Completed in 1786, Mission Santa Barbara ranks 10 of California's 21 missions. Located just minutes from downtown Santa Barbara, the mission is a can't miss when visiting the city. There is a self guided tour of the mission museum, which covers Chumash Indian life at Spanish contact well into modern mission history. Santa Barbara mission is well preserved, and has a nice park setting for photo shoots or picnics. Just up the road is the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum and the Botanical Gardens?. If Mission Santa Barbara piqued your interest, try Mission San Luis Obispo just 1 1/2 hours north on the beautiful Central Coast.
