Visiting UC Santa Barbara
Facts about Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara lies on the West Coast of the United States, 92 miles (148 km) north of Los Angeles and 332 miles (534 km) south of San Francisco. It is the largest city and the seat of Santa Barbara County, which covers 2,774 square miles. The Santa Ynez Mountains, which run along the east-west section of the Santa Barbara coast, serve as the boundary distinguishing "North County" (Ballard, Buellton, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, Solvang) from "South County" (Carpinteria, Goleta, Montecito, Santa Barbara, and Summerland). While the South County cities and towns nestle in the Santa Ynez foothills on the shore of the Pacific Ocean, North County communities are located in higher-elevation inland mountain valleys.
The county is famous for its beautiful beaches, most of which lie along a unique south-facing stretch of coastline that affords beach visitors sun all day long and greater shelter from winds and surf. But there's far more here than beaches. The county encompasses enormously varied terrain: nearly one-third of its total acreage is set aside in the Los Padres National Forest, which includes the rugged San Rafael Wilderness Area. Santa Barbara County's topographical diversity creates a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities in a relatively compact area.
Maps/Directions
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UCSB campus map |
Goleta area map |
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Directions:
From Los Angeles:
Take US-101N
Exit at CA-217N
Arrive at UCSB Campus
From San Francisco:
Take US-101S
Exit at Los Carneros Rd.
Turn right at S Los Carneros Rd.
Turn Left at Mesa Rd. to arrive at UCSB campus