Santa Barbara United States
Santa Barbara is a small Mediterranean-feel city on the central California coast about 145 km north of Los Angeles, best known for its Spanish-mission architecture, the University of California Santa Barbara campus on the bluffs at Goleta, and a stretch of broad Pacific beaches. The city is the long-standing host of the annual CRYPTO conference and has a small but active technology research community. Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) handles regional connections via LAX, SFO, Denver, and Seattle. Many conference attendees fly into Los Angeles and drive the 2-hour coastal route on Highway 101, or take the Pacific Surfliner train along the coast from LA Union Station to the Santa Barbara station, which is walkable to downtown hotels.
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State Street and the Funk Zone - The main downtown thoroughfare and the wine-tasting district by the waterfront.
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Old Mission Santa Barbara - The “Queen of the Missions”, a 1786 Spanish mission that is one of the most photographed buildings in California.
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UCSB Lagoon and the bluffs at Goleta - A scenic campus walk on the coastal bluffs west of the CRYPTO venue.
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Santa Ynez Valley wine country - About 45 minutes inland, with the wineries made famous by the film Sideways.
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) has regional service via LAX, SFO, Denver, Seattle, and a few other Western US hubs. Many attendees fly into Los Angeles International (LAX) and drive the 2-hour scenic Highway 101 route, or take the Pacific Surfliner train along the coast from LA Union Station to the Santa Barbara station, walkable to downtown hotels.
Santa Barbara is small and largely walkable in the downtown core around State Street and the waterfront. The MTD Downtown Shuttle and Waterfront Shuttle are inexpensive and useful for short hops. UCSB is about 15 km west of downtown in Goleta, reachable by MTD line 24x. A car is helpful for day trips along the coast and to the Santa Ynez Valley wine country.
Santa Barbara has mild Mediterranean weather year round, with daytime highs around 20-25C from May through October. Summer brings June Gloom morning fog and warm dry afternoons. August, when CRYPTO is held, is generally clear and warm with cool ocean breezes.
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1 upcoming conference in Santa Barbara
Our picks in Santa Barbara
A curated selection of hotels chosen for location, value, and fit for conference travellers.
Best Western Plus Pepper Tree Inn
3850 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Practical three-star hotel on State Street north of downtown, about 10 minutes by car from UCSB and the CRYPTO venue with an...
Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara
1260 Channel Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
Iconic Spanish Colonial five-star resort on Butterfly Beach in Montecito with a spa, ocean-view pool, and multiple restaurants, about 15 minutes east...
Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort
633 E Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Full-service four-star beachfront resort with two pools and walking-distance access to the wharf and the Funk Zone - well-suited for CRYPTO attendees...
Hotel Californian
36 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Stylish Spanish-Moroccan boutique hotel with a rooftop pool and spa at the foot of State Street, next to the Funk Zone and...
The Wayfarer Santa Barbara
12 E Montecito St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Boutique-meets-hostel property near the rail station with private rooms and shared dorms, a pool, and complimentary breakfast - the budget option for...
Community Notes