Santa Barbara is the personification of the upscale California lifestyle. It’s a place with a lot to do but also the feel of a welcoming small town, with year-round surfing and high-quality wineries nearly in your backyard. Good place for families? You bet, with some of the highest-rated public schools in the country. Good place for young adults? Heck yeah, UC Santa Barbara has one of the liveliest social scenes around and overall the nightlife is topnotch for every age range. A good place to retire? Great weather and access to a ton of outdoor activities consistently puts Santa Barbara near the top of retirement rankings.

Unfortunately, the beach vibes aren’t the only California characteristics Santa Barbara embodies. You’re going to have to cough up seven figures if you’re looking to buy a house for the family, and California taxes do add up. Situated between San Francisco and Los Angeles, SB is a little cheaper than some neighborhoods in those markets, but that’s like saying silver is cheaper than gold. Sit down with your finance guru before you prepare to settle down on the Santa Barbara beaches for 300 days a year. The city also wrestles with homelessness problems like the ones SF and LA can’t solve, so be prepared for that in certain areas as well.

California Life

LookyLOO Review of Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is relatively small, just a hair over 20 square miles, but there are a lot of distinct neighborhoods and living styles to choose from. “Downtown” is mostly low-slung shops and restaurants rather than the high-rises of SF and LA. Downtown housing includes beautiful old Spanish architecture-style homes in addition to lots of apartment/ condo living options.

Isla Vista is where you’ll probably look first if you’re attending or working at UCSB. It’s got a mix of traditional Spanish/craftsman, contemporary homes, and apartments and like most of Santa Barbara, is a short walk or bike from the beach.

Neighborhoods like Mission Canyon, that are on the edge of town, are good spots for bigger families. Large Spanish homes and access to museums, gardens, and trails give it more of a suburban vibe. Riviera is one of the schmanciest neighborhoods in the country, with beautiful Mediterranean-style homes and prices consistently over 3 million.

To see what locals get up to for fun in Santa Barbara check out the [calendar of events](https://santabarbaraca.com/next-month/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA8fW9BhC8ARIsACwHqYp2cZlamU_t8PINmTTSwlAvRbQotAsBh9RkVYfCcDiHMUn0qqZlly4aAg2QEALw_wcB).

We highly recommend visiting Santa Barbara and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.

 



Lifestyle 

With more and more jobs shifting remote, the time to live by the beach is now assuming you’ve got the cheddar, People do come here for the waves and students come for the college, but everything Santa Barbara has to offer makes it so much more than simply a beach or a college town.

Surf’s Up

Why You Should Move Here Now? 

**Otherwise-Shopping23**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

Childcare options are good in quality, but it can be difficult to find openings. Keep an open mind and ask around. Raising kids here is great. Lots of free things to do with the ocean and mountains so close. Playgrounds are good year round. There are good schools, but they are not uniform. If possible, check them out in person before you choose a place to live (obviously for public schools but also for private schools to keep your commute distance short). It’s very safe. 

As for culture— SB is one of the oldest settlements in California. There is a long rich history to explore, and there are is a strong latino community. There are also a lot of white people. But as for other races, the representation is not as high as you might find in more diverse cities. Restaurants are good, but cater to the communities mentioned above. More diversity would be welcome. But LA is a day trip if you need a fix for something more exotic / niche. It’s beautiful here. You can see the ocean, beach, and mountains every day and the traffic is not as bad as LA, SF, etc. Housing is expensive.

For more reviews of what living in Santa Barbara is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/santa-barbara/reviews).

The California Price Tag

Reviews of Santa Barbara from Locals

**The Best Thing About Santa Barbara?** California Life...

Santa Barbara is the personification of the upscale California lifestyle. It’s a place with a lot to do but also the feel of a welcoming small town, with year round surfing and high quality wineries nearly in your backyard. Good place for families? You bet, with some of the highest rated public schools in the country. Good place for young adults? Heck yeah, UC Santa Barbara has one of the liveliest social scenes around and overall the nightlife is topnotch for every age range. Good place to retire? Absolutely, great weather and access to a ton of outdoor activities consistently puts Santa Barbara near the top of retirement rankings.

**The Worst Thing About Santa Barbara?** …The California Price Tag

Unfortunately, the beach vibes aren’t the only California characteristics Santa Barbara embodies. You’re going to have to cough up seven figures if you’re looking to buy a house for the family, and California taxes do add up. Situated between San Francisco and Los Angeles, SB is actually a little cheaper than some neighborhoods in those markets, but that’s like saying silver is cheaper than gold. Definitely sit down with your finance guru before you prepare to settle down on the Santa Barbara beaches for 300 days a year. The city also wrestles with homelessness problems like the ones SF and LA can’t solve, so be prepared for that in certain areas as well.

**How You Living?** A lot of Options

Santa Barbara is relatively small, just a hair over 20 square miles, but there are a lot of distinct neighborhoods and living styles to choose from. “Downtown” is mostly low-slung shops and restaurants rather than the highrises of SF and LA.  Downtown housing includes beautiful old Spanish architecture style homes in addition to lots of apartment/ condo living options. 

Isla Vista is where you’ll probably look first if you’re attending or working at UCSB. It’s got a mix of traditional spanish/craftsman, and contemporary homes, apartments and like most of Santa Barbara, is a short walk or bike from the beach. 

Neighborhoods like Mission Canyon, that are on the edge of town, are good spots for bigger families. Large Spanish homes and access to museums, gardens, and trails give it more of a suburban vibe. 

Riviera is one of the schmanciest neighborhoods in the country, with beautiful mediterranean style homes and prices consistently over 3 million.

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** Surf’s Up

With more and more jobs shifting remote, the time to be located by the beach is now assuming you’ve got the cheddar, People do come here for the waves and students come for the college, but everything Santa Barbara has to offer makes it so much more than simply a beach or a college town. 


If you’re a UCSB student then Isla Vista (IV) is a likely spot to consider for off-campus living. It’s right next to campus and is a walk to school so the commute is easy. There is also a bus that runs to SCCC if you are taking classes at both schools. The area can be loud, due to the students and many bars and restaurants in the area but even better you’re also close to the beach. The Mesa is a good option if you’re going to SBCC. The area is active with students although not as nutty as IV, but with plenty of restaurants, cafes, bars and entertainment for students to stay busy. Being near the beach doesn’t hurt either. 
- Isla Vista
- The Mesa


College Students

Isla Vista

Young Professionals who want to live in a fun commercial district but also be close to work in Santa Barbara will often follow their collegiate peers and choose to live in Mesa. You’re really close to the beach but you’re also up the hill so you get great views of the ocean. You’re also in the midst of an active social scene with pubs, cafes, music venues and theaters to keep things interesting while you enjoy the views. San Roque and Goleta are also good options with both offering apartments and condo options. Smaller commercial districts than Mesa but still things to do when you feel like staying the hood at night or on weekends. Downtown, which is also a popular option, runs more expensive than some of the other neighborhoods is a wonderful option if you have the bucks. 
- Downtown
- Mesa
- San Roque
- Goleta


Young Professionals

Downtown

Mission Canyon is a wonderful option for families. Located between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific, you’re in the middle of two amazing worlds. You have a choice of living in the canyon or the valley here, with both offering stunning homes and neighborhoods for raising your children. The area is pretty secluded so you have to sacrifice direct access to a commercial district but for many the surrounding views and lifestyle are worth it. Riviera is another popular option. The area looks Mediterranean with beautiful Spanish-style homes and a chill vibe that keeps families, and retirees happy year round. The homes have amazing views of either the Santa Ynez Mountains or Downtown Santa Barbara and these views are generally above the fog bank. 
- Mission Canyon
- Riviera


Families

Mission Canyon

Retirees have an amazing number of choices in Santa Barbara. Neighborhoods like Riviera have plenty of retirees who simply want beautiful homes in the most picturesque settings possible. Managed communities, like Villa Santa Barbara, are close to downtown and offer independent and assisted living, but in a setting that integrates your lifestyle with downtown living. Vista del Monte is another retirement community with incredible views of the Pacific and mountains, amazing food and apartments/accomodations and close proximity to the Santa Barbara city center. 
- Riviera
- Villa Santa Barbara
- Vista del Monte


Retirees

Riviera

Santa Barbara

**Otherwise-Shopping23**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

Childcare options are good in quality, but it can be difficult to find openings. Keep an open mind and ask around. Raising kids here is great. Lots of free things to do with the ocean and mountains so close. Playgrounds are good year round. There are good schools, but they are not uniform. If possible, check them out in person before you choose a place to live (obviously for public schools but also for private schools to keep your commute distance short). It’s very safe. As for culture— SB is one of the oldest settlements in California. There is a long rich history to explore, and there are is a strong latino community. There are also a lot of white people. But as for other races, the representation is not as high as you might find in more diverse cities. Restaurants are good, but cater to the communities mentioned above. More diversity would be welcome. But LA is a day trip if you need a fix for something more exotic / niche. It’s beautiful here. You can see the ocean, beach, and mountains every day and the traffic is not as bad as LA, SF, etc. Housing is expensive.

**silverpenelope**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Honestly, I think one of the reasons people are happy is because it's an unusually convenient place to live on a daily basis. If you're not traveling south of Santa Barbara, there's rarely traffic, you can always find free parking, places aren't particularly crowded, restaurants are good, and everywhere you go there's something beautiful, flowers blooming 12 months of the year, the ocean, the mountains, etc. The COL is a drawback, but you can do pretty much everything without much effort and in an incredibly gorgeous landscape.

**sometimes-i-rhyme**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Which is NUTS. Because for a city of 90k we have amazing restaurants, a world class university, a couple of colleges, the Music Academy, a respected symphony, several choral groups, a multitude of live theater options, concerts at the Bowl, the Granada, the Arlington and the Lobero. Film festival, Arts and Lectures, Art Museum, Maritime, local history and natural history museums, botanic gardens, harbor, historical homes and buildings, cultural festivals, a baseball team, parades, classes, farmers and seafood markets…and year round access to outdoor activities and natural beauty. If you can’t find something to do and be interested in here, that’s on you.

Edit to add: Many of these events and resources are free, or do extensive community outreach to make things like museums and the arts accessible to the resident non-wealthy.

**beebargs**
6mo ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

San Roque
I would say it is expensive.

What hasn’t been said much is how the climate affects lifestyle.

Mild winters and mild summers mean that outdoor recreation is possible year-round.

No more 90% humidity days, no more below freezing temps.

You can swim in the ocean, walk in the foothills, ride your bike, walk to the neighborhood park, over 330 days per year.

Santa Barbara punches above its weight with cultural amenities, such as a symphony, zoo, opera, art, museum, university, Los Angeles is about 90 minutes away with its full compliment of professional sports and big touring music.

And there are tacos. They may be relatively more expensive than tacos in other places, but they are still tacos, and they are still delicious.

**Should I Move to Santa Barbara? 🏠 | the PROS & CONS of Living in Santa Barbara**

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