Hotels in Santa Barbara, California

A little about Santa Barbara...

Santa Barbara is a city in California, United States. It is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 92,325. The metropolitan area—which includes the cities of Goleta and Carpinteria; the unincorporated communities of Montecito, Summerland, Isla Vista, and Hope Ranch; and adjacent areas—has a population of approximately 200,000.

Santa Barbara and the immediately adjacent area is home to several colleges and universities:
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara City College
Westmont College
Brooks Institute of Photography
Music Academy of the West
Santa Barbara Business College
Antioch University
Fielding Graduate University

Santa Barbara is a year-round tourist destination renowned for its warm weather, downtown beaches, and Spanish architecture. In addition to the city's cultural assets, several iconic destinations lay within the city's limits. Mission Santa Barbara, "The Queen of the Missions," is located in Santa Barbara. It was founded on December 4, 1786 on a rise about two miles inland from the harbor, and is maintained as an active place of worship, sightseeing stop, and national historic landmark. The Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a red tiled Spanish-Moorish structure, provides a sweeping view of the downtown area from its open air tower. The Presidio, a Spanish military installation built in 1782, was central to the town's early development and remains an icon of the city's colonial roots.

Also famous is the annual Fiesta (originally called "Old Spanish Days"), celebrated every year in August. Fiesta, in Santa Barbara, is synonymous with food, music, and riotous parties, ranging from the annual Covarrubias Adobe Pre-Fiesta Tea, to the Fiesta Pequeña on the steps of the Mission.

For over 40 years the Santa Barbara Art and Craft show is held on Cabrillo Blvd., along the beach, attracting 1000s of people to see artwork made by artists and crafts people that live in the Santa Barbara county.

The annual Summer Solstice Parade draws up to 100,000 people (). It is a colorful themed parade put on by local residents, and follows a route along State Street for approximately one mile, ending at Alameda Park. Floats and costumes vary from the whimsical to the outrageous; parties and street events take place throughout the weekend of the parade, which is invariably the first weekend after the solstice.