santa barbara, central coast, state park, ocean, mountains Kyle Hanson santa barbara, central coast, state park, ocean, mountains Kyle Hanson

#266 Gaviota State Park

Gaviota State Park or 'Seagull' in Spanish is an impressive park on the Santa Barbara Coast. Hiking trails wind through sculpted canyons of the Santa Ynez Mountains covered in Spring wildflowers. Sandy beaches lie next to sea stacks to create an unforgettable rocky coastline that drops from mountain to sea. An historic railroad trestle soars above Gaviota Creek at 811 feet. It opened in 1901 and became a regular service route between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

 
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central coast, santa barbara Kyle Hanson central coast, santa barbara Kyle Hanson

#256 Solvang

Solvang is an historic Danish Village on the Central Coast. Danes wanting to escape cold Midwestern Winter's founded the town in 1911 and called it Solvang or 'sunny village'. Its charming architecture, thatched roofs and windmills create a truly authentic experience along with its 200 shops and restaurants. Solvang is also the heart of Santa Barbara's wine country making it the perfect spot for tastings. A replica of Copenhagen's famous 'Little Mermaid' statue is a highlight for any visit.

 
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santa barbara, mountains, central coast Kyle Hanson santa barbara, mountains, central coast Kyle Hanson

#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

 
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mission, central coast, foothills, santa barbara, museum Kyle Hanson mission, central coast, foothills, santa barbara, museum Kyle Hanson

#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.

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