WELCOME TO MESA

Named for the Spanish word signifying “flat top table,” this raised more than two mile section of land floats straight over the ocean. Divided into East, West, and Alta Mesa, it’s home to some of Santa Barbara’s most sublime public green spaces, top-ranked schools, and popular retail outlets. Amazing amenities for families and the presence of energetic Santa Barbara City College undergrads make the Mesa one of the most youthful areas in the city—and perhaps the most sought-after areas to live.

KEY DETAILS

1   THE NEIGHBORS

A exuberant mix of youthful families, Santa Barbara City College undergrads, professionals, and long time residents.

2   WHAT TO EXPECT

Ease access beach access, many parks, and strips of bike paths and running trails.

3   THE LIFESTYLE

Meander from the beach to a park to numerous restaurants and convenient shopping—everything you need is at your fingertips.

4   SURPRISING APPEAL

The Mesa has a micro-climate all its own, with temperatures regularly hotter in winter and cooler in summer.

5   THE MARKET

A neighborhood of mostly single-family homes set within strolling distance to the ocean or homes set high on the Alta Mesa hills.

6   YOU'LL FALL IN LOVE WITH

The young energy intensified by the surfers, bikers, joggers, canine walkers, and sunbathers that run to the shoreline and parks.
HOMES FOR SALE IN MESA
HOMES FOR RENT IN MESA

Qualities

Cafés, Shopping, Great Weather, Beach Access, Parks, Bike Trails, Surfing, Great Schools, Family Friendly, Students.

Drive Times

Downtown Santa Barbara 9m by vehicle
Montecito 11m by vehicle
Goleta 15m by vehicle

Limits

East to West Santa Barbara City College to Arroyo Burro County Beach
North to South West Carrillo St to the Pacific Ocean
Close by Neighborhoods Downtown Santa Barbara, Hope Ranch, Riviera

The mesa:

One of Santa Barbara’s oldest neighborhoods historically, yet—on the flip side—the most youthful by age of its residences.
The draw of this desirable area from post-World War II, with a boom of families living in 1950s track style lodging—a style still prevalent today. All around respected schools, incredible wraps of parks, and public spaces followed, keeping the area reliably appealing to youthful couples. Santa Barbara City College, moved permanently to the Mesa in 1959, bringing in young residents, as well. The neighborhood’s spine is Cliff Drive; a throughway concentrated along the sweeping shoreline.

What To Expect:

Easy access beaches, a large number of parks, and strips of bike paths and running trails.
This is a neighborhood where you’ll see young professionals exchanging their dress shirts for wetsuits every evening, families marching to the beach with their dogs, undergrads seated on park benches to study, and more older couples strolling hip-to-hip at dusk. The scene is active, yet easygoing, serene, and relaxed.

The Lifestyle:

Meander from the beach to a park to numerous restaurants and convenient shopping—everything you need is at your fingertips.
You can have everything in the Mesa. Beach-goers descend down the Mesa Lane steps or the frequently visited Thousand Steps; park-sweethearts spread picnics in 15-acres of Shoreline Park or La Mesa Park; and bistros, eateries, and stores cluster at the Mesa Shopping Center where Cliff Drive meets Meigs Road. Also, health-conscious Santa Barbarans from each area—including elegant Montecito—make a special effort to shop at the Mesa’s Lazy Acres, an upscale supermarket selling natural food, locally-grown produce, and other freshly made dishes.

SURPRISING APPEAL:

The Mesa has a micro-climate all its own, with temperatures regularly hotter in winter and cooler in summer.
However haze will in general loom over the neighborhood during specific seasons, the compromise for a little dimness comes as a 10 to 12 degree contrast from different areas of the city. This fortunate ‘hood partakes in an extra lovely temperature range inside a city definitely known for its gentle Mediterranean environment.

The Market:

A neighborhood of mostly single-family homes set within strolling distance to the ocean or homes set high on the Alta Mesa hills.
Built in the 1950s, tract homes are the region’s trade mark, yet farm houses, shingled bungalows, Mediterranean-style homesteads, and apartment buildings and condos are recently present as well. Lots are well-spaced, and most homes have both a front and back yard. Area housing limitations cap homes at two stories.

You'll Fall In Love With:

The young energy intensified by the surfers, bikers, joggers, canine walkers, and sunbathers that run to the shoreline and parks.
No place else in the city exists a particularly dynamic local area, reinforced by the attraction of well known Mesa Lane Beach, Shoreline Beach, and Hendry’s Beach, in addition to the various parks and recreational areas that line the area. Open air exercises in this bustling neighborhood happen all year long.

Other Neighborhoods To Explore

HOPE RANCH

THE MESA

MONTECITO