Santa Barbara, California, USA

Santa Barbara is a coastal town located in California, United States. It is a popular tourist destination, often referred to as the "American Riviera". It is renowned for fair weather, downtown beaches and Spanish architecture.

Several iconic destinations lie within the city's limits. Mission Santa Barbara, "The Queen of the Missions," is located on a rise about two miles (3 km) inland from the harbor, and is maintained as an active place of worship, sightseeing stop, and national historic landmark. The Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a red tiled Spanish-Moorish structure, provides a sweeping view of the downtown area from its open air tower. The Presidio of Santa Barbara, a Spanish military installation built in 1782, was central to the town's early development and remains an icon of the city's colonial roots.

Santa Barbara also offers the typical Southern California variety of outdoor activities, from surfing to whale-watching. It is also a shopping paradise with State Street offering more than a mile stretch of trendy boutiques to popular chain stores.

Things to See & Do

* Karpeles Museum
* Santa Barbara Mission
* Stearns Wharf
* Santa Barbara Zoo
* Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

General information

Cruise Season - May - October
Currency - United States Dollar (USD)
Language - English
Land Area - 54.6 km²
Population - 220,000 approx
Electricity - 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time - GMT minus eight hours
International Country Telephone Code - 1

Travel Links - Santa Barbara is served by a relatively small but popular airport, an Amtrak train station, and Greyhound buses. Santa Barbara Municipal Airport located in the neighboring town of Goleta, provides access to LAX through a shuttle service that flies between the two airports several times per day.

Amtrak, housed in a historical landmark on lower State Street, provides service on both the Pacific Surfliner (San Luis Obispo to San Diego) and Coast Starlight (Seattle to Los Angeles).

The Greyhound station is also located in downtown, on the corner Carrillo and Chapala, near the local bus transit center.