling their seasonal bounty. Discover Santa Barbara’s Spanish roots at El Presidio 4 Hike to Inspiration Point from the Tunnel Road trailhead. de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. 9 Savor sunset from the bluffs of the Walk (or bike) along Cabrillo Boulevard and take 5 10 Douglas Family Preserve. a stroll onto Stearns Wharf. Watch fishermen unloading their catch and dine 6 on fresh seafood at Santa Barbara Harbor. 9 Sustainable Tourism “Green” isn’t just a buzz word in funds important urban-creek Santa Barbara. Protecting the natural restoration projects. Click Cue: Our GreenSantaBarbara.com world has been a local passion ever The Santa Barbara Car Free Project, microsite provides a helpful since a grassroots environmental created by the Santa Barbara County planning resource for the sustainably- movement emerged in the 1960’s. Air Pollution Control District, presents minded and eco-passionate traveler. From exploring car-free and eating locally- In fact, one of the nation’s first Earth Day car-free alternatives for travel to and sourced foods to experiencing nature celebrations was held here in 1970. from Santa Barbara and a guide to preserves and embracing home-grown Today, local governments, non-profit experiencing and exploring Santa businesses, visitors can tread lightly and organizations and residents continue to Barbara car-free. give back while enjoying our little pocket of paradise. work together to maintain our sustainable community and preserve the natural Click Cue: The SantaBarbaraCarFree.org elements that make Santa Barbara so website offers maps and walking special. Visitors are actually helping our tour itineraries, Amtrak discounts, car-free efforts, too—a portion of the hotel tax resources and special vacation packages. 11 Santa Barbara Wine Country was the real-life set of the wine-infused, Oscar-winning film Sideways. Sip & Savor: A Taste of Santa Barbara anta Barbara offers a distinctly goodness can be washed down—or well-drained soils and plentiful sunshine, regional and utterly delicious elegantly complemented by—local along with unusual east-west-running epicurean experience. Fresh, wines and microbrews. A complimentary mountain ranges that funnel cool seasonal produce grown in culinary travel guide, Sip & Savor: A Taste ocean air and fog to the vines, nearby fields is readily available of Santa Barbara, is available for visitors moderating temperatures and extending Sat daily farmers’ markets, farm stands and interested in digging into the local food the growing season so that grapes of local grocery stores. Fresh catch from and wine scene. exceptional ripeness, flavor and the Santa Barbara Channel is served balance result. The region’s colorful cast up in local eateries, and you can even Click Cue: Go to “Food & of cutting-edge winemakers produces Drink” and “Sip & Savor” on buy seafood right off the boat at the superb pinot noir, chardonnay, syrah, SantaBarbaraCA.com for Santa Barbara Harbor. Local chefs work more info. You can also download the sauvignon blanc and at least 60 other their magic with the bounty of ingredients digital Sip & Savor guide. varietals. The broad array of grapes that at their fingertips and create seasonal thrive here is due in part to the diversity dishes that highlight scrumptious specialty It’s A Wine, Wine World of microclimates — temperatures get ingredients like mission figs, Meyer Currently home to more than 175 one degree warmer every mile traveled lemons and Santa Barbara spot prawns.