Santa Barbara, CA

Santa Barbara stretches along California's Central Coast where mountains meet ocean, about 95 miles north of LA via Highway 101. The scenic drive through Ventura and Carpinteria leads to this Mediterranean-style city with year-round mild weather. Route 154 cuts through the mountains to wine country, while local roads connect to Goleta and Montecito. After a 1925 earthquake, the entire downtown was rebuilt with mandatory red-tile roofs and white stucco walls.