The six-lane coastal freeway that races past oil wells and offshore drilling platforms slows to a leisurely pace a hundred miles north of Los Angeles at SANTA BARBARA. This conservative town – home to Ronald Reagan – is beautifully sited, on gently sloping hills above the Pacific. The insistent red-tiled roofs and white stucco walls of its low-rise buildings form a backdrop to some fine Spanish Revival architecture, while the golden beaches are wide and clean, lined by palm trees along a curving bay. Although a large portion of downtown has been replaced by a vast upscale, shopping mall, Santa Barbara has managed to retain its quaintly upscale yet relaxed character.

Spain claimed this seaside region in 1542, but 240 years passed before Spanish colonists came to Santa Barbara. The city became a tourist mecca in the late 1800s, when wealthy Easterners basked in the Mediterranean climate. After a 1925 earthquake, the city rebuilt in its trademark Spanish colonial revival style. (Visitor Information Center, 1 Santa Barbara St. 805-965-3021).

The mission-era feel of Santa Barbara is no accident. Following a devastating earthquake in 1925, the entire town was rebuilt in the image of an apocryphal Spanish Colonial past, with numerous arcades linking shops, cafes and restaurants. State Street, the main drag, is home to a friendly assortment of diners, bookshops, coffee bars and nightclubs. The few remaining genuine mission structures are preserved as the Presidio de Santa Barbara (daily 10.30am–4.30pm; donation). At its center, the 200-year-old barracks, El Cuartel, stand two blocks off State Street on Perdido Street; the second oldest building in California, it now houses historical exhibits and a scale model of the small Spanish colony. The more recent past is recounted in the nearby Santa Barbara Historical Museum at 136 E de la Guerra St (Tues–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm; donation).

State Street leads half a mile down from the town center to wooden Stearns Wharf. Built in 1872, it was nearly destroyed in November 1998, when a third of the pier was engulfed in flames; restoration efforts are still progressing. In the meantime, you can still walk along the remaining pier to explore its seafood restaurants and ice-cream stands, while magnificent beaches stretch in either direction.

In the hills above the town is the beautiful Mission Santa Barbara (daily 9am–5pm; $3), the so-called “Queen of the Missions,” with its colorful twin-towered facade. A small museum displays historical artifacts from the mission archives. Other mission stops in the area are Santa Inés just outside the kitsch Danish town of Solvang heading north on US-101 and La Purísima, the most completely restructured of all the California missions, about twenty miles northwest of Solvang on Hwy-1.

History

200 years ago, the Chumash Indians thrived in this area, clustering in small villages along the Santa Barbara coast and Channel Islands. For thousands of years, protected by the rugged mountains and ocean, they enjoyed a comfortable, easy lifestyle afforded by an abundance of wildlife an natural resources. Then, in the short time span of two centuries, these peaceful, secluded villages developed into a world-famous resort.

European "civilization" first arrived in 1542, when Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo entered the Channel and claimed the land for Spain. The Chumash greeted the visitors with great friendliness and exchanged gifts. Their next encounter with the Spanish would not be until the next century. On the eve of December 4, 1602, just after weathering a severe storm, three frigates under the command of Sebastian Vizcaino entered the Santa Barbara Channel. Thankful to God for answering their prayers to guide the ships through the storm, one of the Carmelite friars on board named the bay and nearby shore after Saint Barbara, whose commemorative feast had occurred the same day. According to some authorities, a Chumash greeting party canoed out to the ship but was unsuccessful in persuading Vizcaino to visit, even though the Chumash leader offered each sailor ten Chumash wives.

In 1782, the Spaniards came to stay. With plans to establish a military presidio and mission, a group led by Father Junipero Serra, Captain José Ortega, and Governor Felipe de Neve founded the City of Santa Barbara. Chumash Chief Yanonali welcomed the Spaniards and offered them much assistance.

From then on, life was different in Santa Barbara. The Spaniards governed the area until 1822, when California became a Mexican territory. Just 24 years later, in 1846, Colonel John Fremont and his soldiers took Santa Barbara for the United States. Thus Chumash, Spanish, Mexican, and United States influences merged together, forming a unique blend of language and culture.

Santa Barbara remained a sleepy pueblo until the late 1800s, when wealthy easterners, after reading rave newspaper descriptions of the wonderful clime, hot and cold springs, and relaxing atmosphere, came for vacation. Word of Santa Barbara as a premier health resort travelled far and wide, attracting not only visitors, but permanent residents. Great hotels and cultural opportunities blossomed, drawing celebrity visitors from around the globe, including presidents, opera stars, kings, and queens.

For a short time, Santa Barbara was even the film capital of the world! In 1910, before the motion picture industry centralized in Hollywood, the American Film company opened the Flying A Studio on the corner of State and Mission streets. The studio was the largest of its kind in the world for several years. More than 1200 movies (mostly westerns) were made during the studio's ten-year life span. Though Santa Barbara ceased to be center of the motion picture industry, it continued to be a favourite get-away destination for film stars and other celebrities. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford owned property in the Santa Barbara hills; they first considered this site for their famous mansion, Pickfair, before building it in Beverly Hills. In 1928, Charlie Chaplin built the Montecito Inn to cater to the Hollywood crowd of the roaring twenties. Actors Ronald Colman and Alvin Weingand bought the stylish San Ysidro Ranch resort in 1935, operating it as an exclusive hideaway for friends and guests such as Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, Audrey Hepburn, and Groucho Marx. Vivian Leigh and Laurence Olivier were married at the Ranch, and in 1953, John and Jacqueline Kennedy spent part of their honeymoon there.

Attractions

• Casa de la Guerra (11 E. de la Guerra St. 805-966-6961. Closed Mon.) During the 1820s presidio comandante José de la Guerra completed this fine adobe house, which became the hub of Santa Barbara social life.
• Santa Barbara Historical Museum (136 E. de la Guerra St. 805-966-1601. Closed Mon.) Artifacts of the city's Chumash, Spanish, Mexican, Yankee, and Chinese cultures range from silver saddles to a gilded Chinese shrine. Two adjacent adobes date from 1817 and 1836. 
• Santa Barbara County Courthouse (1100 Anacapa St. 805-962-6464. Tours Mon.-Sat.) Resembling a Spanish-Moorish castle, this 1929 building delights the eye with red-tile roofs, turrets, Tunisian tiles, open-air stairways, wrought-iron chandeliers, sunken gardens, and historical murals. 
• El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park (123 E. Canon Perdido St. 805-966-9719) This continuing reconstruction of the Spanish military post includes a chapel and soldiers' quarters. The original 1788 guardhouse is Santa Barbara's oldest building. 
• Mission Santa Barbara (2201 Laguna St. 805-682-4149. Adm. fee) Called "queen of the missions" for its lovely foothill setting, two pink-domed towers, and sandstone facade of Roman style, the mission was founded in 1786. Original living quarters display vestments, sheepskin psalmbooks for Indian choristers, and crafts.

Nearby Attractions

• Old Mission Santa Inés (45 miles NW via US 101 and Calif. 246 in Solvang. 1760 Mission Dr. 805-688-4815. Adm. fee) Parts of the church were painted by Indian artists using vegetable colors. Fine old vestments and Latin missals are on display.
• La Purisima Mission S.H.P. (55 miles NW via US 101 and Calif. 246 near Lompoc. 2295 Purisima Rd. 805-733-3713. Adm. fee) This restored mission is set among hills and furnished in the manner of 1820. Visitors see the church, workshops, residences, tallow vats, livestock, and an authentically reproduced mission garden of food, fiber, and medicinal plants. Inquire about living history days.

• Oxnard Fisherman’s Wharf, 2 miles

• Port Huemene Naval Base, 3 miles

• Point Mugu, 5 miles

• Channel Island Harbor Area

• Beaches

• Port Huemene Museum

• Seabee Museum

Practicalities

Dorm beds at the relaxed Banana Bungalow Hostel, 210 E Ortega St, are both cheap and comfortable. Otherwise, rooms are generally expensive and hard to find; low-priced options include the characterful old mission-style Hotel State Street, 121 State St, near the beach.

For something more upscale, two casually luxurious options are The Cheshire Cat B&B, 36 W Valerio St, and The Harbor View Inn, 28 W Cabrillo Blvd, and Sandmann Inn.

The nearest useful camping spot is ten miles south of Santa Barbara at Carpinteria State Beach (tel 805/684-2811 or 1-800/444-7275; $17).

Among fine Santa Barbara restaurants are El Paseo, 10 El Paseo (tel 805/962-6050), an upscale Mexican restaurant with a festive fountain courtyard; Pascucci, 729 State St (tel 805/963-8123), serving tremendous portions of innovative Italian cuisine at reasonable prices; the Natural Cafe, 508 State St (tel 805/962-9494), offering scrumptious veggie meals and a prime spot for people watching; Chad’s, 625 Chapala St (tel 805/568-1876), with modern American cuisine in the intimate atmosphere of an historic Victorian home; and Mousse Odile, 18 E Cota St (tel 805/962-5393), the locals’ latest favorite for French cuisine with a California flair.

Cafes, bars and clubs line State Street; Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at 811-A (tel 805/966-2442) is a great place to watch the partygoers parade back and forth on the strip. If you’d rather actually enter a club, Zelo, at no. 630 (tel 805/966-5792), is a popular restaurant and club hosting alternative DJs, while Fathom, at no. 423, bills itself as a gay disco, making it all the more popular with trendy college students of all persuasions.

LOS OLIVOS

For more info on Great drives in this area, go to: Santa Barbara Loop