Beneath the quiet bluffs of Santa Barbara, One Thousand Steps Beach is a secluded rocky and sandy beach. The many steps down to the beach feels like a thousand but are actually only 150. This secret spot is a locals paradise hidden away from the world.
#118 Chumash Painted Cave
Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park outside of Santa Barbara protects a sandstone cave adorned with Native American rock art. These Pictographs are thought to depict the universe as seen through the eyes of the Native Chumash. The Chumash lived on the Central Coast from Ventura County to San Luis Obispo County as well as the Channel Islands for thousands and thousands of years. Painted Cave provides an important glimpse into the past of Native Americans.
#112 Rincon Point
Rincon Point, nicknamed 'Queen of the Coast', is one of the most famous surf spots on the coast of California. It is even mentioned in the Beach Boys Classic 'Surfin' Safari'. The beach north of the point provide dramatic sea stacks and are a photographers paradise.
#103 Santa Barbara Harbor
Santa Barbara Harbor on the waterfront has been the perfect afternoon stroll for more than a century. Row after row of beautiful boats frame the rolling Santa Ynez Mountains in the background making this the perfect land-meets-ocean coastline.
#92 Nojoqui Falls
Nojoqui Falls is a beautiful waterfall in the Santa Ynez Mountains of Santa Barbara. Dropping 100 feet, the water flows over a sandstone wall covered in a wonderland of maidenhair ferns. Nojoqui Falls, pronounced 'no-ho-wee', is a hidden gem that not many people take the time to visit. *Unfortunately the trail to the falls is currently still closed from a December 2014 landslide, while the park remains open
#79 Carpinteria Tar Pits
Tar Pits Park, part of Carpinteria State Beach in Carpinteria, is a natural asphalt tar pit lake on the Central Coast. There are only 5 known in the world with three in Southern California. The Native Chumash have used the tar to waterproof their canoes for thousands of years giving Carpinteria its name 'carpentry shop'. Hundreds of fossilized mammals have also been found here frozen in time.
#69 Santa Barbara Sea Center
The Sea Center operated by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is a fun aquarium located on famous Stearns Wharf. From a 1,500 gallon sea tank, a live shark touch pool, baby shark pods and an exotic jellies exhibit, this aquarium packs in an amazing array of sea life to discover.
#57 La Cumbre Peak
La Cumbre Peak at 3,997 feet high soars above the Santa Barbara Skyline in the Santa Ynez Mountains. Miles and miles of mountain and ocean views can be seen from this beautiful peak which can be accessed by driving up East Camino Cielo. Boulders, sandstone and pine trees decorate the slopes.
#44 Mission Santa Inés
Mission Santa Inés, established in 1804, was created to help convert the Chumash Native Americans to the Spanish way of life. Being the 19th established Mission, it served as a link between Santa Barbara and Lompoc. The Chumash revolted this new way of life in February of 1824. They fought for their freedom which eventually led to them fleeing into the mountains. The Mission system ended in 1833 after Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821. Today, Mission Santa Inés has been beautifully restored against the rolling green backdrop of the Santa Ynez Valley in Solvang.
#33 La Arcada
In the center of historic Santa Barbara, is the famous La Arcada. With entrances on State Street and Figueroa, La Arcada is charming with its Spanish courtyard, fountains and bronze statues. Beautiful galleries, shops and restaurants fill the tile-lined streets. Myron Hunt designed this timeless SB landmark in 1926.
