Simply put, Santa Barbara is a haven for excellent restaurants (despite being the home to the first "Egg McMuffin" from McDonalds!) often combined with exceptional visual surroundings and the comforts that only a Mediterranean climate can bring. The following restaurants are located in the Santa Barbara area. This is just a partial list. If you have a recommendation for a restaurant please email it to dave@pon.net One look on Yelp under Santa … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara, CA – Shopping
We always love to mix a little bit of shopping into our travels, especially in Santa Barbara. The city features numerous boutique shops, historical shopping centers, and galleries. Paseo Nuevo is one of our favorites; it is located between State and Chapala Streets in downtown Santa Barbara. Look for the orange trees planted along the walkways near the entrance to Paseo Nuevo along State Street. Usually there are oranges on the trees and … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara, CA – Annual Events
January February March April May June July August September October November December January -Hang Gliding Festival on January 1st. Local pilots fly over ocean bluffs and demonstrate precision flying. Phone Number (805) 965-3733 -International Film Festival. Annual Event. Very popular. Premiers and screenings of U.S. and international films. Walk up and down State Street stopping at theatres showing … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara, CA – Orchids
Often called the "American Riviera", Santa Barbara has an ideal climate for growing orchids. In fact Santa Barbara now produces more orchids then any other region in the country. Exotic orchids soon became popular and were heavily planted in the Montecito and Hope Ranch estates. After World War II the oil baron Samuel Mosher spent 1.5 million on breeding orchids at his Dos Pueblos Orchid Company. His breeding grounds provided young plants for … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara, CA – Other Info
This is a section for certain items that just did not fit in any of the other parts of this article but still have importance for visitors to Santa Barbara. The following are in alphabetical order by category. Bookstores 1. Paperback Alley is located at 5840 Hollister Avenue in Goleta. They have been in business for over 20 years and have over 50,000 used books in stock. Their Phone Number is (805) 967-1051. 2. The Book Den is located … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara, CA – More Info
A visitor information Center, operated by the Chamber of Commerce, is located at No. 1 Santa Barbara Street, at the corner of Cabrillo Boulevard near Stearns Wharf. They are open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and on Sunday from 10am to 5pm. From October through April the hours vary slightly. During these months they are open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm, and on Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Their Phone Number is (805) 965-3021. … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA
San Luis Obispo, California (Population 45,595) is located nearly midway between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. With urban sprawl kept to a minimum and almost ideal weather this town is a great place to live! San Luis Obispo is located about 240 miles from San Francisco and about 200 miles to Los Angeles. Driving the scenic route along Highway 1 to San Francisco is about 260 miles. Highway 1 is certainly slower then Highway 101 … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Cal Poly State University
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly SLO) is located due north of downtown and highway 101. Just look for the concrete "P" stuck on the side of a hill above the campus. This four year college is known for its engineering, agricultural & business schools as well as IT and computer programming degrees. Cal Poly's motto is "Learn by doing." This motto is evident on campus as there are over 350 different clubs and many 'hands on' … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Outdoor Activities
Bishop Peak is a very popular hike with Cal Poly and Cuesta students. This is one of a series of nine volcanic mountains and hills that run from San Luis Obispo to Morro Bay (referred to as the Nine Sisters). From the top of Bishop Peak there are excellent views overlooking the ocean and all of San Luis Obispo and the surrounding hills. The primary trail leads off from a dirt parking lot on the north side of Foothill Blvd heading west … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Nearby Destinations
All cities, attractions and sites below are listed in alphabetical order AVILA BEACH is located next to a small bay in the 'shadow' of the Diablo Valley Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. Sometimes when shifts get off at the power plant a long line of cars will empty out all at once (this power plant is set to shut down in the year 2025). Avila Beach is a short drive from San Luis Obispo - only about 15 minutes. After taking the Avila Beach … [Read more...]