Walk Santa Barbara from State Street to the wharf
Santa Barbara is a Spanish revival town of white walls and red tile roofs, between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific. FOG keeps the map dark until you walk it, and its main street runs straight to the sea.
State Street
State Street is the main street, running from the hills down to the beach. The lower blocks are a pedestrian promenade of shops and restaurants. It ends at Stearns Wharf, a long wooden pier into the ocean.
The Funk Zone, a few blocks east of lower State Street, is an old industrial area of wine tasting rooms and murals. Cabrillo Boulevard runs along the beach with a path beside it.
Courthouse and mission
The Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a Spanish revival building with painted ceilings, has a clock tower open to visitors with a view over the red roofs to the sea. Free entry.
The Old Mission, founded in 1786, sits on a rise north of downtown, about a mile and a half up from State Street, with a rose garden in front. Walking up and back adds a long line.
Weather
Santa Barbara has mild weather most of the year. Late spring often brings grey mornings by the coast. Summer and autumn are sunny.
Downtown is compact and the streets form a grid, set at an angle to the compass. A day covers the centre, the waterfront and the mission.
The character who walks with you
FOG puts a small explorer called Wander on your position. Pick one of five paths (two are free, three come with FOG Unlimited) and every two levels on a path hands you a new piece of gear, earned only by the ground you cover. Twenty five pieces in all, and none of them can be bought.
Under the character it is a plain, permanent record: every street you walk in Santa Barbara is cleared and stays clear, the app works in the background, and the map is stored only on your phone with no account and no cloud. You can export it as GPX at any time.
Questions people actually ask
Can you go up the courthouse tower in Santa Barbara?
Yes. The clock tower of the county courthouse is open to visitors and free.
How far is the Mission from State Street?
The Old Mission is about a mile and a half north of downtown.
Is there a subscription?
No. Exploring is free and FOG Unlimited is a single purchase. There is never a subscription.
Start with a dark map.
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