Santa Barbara has an undeniable effect on the senses that’s both singular and sublime. The natural beauty is immediate, and bordering on the supernatural. Soaring mountains cradle the cobalt Pacific in a rare, dramatic embrace. Yet on this golden crescent of coast, beauty is only the beginning. Here, rich culture and history blends effortlessly with modern cuisine and hip hospitality, as if at the hand of one of the region’s world-class vintners. At once bohemian and luxe, the locals’ welcoming spirit is warming beyond the unmatched Mediterranean climate. To travel the area is to immerse oneself deeply into a world that’s more than beautiful…it’s Santa Barbara.
Where other destinations have cuisine, Santa Barbara stands a James Beard Award-winning sommelier tableside to explain pairings with your urchin biryani. Where some escapes have outdoor activities, Santa Barbara invites you to kayak a national park marine sanctuary amongst a humpback whale migration. From the viniculturally adventurous Urban Wine Trail in downtown’s eclectic Funk Zone to the ethereal and historic Spanish Colonial Mission, this all-senses-go paradise gives you next-level reasons to return time and again.
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Northbound
A Coffee-Fueled Drift Up the 101
By Zach RosenFinding coffee during a trip is a necessity. A coffeehouse offers more than just a cup of joe, but a chance to experience the local culture, maybe grab some breakfast, and take a moment to pause... and enjoy the surroundings. Each town has its own aroma, its own roast, its own way of waking you up. And if you let it, the journey becomes less about the distance and more about stringing together these small, caffeinated moments of respite. What ties them together isn’t just caffeine or convenience; it’s the way each cup reflects its surroundings. Along Hwy 101, coffee becomes a language of place.Read More
Pick Your Path
Winter biking adventures in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties
Story and *photos by Adam Nuñez Simi Valley photos submittedVentura and Santa Barbara counties are a paradise for family-friendly bike rides. There are many miles of paths along the coast, through lush city parks, and under shaded tree canopies, all with incredible views and pleasant rest stops. Ventura County alone has 84 miles of Class 1 bike paths. These are fully separated bike and pedestrian paths with minimal to zero vehicle traffic. Class 1 rides will mostly be covered here. These can be enjoyed by elite athletes all the way down to toddlers learning to ride for the very first time.Read More
The revival of Rancho San Marcos
By Mike Miller
Golf enthusiasts on the Central Coast received welcome news earlier this year when it was announced that the Rancho San Marcos Golf Course was coming back online. The beloved course closed back in 2020, leaving local golfers and residents alike wondering what would become of the property.
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Santa Barbara’s Best-Kept Museum Secrets
By Don Sonderling
Santa Barbara County boasts an abundance of small, fascinating museums you may have never heard of. Let’s take a look at some of these “off the beaten track” museums.
The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, simply put, is a must-visit! Put aside any pre-conception of the definition of “museum” — this small (two-room) building, on a side street in downtown Santa Barbara, will boggle the mind. This is a museum full of stories of humankind, going back to approximately 2,000 B.C. This private collection, accumulated over the years by David and Marsha Karpeles, preserves more than a million historical documents, which are narratives of literature, science, religion, political history, the arts, and the world’s development.
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