Santa Barbara Tours

Santa Barbara is a city in southern California along the longest piece of east/west coastline on the west coast of the United States. The city was settled over 13,000 years ago by the Chumash Indians. Sebastian Vizcaino gave the region its name in 1602 in gratitude for having survived a violent storm in the Channel on December 3, the eve of the feast day of that saint.

The city has a population of 89,456 and is the second most populous city in Santa Barbara County, surpassed solely by Santa Maria, California.http://www.keyt.com/news/local/2771606.html

Like much of the coastal region of California, the city enjoys a cool Mediterranean style climate. As with most coastal cities, the weather is more moderated by wind patterns on the shore, keeping temperatures slightly cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter time. Being nestled between the coast and the Santa Ynez Mountains, the city does tend to see more precipitation in the form of rain than most other cities in the area. Snow, however, is an extreme rarity in the region.

Santa Barbara is a tourist destination all year round, renowned for its fair weather, downtown beaches, and Spanish architecture. Tourism brings more than one billion dollars per year into the local economy, including $80 million in tax revenue.

One of the biggest tourist attractions in the city is the Mission Santa Barbara, which is a national historic landmark. The mission was founded on December 4, 1786, the feast day for Saint Barbara. This mission is the only one remaining under the leadership of the Franciscan friars since the day of its founding.http://www.data.scec.org/chrono_index/wrightwd.html#SBAR

A major attraction during the summer in Santa Barbara for tourists is the Fiesta. The Fiesta, held this year from August 4 through August 8, 2010, dates back to the 1920s with its long history. The Fiesta began as a way to draw business and tourists to the city back in the 1920s. Now it is recognized as one of the five best regional festivals in the entire United States.http://www.oldspanishdays-fiesta.org/aboutus.htm

The Summer Solstice Parade draws over 100,000 people to the city every year. Started in 1974 as a birthday celebration for popular artist and mime Michael Gonzales, the parade has expanded to contain over 1000 participants, along with floats, puppets, and other creative undertakings.http://www.solsticeparade.com/index.php/history

There also is a variety of museums, restaurants, the Santa Barbara Zoo, the Stearns Wharf and of course, surfing. World champions such as Tom Curren and Kelly Slater hail from the area, and people flock toward the water. Surfing is a major part of the culture in the area.