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University of California - Santa Barbara
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University of California - Santa Barbara - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.24

Local Atmosphere

A-
Where does this grade come from?View all Local Atmosphere rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Local Atmosphere Grades:

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. The first Kinko's was in Isla Vista, created by a UCSB grad student.
  2. Big Dogs Brand, Patagonia, and Islands Magazine all have their headquarters here.
  3. JFK and new wife Jackie O. finished off their honeymoon in Santa Barbara.
  4. The Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the Santa Barbara Writer's Conference are annual events.
  5. Santa Barbara County is becoming one of the best wine-producing regions on the coast.
Notable Natives
  • Jennifer Aniston
  • Jeff Bridges
  • Julia Childs
  • John Cleese
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus
  • "Bachelor" Andrew Firestone
  • Billy Idol
  • Kathy Ireland
  • Steve Martin
  • Brad Pitt
  • Ivan Reitman
  • Oprah Winfrey
Local Slang
  • APS: Alameda Padre Serra, the street that cuts across the top of the foothills, or "Riviera," and has a great view of downtown and the ocean
  • Brooks: The photography institute in Montecito
  • Carp: Carpinteria, a beach town just south of Santa Barbara
  • Hendry's: The beach that non-locals know as Arroyo Burro
  • RoCo: Santa Barbara Roasting Company, a downtown coffee shop
  • State: State Street, where all the downtown shopping and dining is located
Points of Interest
  • Campus Point
  • Coronado Butterfly Preserve
  • The Mission
  • Sands Beach
  • Santa Ynez Mountains
  • State Street
  • Stearn’s Wharf

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Isla Vista, once deemed the “student ghetto” and patrolled by the National Guard in the 1960s, is a square-mile town right next to campus. Most UCSB students live in Isla Vista—otherwise known as IV—and bike to campus every day—a 10-minute bike ride, max. The party street, Del Playa (DP), is on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Without a doubt, Isla Vista is one of the most unique and fun places most people will ever live. Where else can you choose from 10 to 30 parties on the weekend, hang out on the beach, and stand in line at 4 in the morning for burritos and pizza with hundreds of other college students?

The two beaches by Isla Vista are Devereux and Sands. If it’s at all sunny, you can bet that both will be crowded with tanners and surfers (actually, the surfers are there no matter what the weather). The mountains are about a 15-minute drive away and provide plenty of opportunities for hiking. Isla Vista also has casual and inexpensive restaurants, and most do not close before 2 a.m. any night of the week. Just consider yourself warned that, with such a great atmosphere, productivity can be very low. Some students know that they will only stay focused if they live outside of Isla Vista.

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UC Santa Barbara Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at University of California - Santa Barbara

hkriletich

Sociology '15

5.0
A+

Isle Vista

The community around our school is very close and run by students. We have tons of parks and events happening constantly to improve our community. The IV foot patrol is available 24/7 if you need someone to walk you home or have any problems, as well as our own police department. Isle Vista is a very safe community (as long as you lock up your bike) you will have no problems. And since this community is mainly college students, its very inviting. And only a 30 minutes bus ride away is State Street, a shopping district with all the stores, bars and restaurants you could ever need. Did I forget to mention the beach? Only a 5 minute walk from campus, you can see it from your classrooms.

May 07, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at University of California - Santa Barbara

Ldykarina92

Biology '15

3.1
B-

Not Enough to Do

The best thing to do out here is go downtown and do a little shopping and eating, but even getting there can be hassle if you don't have a car. There is a lot to eat near by other than dining commons, but it is all over priced. Some good attractions near by are the drive-in theater, butterfly preserve, Santa Barbara Mission, and Zoo.

May 03, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at University of California - Santa Barbara

sarasays

Chemistry '16

5.0
A+

Downtown Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is an excellent community to live and be apart of. It is SOO beautiful. The location of SB is beyond perfection. The beach is always a hot spot to go, as well as downtown. State St is a great place to walk around, eat, and shop. The shopping is great because there are plenty of reasonable places for college students on a budget.

Apr 15, 2012

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Page 1 of 21
User rating for University of California - Santa Barbara - Local Atmosphere is 4.6 out of 5 based on 62 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Camino Real Marketplace
  • La Cumbre Mall
  • Paseo Nuevo Mall
  • Plaza Shopping Center
Major Sports Teams
  • Anaheim Ducks: hockey
  • Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: hockey
  • Los Angeles Clippers: basketball
  • Los Angeles Dodgers: baseball
  • Los Angeles Kings: hockey
  • Los Angeles Lakers: basketball
  • Los Angeles Sparks: WNBA basketball
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Las Vegas: NV: 5 hours
  • Los Angeles: CA: 1 hour, 30 minutes
  • San Francisco: CA: 5 hours

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Camino Real Theatre
6950 Marketplace Dr.
(805) 963-9503

Fairview Theatre
225 N. Fairview Ave.
Goleta
(877) 789-6684

Isla Vista Theatre
960 Embarcadero del Norte

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Michael Cooper
Hometown
Danville, CA
Major
Sociology/Sports Management minor

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
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