I'd like some opinions on Santa Barbara. We have been everywhere in Calif. which we love but are looking for something different. We love the Laguna Beach Newport area and want to go back but really want to try another part and I hear Santa Barbara is really nice. Is it worth the trip from NY just to go there? There are many knowledgeable Californians on this board so I would appreciate your feedback.

Santa Barbara is very similar to Laguna Beach. One advantage to SB is that it is also close to wineries unlike LB. I don't know if its worth a special trip though. Personally I like Laguna Beach better since I find SB kind of quiet.

I have traveled all over the country - including just about every major destination in CA and recently stayed 2 weeks in SB at the 4 Seasons. I flew directly int the SB airport. As soon as you land there you can feel that it is different than other parts of the country! The area is now one of my all time favorites in the country. I wrote a trip report - if you search "santa barbara" on this forum it should show up.

One reason that I liked it so much is, you can walk/ride bikes to a lot of the sites - unlike most other areas of CA, you don't have to rely on a car 100% of the time. Of course, you will need to drive to the wineries, golf, etc..

Newport/Laguna is more crowded, IMHO, but I'm sure that can depend on the time of year that you go.

Have fun!

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Santa Barbara is stunning and it is so very much worth the trip from NY to SB!
Check out the San Ysidro Ranch..
gorgeous property.
The Wine Cask is a great restaurant.
Keep us posted as to what you have chosen.

Santa Barbara is gorgeous, we spent 4 days in the area and really enjoyed this town. We stayed at the Harbor View Inn, across from Stearns' Wharf. We enjoyed the lobster bisque and lobster dinners at the SB Shellfish Co. there, Olie e Limone and the Wine Cask for nice dinners.

We just found out that our good friend who accompanied us on a 3 week trip to the Oregon Coast in the summer of 2005 will be attending school in Montecito at the Brooks Photography School. We will have to plan lots of trips to visit!

Montecito is also very nice, two weeks at the Biltmore sounds like heaven on earth! We also spent time in Laguna Beach at the Montage last month and loved this area, also. ***kim***

PBS had a piece recently about Santa Barbara. They have basically eliminated the middle class in the community. Median home price is 1.1 million...there are lots of homeless since a couple who each make $10 per hour can't afford housing here. They actually open up certain parking lots at night just for people who live in their cars, and direct them to nearby outdoor shower facilities.

Police and firemen can't afford to live in Santa Barbara. Most live 20 miles away. In the next earthquake, they have all their "first responders" living outside of the city with only one highway to get into SB. Scary. Nurses can't afford to live there, so hospitals are trying to build them housing. The university is trying to build housing for faculty...but the land is just too expensive.
I think SB is a great place to visit...but they're talking about it as the first of MANY U.S. cities with this no-more-middle-class problem. It's especially bad in SB because of the very few roads in and out in a disaster. They really need housing for police, firemen and nurses!

We prefer SB to the LB/NB area. If you have time add the Hearst castle. It is only a 2.5 hour drive north and very worth it! Tips on Montecito and wineries are good too! Also, if you like zoos the SB zoo is ranked as one of the best small zoos in the US. The view of the Pacific from the zoo is amazing.

Also, you might enjoy the scenic drive (CA 154) through the Santa Ynez Valley to the cute little faux-Danish town of Solvang.

I am a Californian who spent yesrs going to Laguna on family vacations, but I much prefer SB now. It is much prettier and does not have the terrible traffic congestion. I don't think Laguna has nearly the charm anymore. SB has great restaurants, a good museum, a great beach, a winery in town and more in SY valley. I love the shopping there, especially the Wendy Foster and Pierre Lafond complex in Monticeto. All the celebs go there if that interests you. The farmers market is wonderful too, tho maybe not so much for tourists. I think it is worth a trip.

What a fascinating post, clarkgriswold. It got me thinking that this can be an issue for other areas if things keep going the way they are.

Thanks for all replies - I was hoping to hear from RJW also.
Now I am starting to consider going to the Atlantis in the Bahamas. The reason is that my son on our last trip to Laguna found it a bit boring so I'm worried that he will find SB the same. I know I would love it, but I think that now as a teenager he needs more to do. To those that are not familiar with the Atlantis it is a megaresort that has much to offer for kids. So i think I am going more in that direction. SB another time - thanks again.