Santa Barbara is located about 90 miles (140 km) northwest of Los

Angeles, along the Pacific coast. This stretch of coast along southern Santa

Barbara County is often referred to as the "American Riviera" because its

geography and Mediterranean climate are reminscent of the French and

Italian Riviera coastline along the Mediterranean.  The Santa Ynez

Mountains, an east-west trending range, rise dramatically behind the city,

with several peaks exceeding 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Covered with chaparral

and with sandstone outcrops, they make a famously scenic backdrop to the

town. Sometimes, perhaps once every three years, snow falls on the

mountains, but it rarely stays for more than a few days.  A spectacularly

beautiful area looking south toward the Pacific and the Channel Islands and

having sunrise to sunset views, Santa Barbara became the winter

destination for the titans of post-Civil War America. Private railroad cars

clustered on the sidings at Santa Barbara. The Potter Hotel overlooking

Santa Barbara's West Beach was a world renowned resort. Owners of

industry visited Santa Barbara and chose Santa Barbara hillside locations for

their grand estates. Others preferred the beach and built palatially there,

from Sandyland Cove, Padaro Lane, the city beaches, and west to what is

now Goleta.

The architectural image of Santa Barbara is the Spanish Colonial Revival

style of architecture adopted by city leaders after the 1925 earthquake

destroyed much of the downtown commercial district. The domestic

architecture of Santa Barbara is predominantly California bungalows built in

the early decades of the 20th century, with many Victorian homes adorning

the "Upper East" and Spanish style homes designed by well known

California architects in Santa Barbara and on estates in Montecito and Hope

Ranch.                 Source: wikipedia.org