Destination: Santa Barbara, California

Mission Santa Barbara (March 2022)

Santa Barbara is a coastal city located just 90 miles/145 km from Los Angeles, along the central coast of California. Home to just 88,000 residents, the city is a notable change to the nearly 4 million of its neighboring LA– in contrast to the big city life, Santa Barbara feels sleepier in comparison, all the while still offering beautiful beaches and sunny Mediterranean climate. It’s no wonder, then, that its population is rapidly growing, as more and more people from Los Angeles and other parts of the state, even country, flock to get a piece of that laidback, California living.

I first visited Santa Barbara in 2010, as part of a summer road trip up to San Francisco for university visits of several campuses in California– I was about to finish high school, and I was looking into schools that I could apply to and attend. Santa Barbara was one of the stops, and I merely had a brief stop there to see its state campus (UCSB) and a bit of the pier before I moved on. I also had one night in town in 2019, but again, all I really did was grab dinner at one of the pubs by the waterfront and that was about it.

It wasn’t until last March that I returned to Santa Barbara, this time for a longer visit. I was celebrating my birthday over a long weekend by driving up the central California coast with my dad, and we decided to make our first stop there. We left early from Los Angeles, taking the famed Highway 101 all the way. We reached town by 9h00, where we promptly stopped at Stearns Wharf to stroll the boardwalk. Weather was foggy, even drizzling, while there, but I actually like it– I’m a cold weather kind of person, so the nippier, the better!

Along Stearns Wharf

Afterwards, we headed over to Mission Santa Barbara, one of the 21 missions in California. Specifically of the Franciscan order, this mission was founded in 1786 and is part of the cluster of missions that were founded in the latter half of the 18th century along the coast. Such establishments began as religious sites for living and prayer, which would later contribute to the founding of California as a state. Having grown up in California, I learned all about them in grade school, even doing school projects on them. The missions left such an indelible mark on my state’s history, and for me to visit one in person made my textbook learning come to life.

Chapel of the mission

The entrance fee was $15 USD, which given the small size of the mission (i.e. small) is a bit steep. However, as it’s a historic site, it helps to charge more to upkeep maintenance and overall preserve its infrastructure. We explored its chapel, along with its cloister and gardens. The flowers weren’t quite in full bloom yet, as we went just as spring started– any case, Mission Santa Barbara was charming, and again, it was great to see history I’d learned in school first-hand.

Gardens of the mission

We didn’t stay long in Santa Barbara afterwards, instead continuing to other stops in central California. We did return following the road trip, this time stopping in town for a quick lunch. One of my good friends had gone to university there, and she had recommended a taqueria (taco shop) that’s popular among locals and students. Besides being really affordable (about $2 USD per taco), this joint had some really authentic tacos, including cuts like tripas (intestines), cabeza (cow head), and carrillada (beef cheek).

Beef cheek, cow head, and intestines tacos

All of the tacos were very flavorful and fresh: the tortillas were warm and homemade, and the meats were tender. My only gripe was the texture– this was just my personal taste, but I actually don’t care for intestines; I find it too thick, too chewy, and too slimy. The cow head was pretty good, although there were some gelatinous bits (from the brain??) that put me off. The beef cheek was my favorite. I’m typically an adventurous eater, and I like most things, but the tripas and cabeza tacos just didn’t do it for me. It was worth a try, though!

That was about it for my time in Santa Barbara last March. Even though I still didn’t spend much time in town, I managed to see a lot more than my previous trips. I’d love to return to focus solely on Santa Barbara, as I heard that it’s well-known for its high-quality uni (sea urchin)– and I do love sea urchin! Given that I’m just an hour or two away, I hope for another visit sooner than later.

More of my adventures from the central California coast is coming soon!

— Rebecca

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