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Santa Barbara is like a bright tapestry, woven from time, and enriched with the colors of history and culture.

SANTA BARBARA, CA

Dave
2004-02-21 18:23:28

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fog bank blowing over you while at your back lies a winding river valley a thousand feet below. In the same amount of time, you can be participating in any of a myriad of other outdoor activities.

In the evenings the smooth outcroppings of rock that rise above the steep chaparral lined slopes of the Santa Ynez Mountains become more pronounced. As the sun sets over this Mediterranean Shangri-La these rocks slowly fade from light brown to yellow to red and then finally to a hint of orange as the sun drops from the sky. It is this particular type and color of rock that creates such a unique backdrop for the city of Santa Barbara - found nowhere else in the world.

If all of this wasn't enough, sooner or later everyone who visits Santa Barbara is drawn to the harbor front. The magical dolphins, three noble bronze sea creatures, guard the entrance to Stearns Wharf. The harbor front is a mixture of palm-lined walkways, wide open sandy beaches, opulent beachfront resorts, glimpses of the Channel Islands, and magnificent views of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Sights such as these truly define Santa Barbara as the quintessential Southern California coastal resort town.

The Chumash Indians thrived in this area of California until just over 200 years ago. The Europeans arrived in 1542 when the Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo entered the Channel and claimed the land for Spain. Then in 1602 a ship under the command of the Spaniard Vizcaino entered the Channel to seek refuge from a storm. The day that he and his crew escaped the violent storm was the commemorative feast day for Saint Barbara. Vizcaino and his sailors showed their gratitude at being alive by naming the bay and the nearby shore Santa Barbara.

Up until 1782 the Spaniards had not settled the area around present day Santa Barbara. However, this year saw the settlement of a group of missionaries led by Father Junipero ...