When visiting Santa Barbara's beaches, be sure to stop by East Beach where you will see Chromatic Gate, a multi-colored rainbow arch in Cabrillo Park. Designed by famed Herbert Bayer, an artist and architect who lived and created around the globe, finally moving to Montecito before he died in 1985, the structure is especially fun to look at as you stand at the beach and watch the clouds pass over the mountains to the east of Chromatic Gate.

Santa Barbara is an art mecca and though wine and wineries have taken center stage in recent years, do not ignore the art scene when you visit. An excellent Santa Barbara Art Museum, galleries throughout the city, and art sculptures and installations, all make it a lively, exciting place to enjoy.