By Doug Hansen
All my life I've heard treasured stories about my mother's grandparents and their eight children moving from the mountains of northern Spain to Santa Barbara, California, in 1917, so recently my wife and I headed there on a dual mission: to savor the town's natural beauty, culture and historical sites, and to do some sleuthing about my Spanish family roots.
Our visit began at the Fess Parker Resort, ideally located near the ocean and about a mile from downtown. Many baby boomers will recall that Parker played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone on popular TV shows in the 1950s and '60s. Besides acting, he became a first-rate investor whose name now graces the 360-room resort as well as a country inn and family winery in Los Olivos.
Once we were settled, we set out on foot to explore the area. Across the street we followed the curvy beachside walking path that led us to the prominent Stearns Wharf. This proved to be an ideal starting point for our visit because it provided a picture-perfect view of Santa Barbara's Spanish-style buildings nestled between the towering Santa Ynez Mountains in the background and the sparkling waters of the Pacific Ocean in the foreground.
The long wooden wharf offered a nice mix of restaurants, shops and some stately pelicans and seagulls. Before leaving the pier we discovered the first of the two dozen Urban Wine Trail stops — the Deep Sea Tasting Room, which offered good wine and splendid views. We enjoyed our walk, but next time we look forward to renting bikes and cruising down the shore-hugging bike path.
Across from the pier, the visitor information center armed us with the brochures and maps we needed to plan our three-day itinerary. The Santa Barbara Trolley, which allows passengers to hop on and off at any of 15 stops, provided the best way for us to get quickly acquainted with the town's major sights. Our 90-minute guided tour started on State Street, where most visitors go to check out the varied shops, restaurants and historical buildings.
We were struck by the attractive appearance of Santa Barbara's whitewashed buildings capped by red tile roofs, the rows of stately palms along the coast road, and the town's abundant plants and fountains. Our guide explained that the distinctive Spanish-style architecture was implemented during the town's reconstruction after the devastating 1925 earthquake. (I found my great-aunt's letter describing the terrible shaking and massive destruction that she witnessed.) Our favorite place was the picturesque Mission Santa Barbara, where my Spanish grandmother was married in 1917.
"Santa Barbara is the boundary between northern and southern California," our guide told us, "and it is often called 'the American Riviera' because of its resemblance to the beaches, mountains, gardens and mild climate of the Mediterranean coast."
The next day found us at the Fess Parker Winery for lunch and a chance to taste some of the award-winning wines (my favorite was the Ashley Chardonnay, named after Parker's daughter). Set among hills dotted with majestic oak trees and valleys filled with rows of grapevines, this 25-year-old winery was well worth the half-hour drive through the countryside to get there.
Back in Santa Barbara, my wife and I decided to explore State Street on foot. After a couple of wine-tastings along the way, we headed to Salt Cave, where we indulged in a salt-cave therapy session. Surrounded by 45 tons of pure Himalayan salt, we reclined on special lounge chairs for 45 minutes while meditative music played. While we may not have felt ourselves "healed" by that saline experience, we certainly found it relaxing.
We continued our State Street journey to the elaborate county courthouse, a major tourist attraction consisting of four buildings that included an 85-foot-high clock tower with a 360-degree view of Santa Barbara and its surroundings. One leading architect proclaimed the courthouse to be "the grandest Spanish Colonial Revival structure ever built." Not far down the street we peeked inside the Arlington Theater, whose stunning interior resembles a colonial Spanish village. Next time we're going watch a movie there. We capped off our great day of sightseeing with dinner at the acclaimed Bouchon Restaurant.
On our final day, having savored our experiences in and around Santa Barbara, I was determined to discover if I still had any family connections there after nearly 100 years. We headed to the Santa Barbara Genealogical Society, where the gracious and helpful volunteer staff assisted me in my search. Alas, the family's Sanchez Bakery was long gone, and we found only one elderly relative remaining in the area, which made me wonder why anyone in their right mind would leave this Shangri-la.
WHEN YOU GO
The Fess Parker, a Doubletree by Hilton Resort, formerly housed a train station and roundhouse. It features comfortable rooms with porches or balconies and a great location. AAA gives it four diamonds: www.fpdtr.com or 800-879-2929.
Santa Barbara Trolley Company: www.sbtrolley.com or 805-965-0353
Salt Cave: www.saltcavesb.com or 805-963-7258 (SALT)
The Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show is held every Sunday and some holiday Saturdays on Cabrillo Avenue near the ocean: www.sbaacs.com.
The Urban Wine Trail has more than 170 wineries, so these two dozen tasting rooms are a fun and convenient way to discover local wines: www.urbanwinetrailsb.com.
Santa Barbara Genealogical Society: www.sbgen.org or 805-884-9909
The Roundhouse Restaurant (excellent buffet breakfast) and Rodney's Grill are both at the Fess Parker Resort.
Bouchon Santa Barbara: www.bouchonsantabarbara.com or 805-730-1160
For general information, visit www.santabarbaraca.com.
Doug Hansen is a freelance writer and photographer whose photos and articles are at www.hansentravel.org. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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