| |
Santa Barbara's DOWNTOWN
The perfect combination - in town affordable beach living!
Enjoy the culture of a big city with the heart and hospitality of a small coastal town!
Would you like to find out what is selling in the Downtown, Santa Barbara neighborhood? If so, we've got the tools for you to do this. Use the latest Google mapping tool to display all Downtown houses and condos, both ACTIVE and SOLD side-by-side.
A Guide to Downtown
Known as the "American Riviera," with beautiful beaches and a colorful culture, Santa Barbara combines the art and culture of the big city with the heart and hospitality of a small coastal town. Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, downtown Santa Barbara is a vibrant cultural city center full of classic historical homes and lots of history.
After World War II, the town's population exploded and there was a rebirth of business downtown. However, in the 1950s the flight to suburbia left it virtually barren. Finally banding together in the 1970s, the town's business owners formed the Downtown Organization. Their efforts resulted in a spectacular rise in business and a downtown that has been steadily reburbished. The look and feel of State Street was transformed with tile sidewalks, palm trees, benches and artistic details making it a desirable location for businesses and residential homes alike.
Santa Barbara was greatly influenced by its Spanish past. You'll be struck by the beautiful Spanish architecture evident in many of the historic buildings downtown.
For over 130 years, Stearns Wharf has been the center of activity in downtown Santa Barbara. While on the wharf, be sure to visit the Ty Warner Sea Center, an interactive marine life education center.
Consistently voted as one of the nation's best small zoos, the Santa Barbara Zoo is worth an afternoon's visit - all with a view of the Pacific Ocean!
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art has a large collection of exhibits that include pieces from such mediums as photography, antiques, American and European art and modern and contemporary art. From Ansel Adams to "Picture Stories: Art of Europe and the Americas" there is something for everyone's tastes.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History offers children's classes, adult workshops, a nature trail and a history of the native Chumash people. Their motto, "Inspiring a passion for the natural world" is a concise statement for this interesting repository of natural history.
Situated at the Harbor's Waterfront Center is the fascinating Maritime Museum featuring interactive exhibits such as the periscope. Located on the roof, the periscope is available for everyone's viewing pleasure providing a 365-degree viewing radius just like an actual submarine periscope.
The Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Association sought to establish a weekly market designed to "strengthen the local community's ties and provide weekly events at no cost while enhancing our community's quality of life." The Santa Barbara Farmers Market brings together a nutritious, delicious harvest of local home grown agricultural products to residents and visitors on a weekly basis.
History of Downtown
Established in 1850, Santa Barbara dates as far back as California's statehood. The community began with $2,000 allocated for a street survey contracted to the surveyor, Salisbury Haley.
Along these paths, the Royal Presidio was founded in 1782. By 1850, Santa Barbara had approximately 60 adobe homes arranged with little regard to the compass. Haley was instructed to grid 450-foot blocks from the base of the Mesa to the base of the Riviera and from the ocean to the field in front of the Mission.
Haley began at the corner of State and Carrillo thus designating downtown Santa Barbara. Yet several things went awry. First, many of Presidio's homes were set in the middle of streets. Land use disputes arose. As homes were being destroyed for the road grader, several families refused to move. For 20 years, horses and carts detoured around these homes.
Laying out the streets parallel to the ocean put each on a curious Northeastern/Southwestern bias. Buildings and streets are not square with the compass points. As a result, many newcomers have difficulty understanding the Pacific Ocean lies south - not west - of Santa Barbara.
During the decade of the 1870s, the talented musician Jose Lobero built and opened the first opera house in Southern California in an adobe at Canon Perdido and Anacapa Streets. This established Santa Barbara as a cultural center and the opera house played to audiences until 1924 when the present Lobero Theater was built.
The town's first real luxury hotel, The Arlington, was built in 1875 on State Street between Sola and Victoria. From The Arlington, wealthy tourists discovered Santa Barbara. As Santa Barbara's health resort reputation spread, so did its population and its reputation as a destination city.
With the visit of President Benjamin Harrison in 1891, Santa Barbara began a tradition of floral parades downtown. The first federally built post office opened on State Street in 1914 where it remained until being moved in 1937. The original building is now the Art Museum. In 1920, the Granada building, at eight stories, became the tallest in town and remains so today.
The infamous earthquake on June 29, 1925 brought with it enormous destruction of the downtown area. State Street was closed for six months and damages exceeded $15,000,000. From this tragedy, the Mediterranean-Spanish architecture and modern building codes were created and are still in use today. Because of this, various building styles were transformed creating a city internationally acclaimed for its beauty.
Downtown successfully reinvented itself after the earthquake and again after the threat of suburb shopping centers. And now future prospects remain bright.
| |
| |
Homes for Sale in DowntownLooking for a new home in the Downtown Santa Barbara area?
Nestled between the ocean and the mountains, Downtown Santa Barbara is a vibrant cultural city center full of historical homes and lots of history. If you're looking for a new home in the Downtown Santa Barbara, look no further. Our expert Santa Barbara buyer agents will help you find exactly what you're looking for.
People are finally realizing what we've known for years -- Downtown is one of the Santa Barbara area's most attractive luxury home locations and a wonderful world-class destination! Make sure you profit from this popularity.
Activities, Events, Landmarks
If you love fresh seafood, you won't want to miss the Santa Barbara Harbor Seafood Festival. Featuring an abundance of delicious local seafood specialties, cooking demonstrations, interactive maritime education, unique children's activities, boat rides, live music and much more the annual autumn event lures seafood lovers of all ages to the harbor for one of the community's most beloved festivals.
If you're interested in the era of tall ships, then you'll love the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum's Annual Sea Festival. Each year the Spirit of Dana Point - an 18th century 118-foot privatee - returns during the festival. Visitors always find this event a fun-filled day of unique dockside and onboard activities.
"In early September, East Beach comes alive with the Sandcastle Festival." Watch as competitors try to outdo each other to create the best castles and other beautiful shapes in the sand. Come and see how creative people can be when competing for the winning design. While there, enjoy the live music and hula dancing shows. You may forget you're not on a tropical island!
In December, join us for the annual boat parade then stay for the evening event when approximately 35 colorfully lighted boats parade around the harbor at the Annual Parade of Lights. There's a colorful fireworks display lighting up the night sky immediately following the parade.
Local landmarks include the beautiful Santa Barbara courthouse. Built in 1929 and still in use today, the Spanish Moor "palace" contains wrought iron chandeliers, hand-painted ceilings, large murals, and imported tile. You even get a 360-degree view of the city from the courthouse tower! What's more, there's usually a concert or festival taking place on the lawn for everyone's entertainment.
Take a self-guided tour of the historic Mission Santa Barbara that is still in use as a church today. Built in 1786, it is known for its esthetic beauty and considered the "Queen of the Missions."
The site of an active archeological dig, El Presidio de Santa Barbara is one of the most interesting and significant landmarks in the city. The last of four military fortresses built by the Spanish along the coast, the Santa Barbara Royal Presidio was founded in 1782.
Community Services & Schools
Looking Good Santa Barbara "is a city-sponsored community organization dedicated to keeping Santa Barbara a beautiful and unique place to live, work and visit."
The Santa Barbara School District seeks "Excellence for all" while serving the public at 13 elementary and nine secondary schools.
The University of California, Santa Barbara's faculty includes nine Nobel Prize winners! Established in 1944, it encompasses 989 acres near the coastline. Offering over 200 majors in its five schools and one graduate division, UCSB "ranks among higher-education leaders in the United States and Canada as one of only 62 research-intensive institutions elected to membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities."
Established in 1909, Santa Barbara City College "is a comprehensive community college serving the south coast of Santa Barbara County. It is renowned as one of the leading two-year community college in California - and the nation." SBCC has the distinction of ranking #1 for annual transfers to UCSB!
Beaches, Parks, Entertainment
The recently renovated Chase Palm Park provides opportunities for rollerblading, bike riding, letting the kids ride the carousel or just lounging about on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Don't miss the weekly Arts and Crafts Show with a delightful mix of arts and crafts from local artisans. Bring a picnic basket and experience all the charm downtown Santa Barbara has to offer. Skateboarders will want to check out Skater's Point, a skateboarding park built especially for this popular activity.
Visit the Santa Barbara Ballet Center for ballet classes and events that include "The Nutcracker at The Arlington." The Santa Barbara Dance Alliance is renowned for "bringing dance to the community and the community to the dance." With such events as the "Annual Multi-Cultural Dance and Music Festival" and "Santa Barbara Choreographers" - where locals show dance and film at Center Stage - the Alliance is a popular establishment. You can also sign up to take a number of different types of dance classes such as Ballroom, Argentine Tango, Swing, Salsa and Hip-Hop. Stay active and stay young with a dance class!
Leadbetter Beach "is in the city on the edge of the 'strip' and offers all the amenities."
Featured on the Travel Channel as one of the world's top ten beaches, East Beach is known as "The Most Romantic Beach". Picturesque with its grassy, tree-lined park, it has a full array of amenities - a full beach house, snack bar, volleyball courts, play area and a bike/rollerblading path.
Lined by rows of palm trees, the West Beach boardwalk is a great place to come to see the sailboats. Within close proximity to Chase Palm Park and the Wharf, there are plenty of amenities to help you enjoy your day.
A flourishing, sun-kissed, relaxing environment makes Santa Barbara one of America's best-kept secrets. "A burgeoning wine country, downtown Santa Barbara basks in sunshine, natural bounty, creativity, cultural sophistication and an appreciation for taking life at your own pace."*
See for yourself what downtown Santa Barbara has to offer. We think you'll love it as much as we do. For a list of featured homes in the area, try our unique mapping tool to help you find just the home for you and your family.
*Quoted, non-verbatim, from the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau website.
| |
