Goleta
The City of Goleta stretches approximately 8 miles along the coast, located a few miles west of Santa Barbara. Officially deemed a city in 2002, Goleta is home to some 30,000 residents and a growing business community.
Situated directly on the coast, Goleta has a number of beautiful oceanfront preserves. Goleta Beach, Ellwood Mesa, Naples Bluffs and the sacred Gaviota Coast are the shining gems of the city. An exclusive surfer and cowboy paradise, Hollister Ranch, marks the edge of the Gaviota coastline. Heavily protected, these beautiful outdoor spaces offer incredible ocean and mountain views. The Coronado Butterfly Preserve can be found along Ellwood offering a seasonal spectacle of migrating butterflies and wildlife.
Awarded one of the “Best Places to Live” by CNN Money and ranked one of the “Safest Cities in America” by NeighborhoodScout, it is no wonder why this city is continues to rapidly expand. Priding itself on a safe, active and high quality of life, the community shines with diversity.
Offering organic farmer’s markets, quiet neighborhoods and a wide variety of shopping and entertainment there is always something to partake in. The annual Lemon Festival draws crowds with its award winning food and locally grown produce. Businesses range from start-ups to large-scale corporations such as Raytheon. Costco and Home Depot lie on the outskirts of Goleta, the only big box stores in the County. Old Town, the historic stretch of Goleta, offers a further selection of shops and Goleta’s City Hall.
The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is located adjacent to Isla Vista, a small subdivision of Goleta situated between Goleta Beach and Ellwood Preserve. For such a small coastal community, Isla Vista is shockingly able to support nearly 20,000 students and staff.