From Bonnie Donovan's Column in the Santa Barbara Current. Read it all at:

Opening State Street Survey Results

Google and Santa Barbara

Most people who are thinking about visiting Santa Barbara will Google to find out what to expect when they get there.

If you ask, for example:

Q. What is the most famous street in Santa Barbara?

A. Santa Barbara's most famous avenue, State Street, cuts through downtown for 10 blocks and leads right onto Stearns Wharf. It's nearly impossible to miss with its shops, art galleries, theaters, and attractions, including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

What happened to State Street in Santa Barbara?

Partly due to Covid, but also to closing down the access to cars they have been replaced by cheap souvenir stores and other cheap merchandise. State Street was known for better retail and better restaurants; now those are gone.