Santa Barbara, the American Riviera

Last Updated on March 9, 2026

Just north of Los Angeles in Southern California, we discover America’s Riviera…

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By Jim Ferri

Often called the “American Riviera,” beautiful Santa Barbara is located less than 100 miles north of Los Angeles in southern California. On the other hand, it’s also considered the southernmost part of Northern California. In reality, it incorporates the best of both Californian worlds. 

There are numerous reasons for Santa Barbara’s popularity, the primary being its Mediterranean climate. More important, however, is its geography. Santa Barbara’s beaches face south, while the rest of California faces west. That means calmer coastal waters, sunny palm-fringed beaches, and streets not often seen elsewhere. Given that and its beautiful Santa Ynez Mountains backdrop, there’s little wonder it’s called America’s Riviera.

It’s a stylish seaside city, as seductive as it is charming. It’s a unique place with a je ne sais quoi not unlike its French sister. And like its sister, it possesses a unique patina which local tourism people tout as the region’s “aphrodisiac credentials.” And they may be right, given the fact that more than a few Hollywood celebrities, ranging from Clark Gable to Gwyneth Paltrow, have tied the knot here. 

Today, numerous A-List celebs, including Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kevin Costner, Brad Pitt, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and many more, also own homes in the area. And just a short drive up the road is Rancho del Cielo, President Reagan’s “Western White House,” 

After wondering for years what attracted so many to this American Riviera, I decided to visit this fabled coastal city. You may want to do the same.

The American Riviera

You only need to view the azure sea lapping the beach, or the sea of red-roofed whitewashed buildings with their dramatic backdrop of mountains, to understand why Santa Barbara is called the American Riviera. But the resemblance is more than just seas and mountains.

As in Cannes and Antibes, San Remo and Portofino, Santa Barbara also has legions of restaurants that wind down to the sea. And charming streets where the aroma of culture wafts from numerous museums and galleries.

Look off towards the mountains, and you’ll see vineyards scurrying across the foothills. Closer by, you find shoppers scurrying in and out of chic boutiques and galleries all over the city. It’s a wonderful coalescence of la vie est belle and la dolce vita on the shores of the Pacific.

Santa Barbara Downtown

Aside from its aphrodisiacal qualities, much of the city’s appeal is that Santa Barbara’s downtown is chockablock with cultural sites, historical places, great restaurants, and tasting rooms for wineries, all within easy walking distance of one another.

The most popular local destinations on this Riviera include the Waterfront District with its iconic Stearns Wharf, and the Downtown Historic Arts District, both just a short walk apart. The heart of it all is State Street, lined with a multitude of cafés, shops, galleries, and museums, and little paseos, with their gatherings of boutiques and cafés running off it.

On State Street, you’ll also find the small Santa Barbara Museum of Art, home to a good American collection that includes works by O’Keeffe and Hopper, as well as a few Picassos.

History À La Carte

SMore so than many American cities of its size, Santa Barbara is easily navigated. In fact, you can visit almost two dozen historic and architectural landmarks all within a 12-block area of downtown. This area also includes the Presidio State Historic Park, a former Spanish fort dating from 1782, and the iconic Santa Barbara County Courthouse.

This courthouse, however, is not your average courthouse, something you come to expect after a few days on the Riviera. In addition to a sunken garden, the building also contains a beautiful Mural Room on the second floor with two large chandeliers hanging over the chamber.

Before you visit the Mural Room, take the elevator to the top of its clock tower for a 360° view of the city. Out across the sea of red-tiled roofs, you can see everything from the dramatic backdrop of the mountains right out to spinnakers racing across the Santa Barbara Channel. Take the stairs to the mezzanine, and between the fourth and fifth floors, you’ll see the tower’s clock mechanism hard at work.

The Old Mission Santa Barbara

This area of the American Riviera embraces three of California’s 21 missions, including the historic Old Mission Santa Barbara. It’s the best-preserved of all the California missions and is the city’s primary cultural and historical landmark.

Founded in 1786, it’s quite interesting from both historical and ecclesiastic perspectives. It’s well worth taking an hour or so to wander about the church, the museum, and the cemetery. It will provide a sense of what life was like on the central coast of California during the 18th century.

You’ll find the entire mission, including the church, the museum, and the gardens, rather austere, much like the life of the monks who lived here.

Santa Barbara Wineries

Like other wine regions further north of Santa Barbara, oenophiles find the American Riviera’s wineries a delight. Movie-goers might recognize Santa Barbara as the setting of the “wine-infused” 2005 Oscar-winning film Sideways.

It only takes about 45 minutes to reach wine country from downtown. There you’ll find more than 175 wineries and five wine trails. On the other hand, you’ll also find an “Urban Wine Trail,” with 11 wine production facilities and tasting rooms right in downtown. (To see how to get to Santa Barbara and the wineries from elsewhere, see below.

Don’t limit your tastings to wine, however. If you’re a beer lover, you’ll also find a number of craft breweries scattered about town, as well.

From an epicurean perspective, the American Riviera is on steroids, nestled as it is between the ocean and vast stretches of farmland and wineries. Farm-to-table and sea-to-table are important concepts here, and keep the city’s restaurants filled.

It’s also the city where you’ll find La Super Rica Taqueria, the taco joint that late in life Julia Child proclaimed as her favorite place to eat in Santa Barbara. (It’s on Milpas Street in the city’s Mexican neighborhood.) During my visit, I didn’t find finding a good restaurant a problem. The problem was choosing which to visit. And I was never disappointed. 

Where to Stay in Santa Barbara

You should also have no trouble finding suitable hotels in Santa Barbara, though availability may be an issue depending on the time of year. Hotels on the American Riviera range from the original #1 Motel 6 (it’s been modernized) to five-star resorts and spas. There are also numerous luxury resorts in the area.

I stayed at the charming and historic Hotel Santa Barbara, a throwback to the city’s early days, rebuilt after the 1925 earthquake. At the time, it was a getaway for stars such as Clark Gable and Carol Lombard.

There was also a casino squirreled away inside at that time, and, as one might expect, booze flowed freely in the hotel during Prohibition. However, it now lacks both a bar and a dining room, although breakfast is served in the lobby.

I didn’t find the lack of either an issue, though, since the hotel is quite close to several good restaurants. I also found it quite comfortable and well-located for sightseeing in Santa Barbara’s downtown area.

How to Get to Santa Barbara

You can reach the American Riviera in several ways. If you’re driving, Santa Barbara is 92 miles from Los Angeles and 332 miles from San Francisco on California’s famous Highway 101.

There are daily non-stop flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Phoenix, and Dallas. Flights arrive at Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA), an 8-mile drive from downtown. 

Some Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, Oceana, and Silversea cruises drop anchor in Santa Barbara in fall, winter, and spring. Cruise ships are banned during the busy summer tourism season. 

It’s also reachable by Amtrak year-round.

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If You Go:

Visit Santa Barbara
500 E. Montecito Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Tel: (805) 966-9222 / (800) 676-1266
https://santabarbaraca.com/

Hotel Santa Barbara
533 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Tel (805) 957-9300 / (800) 549-9869
https://www.hotelsantabarbara.com