#23 Franceschi Park

Franceschi Park in Santa Barbara is the essential spot to view a panorama of Santa Barbara. The drive up via Alameda Padre Serra road is a thrill in itself. Located on the former estate of Francesco Franceschi, an Italian Botanist, this 18 acre park contains the ghostly remains of a mansion and gardens. During the turn of the 20th century, Franceschi imported nearly one thousand different species of plants into Southern California transforming the way SoCal would be landscaped forever.