Hidden up in the hills above Santa Barbara lies a sandstone cave used by the Chumash for possibly…read moreup to 1000 years. Now part of the California State Park system, it holds artwork created by the Chumash to depict important cultural concepts and themes. Protected by a gate, the Painted Cave can be visited dawn to dusk. Admission is free. Very limited parking on the narrow, curvy, mountainous road. Definitely worth the trip to see this beautiful site.

We stopped here on the way to the Cold Springs Tavern. The GPS takes you to a turn out where you…read morecan safely park and then walk up the hill. Painted Cave road is very narrow so if you pull over in front of the cave you will block others. There's a short climb to the cave which is behind a fence to protect it from vandalism. You can take lots of pictures through the fence. Since it's such a short hike you may want to combine this with a trip to Knapp Castle about a mile up the road. Very beautiful historical site.

Was a fun roadtrip got there a bit late and it was cloudy unfortunately but it was still a…read morebeautiful sight and relaxing to sit and view with your significant other

Given it being Valentine's Day Eve, it seems quite appropriate to review a Santa Barbara gem. The…read morelocals--particularly UCSB students--know it as "Kissing Point." You don't need to use your imagination why: Simply venture here at sunrise/sunset and you'll be macking with whomever is closest to you due to the natural romance in the Californian air. It also helps that the temperature is sometimes +10* warmer since it is in the mountains. ;) History: Kissing Point is about a third of the way up (or three-quarters of the way down depending on your route) Old San Marcos Road. This was the original stagecoach route to cross over the mountains prior to the current San Marcos Pass/Route 154 between 1861 and 1901. There are a few weathered historical markers along the way but anyone will easily be impressed by the hard work put into carving out the road. How to get here?: The easiest route to reach Kissing Point is by exiting off the 101 Freeway at Patterson Rd and going toward the mountains, turn right on Cathedral Oaks, then turn left when you've reached San Marcos Rd. Kissing Point consists of only two unmarked dirt pull-offs (one now with bollards due to erosion). There is also a third and fourth pull-off much further up hill but with very limited space. What do I see?: The views are from the Santa Ynez Foothills down into Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley with easy landmarks being the Santa Barbara Airport, University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), Old Town Goleta, the Pacific Ocean's Santa Barbara Channel, and almost all of the Channel Islands in the distance on a clear day (from north to south: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz--the most obviously, and Anacapa Islands). I am spoiled to have this scenic drive only minutes from my house since it offers not only some of the best aerial views (ie particularly from Kissing Point) but also a backroad option to access Route 154 that goes over the Santa Ynez Mountains toward popular destinations including Lake Cachuma, Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country, and Solvang. A few tips: - I have included the precise location on the Yelp map, in addition to GPS coordinates, in the Quick Tips. - Check out my video of the drive down this twisty road with views for days: https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select_video=OgU4LsTKlJ7Eqyh60KKdcA&userid=4DyMRBKrokax6d8LCI3GAw. - People love to drive extremely fast up and down (including myself). Be cautious of mountain bikers and motorcycles, particularly around the two hairpin U-turns toward the top. - As the signs heed, put on your headlights during the night AND day. - Please clean up after yourself. Unfortunately there is plenty of trash and glass bottles left behind. Don't be this person.

This Adobe is quite well maintained, at least it appears that way. There is a plaque noting the…read morestatus as a California Registered Historic Landmark No. 721. The address 11 East Carrillo St. Is prominently displayed. The doors are locked. There are no posted hours. Looking inside I see a big bankers meeting room table and chairs. So I don't know what is up with the historical status, but it looks like the bank owns it and it is part of their offices. Sorry.

Amazing that this 185 year building is still standing. Stop #4 on the Red Tile Walking Tour.read more

This is a beautiful wind chime and sculpture near the entrance of Hans Christian Andersen Park in…read moreSolvang, the artwork producing a pleasant sound on a breezy Saturday afternoon. The area is peaceful, and there's a bench right next to the wind harp, making it convenient to spend a few moments here appreciating this unique piece and its history.

This wind harp is located at the Atterdag Village of Solvang care center where there's also a…read morenursing home. This originally topped one of the towers at the Danish Pavilion at San Francisco's 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. After the expo was over, the buildings were demolished and this wind harp was transported to its current location in Solvang. It plays peaceful music when the wind blows but it's not something I would go out of my way to visit. I was in, took a couple pictures, and left within minutes.

Really great spot. Clean, organized, and plenty of area for sitting and getting some work done…read more It's in a really convenient area, and was perfect for spending some time on the computer. I'm not much of a library guy in general, but was really impressed by this spot!

I really enjoyed visiting this library with my kids! There's a whole kids section downstairs, which…read moremakes it nice when my kids want to be excited while looking at books. I wasn't afraid of them being too loud for the other visitors. There were a bunch of other kids having a good time doing arts and crafts when we visited. A male librarian helped my son find the graphic novels and even recommended some which we ended up checking out. They have a wide selection of books and sitting areas for the kids. Everything was organized so well. I was very impressed.

Book-lovers' paradise! Books are well-organised, the catalog is well-maintained and the staff…read moremembers are very helpful. I always end up finding new books everytime I go. PS- their book sale is worth checking out, and so is their honor books section!

Take a sojourn to the land of literature! I am quite fond of libraries, and Goleta Valley is no…read moreexception! I don't just adore this community gem because I'm a bibliophile, but because of the variety of enrichment and resources it offers. Staff are consistently kind, knowledgeable and helpful. The usual books, periodicals, compact discs, dvd, etc. are available to check out. There are also books, dvds and cds for sale at bargain basement prices in the entryway. We always find something we can't say no to. There are so many programs for kids and adults, including the summer reading program, for which there are raffle prizes, art exhibits, informational events, literary events and much more. The access to digital resources is immense, including catalogs of digital movies, music and audiobooks a member can access at home or on the go through a mobile device. There is a parking lot, including disabled parking availability, and the building is accessible, which is important. We are so grateful for our local library!

This little street is Santa Barbara's oldest. It is stop #9 on the Red Tile Walking Tour.read more

This review simply proves that Yelp goes beyond just dining establishments. I have been to my town…read moreof Goleta's City Hall building on a few occasions. Although not the prettiest building, it offers ample parking (including a solar-run EV car charger) and an easy drop off ballot box for elections. The one time I had a question for the city, they were quick to get me to the right person for an answer. No complaints here!