One of the Best Places to Visit in California and It's Evident

   
The Santa Barbara area is just 90 miles from Los Angeles, California's Hollywood hotspot but this is just an added bonus as the area has plenty of its own fame well earned on its merits. The lands vary from wooded hills to more than extravagant homes to laid back sun worshiper packed beaches. The beauty of the land is much more than what you can see at first glance. An active, caring and environmentally friendly community helps to maintain the beauty of the area and for most of the residents the Santa Barbara area, by definition the area is paradise. It could just be with the average summer high being just around 73 degrees; usually the hottest of days doesn't go over the high 70's.

The area is also known as “The American Riviera” because of the mixture of culture and so many international travelers that it makes for a great place to mingle while out and about. The life of residents of the area is tailored around individual needs and family enjoyment. There is a ton of quality shopping to be had in the Santa Barbara area too; some of the top designers have their own boutiques in the region. There are also over 400 restaurants in the area, providing anything from fine cheeses to full blown American Barbeque foods straight from the hickory grill. Countless outdoor activities can be found for the active at heart as well.

Early on in Santa Barbara's soothing climate made for a primetime destination through the centuries, starting with the Indians, then the Portuguese and even Mexico had its claim to the land for a while. The land was eventually won back from Mexican rule in the 1800's of course, but that just goes to show how prized that the perfect climatic land is. Now it holds almost all of those cultures in harmony, well even more than just those three, Santa Barbara has its own Chinatown.

In the early 1900's, Santa Barbara area made its mark in the film industry for many years, until the industry centralized in Hollywood. It was then known to be the birthplace of film and there were 1200 movies made in the Santa Barbara even in those times. Most of the movies were Westerns and they were all shot within a ten year span. Santa Barbara became a retreat for the famous back then too, having such celebrities of the early days of film have graced its lands for quite a while.
   
The area later developed into a playground for wealthy out of town folk and a popular spot for those wanting to take a dip in the healing spring waters. At the turn of the century, luxury train cars would arrive with the likes of the Rockefellers, the Vanderbilts, the famous Carnegies and the Duponts. Just after the big names of the century started arriving in the area there was a huge swell of artists of every kind popping up, painters, poets and authors.
   
The area still attracts artists of all kinds to its lands as well as affluent individuals, but since then there are now 76 designated historic landmarks to the area and an impressive lineup of performing arts venues, museums, galleries and restaurants. Shopping malls have sprung up since then giving the fashion scene since then a big boost as the resident of the Santa Barbara area always have the latest fashions. The pedestrian friendly area is one of the best places to visit in California and it is evident when you see it with your own eyes.