Santa Barbara:
Santa Barbara, California is alive with youthful energy within an atmosphere of casual sophistication and charm. Students from five colleges in the area bring vitality and enthusiasm, collaborating with local residents on many worthwhile projects. The city rests on a narrow shelf between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific coast, and is one of southern California's foremost vacation areas.
A day in the city could be spent biking, beach-going, fishing, or hiking in a setting rich with distinctive architecture, public art, beautiful parks and playgrounds. The same day could also include spending time at Santa Barbara's enchanting zoo or visiting a selection of museums with special children's exhibits.
The Santa Ynez Valley stretches west through central Santa Barbara County, reaching toward the city and the Pacific Ocean beyond. It's a land of relaxed beauty, where narrow roads curl through the knobby, windswept Santa Rita Hills, through rows of walnut trees and strawberry fields, past acres of cabbage
