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Santa Barbara, California Travel GuideINTRODUCTION A coastal city located just 95 miles north of Los Angeles on the 101 Freeway, Santa Barbara is graced with natural and architectural beauty. Many buildings are constructed in the Spanish architectural style, with white adobe façades and tiled terra-cotta roofs. Santa Barbara is also a perfect place to soak up the sun, swim, or catch some waves on its palm tree-lined sandy beaches. HISTORY Santa Barbara’s roots extend more than 13,000 years back, to the days of the ancestors of the Chumash Indians. Native Americans thrived in the area until its colonization by Spanish settlers in the late 18th century. Before Spanish explorers settled in the area and built its mission, Mission Santa Barbara, Portuguese explorer Joao Cabrilho stopped briefly in the Santa Barbara harbor in 1542, and Spanish soldier Sebastian Vizcaino gave the city its name in 1602. The secularization of the California missions in 1833 marked the end of the Spanish period and led to a brief period of Mexican occupation and control. The United States took control of the area during the Mexican-American War in 1846. The city is currently affected by recurring earthquakes and fires. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Power: 120 V, 60 Hz Languages: English Climate: Santa Barbara enjoys a typical Southern California coastal climate – moderate, and averaging 80 degrees in the summer and 55 degrees in the winter. Currency: US Dollar Time Zone: PST (UTC-8) - Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7) Santa Barbara has a small airport that services major airlines. A city shuttle bus stops at the Santa Barbara Zoo and the Museum to let you off for shopping. ATTRACTIONS RESTAURANTS Pacific Crepes The friendly, bustling French owner seats her guests, takes their order and serves them authentic French food at this small but popular restaurant. The crepes, both savory and sweet, are wonderful. The restaurant fills up quickly around lunchtime, though, so do not show up at noon with a party of ten. Enterprise Fish Co. What better way to celebrate a vacation by the beach than with hearty, delicious seafood? This nautical restaurant has large, quality portions and a friendly atmosphere. Whodidily Cupcakes In the heart of ritzy Montecito, there is a cupcake shop with the self-proclaimed style: “’Willy Wonkaish’ with a dollop of Dr. Seuss.” The owners, contestants on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, may have made your mouth water with their red velvet cupcakes, so come try them (or a Hunny Bunny or a Chocolate Fluff or a Lazy Daisy…) at their cupcake wonderland. Palazzio For the best in family-style Italian, come to Palazzio. Their dishes, served in full and half family-style portions, can easily feed an army. No reservations taken, but the wait, even for a large party, does not take too long. Taj Café The Taj Café offers classy Indian food in generous portions. This is a great place to stop for a nice meal after a day of shopping at the Paseo Nuevo shopping center. Flavor of India For a slightly off-the-beaten-track Indian restaurant, try Flavor of India. It is not too hard to find – just off upper State Street, and the atmosphere is homier and the prices slightly cheaper than the Taj Café. Flavor of India also adjusts the heat of its food based on the customer’s preference: mild, medium, hot. Moby Dick Come to this comfortable seafood restaurant on the pier right before sunset for a stunning view. Dargan’s Irish Pub and Restaurant Dargan’s is a great place for traditional Irish fare and a Guinness or a steak and a cocktail, a friendly family meal or a night out with your buddies. Pascucci This romantic Italian restaurant serves dishes with winning ingredient combinations, like butternut squash, pumpkin and walnut ravioli in a sage butter sauce. Rusty’s Pizza Though there are several locations in town, you cannot miss the lighthouse-shaped restaurant by the beach. Rusty’s is a tasty, inexpensive and fun way to eat in Santa Barbara. Xanadu French Bakery Xanadu offers irresistible pastries, perfect baguettes, gourmet coffee and fantastic café fare with seat-yourself convenience and reasonable prices. Just a few steps from a grocery store and pharmacy, Xanadu is a perfect stop if you need to pick up anything for your stay in Santa Barbara. El Paseo Mexican Restaurant Located in El Paseo, California’s first shopping center, this Mexican Restaurant has a relaxing, patio feel. Two very good reasons to come here: the made-at-your-table guacamole and the thick, hand-made tortillas. Los Arroyos Come to family-run Los Arroyos for hearty Mexican food and either dine in or take out. Silvergreens With fresh, sustainable, California-style fare that keeps you accountable, Silvergreens offers a wide variety of affordable dishes—from Thai chicken pasta to steak and avocado sandwiches to vegetarian Mediterranean Tahini salad—and prints the nutrition facts on the receipt. Andersen’s Danish Bakery You will feel like Danish royalty at this elegant café without even having to go to Solvang. Sit on the patio, eat a piece of apple strudel or a slice of marzipan layer cake and feel the envy emanating off State Street shoppers. LODGING Bath Street Inn This adorable Victorian bed and breakfast serves scrumptious breakfasts (peach stuffed French toast anyone?) on its secret garden-like patio. Showcasing its sense of whimsy, the Inn just finished offering a deal based on the recent Meryl Streep movie It’s Complicated, which included a bottle of wine and a pair of chocolate croissants with two-night stays. Check the website for current specials. Experience the best of two worlds when you camp at El Capitan beach, near Santa Barbara: this campground’s setting includes sandy beaches alongside hidden creeks and sycamore forests to hike through. 
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