Welcome to Downtown
Downtown Santa Barbara offers a treasure trove of food, fashion, fun, leisure, and living options. From the nine-block State Street Promenade and the hidden treasures of its side streets to popular Stearn’s Wharf, the hip Funk Zone, and beyond, downtown has no equal. There are restaurants and cafés -- from Michelin approved to kid-friendly, and fashion -- from ultra-chic to shabby-chic. Museums and galleries, historic sites, and cultural venues are popular with locals and tourists alike.
A City Rebuilt
Downtown's signature look — red tile roofs, white stucco, wrought iron balconies — exists because of a disaster. On June 29, 1925, a major earthquake leveled much of the State Street corridor. Rather than rebuild however owners pleased, city leaders Bernard Hoffman and Pearl Chase pushed through a uniform Spanish Colonial Revival style and created the country's first architectural review board to enforce it — the reason downtown still reads as one cohesive streetscape today. Two landmarks predate that rebuild: El Presidio de Santa Bárbara, the 1782 Spanish fortress that gave the city its start, and Stearns Wharf, built in 1872 and still the oldest continuously operating wooden wharf on the West Coast.
Schools
Franklin Elementary School, K-6
Santa Barbara Junior High School, 7-8
Santa Barbara High School, 9-12
Downtown Santa Barbara Real Estate
Downtown Santa Barbara real estate is both abundant and rich in its variety. Bordering the commercial areas of the community are residential neighborhoods known by locals as the Upper Eastside, Lower State, and the Westside. Each neighborhood offers its own distinct charms. For example, the Upper Eastside hosts many large homes, mostly built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with some considered historically significant. There are numerous cottages and bungalows as well. Residents stroll on tree-lined sidewalks and enjoy beautiful public spaces such as Alameda Park and Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden. Prices reflect that range: over the past year, Westside homes have sold for as little as $850,000, while Upper Eastside properties have traded above $4 million, with most downtown-adjacent sales landing between $1.2 million and $2.5 million.
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Explore Nearby Neighborhoods
Downtown Santa Barbara is surrounded by great communities. You may also enjoy The Mesa, San Roque, and The Riviera.
What Is Your Downtown Home Worth?
Thinking about selling or simply curious about today's market? Get your free home value estimate →
