Summerland, CA - Living in Summerland, CA

Summerland, CA- Living in Summerland, CA

Summerland, CA is a small beach town just East of Santa Barbara. The town started back in the late 1800's as a spiritual retreat and has maintained what some would consider an eclectic charm to this day.  Many of the homes in Summerland are built upon the hillside overlooking the ocean and Santa Cruz Island 26 miles offshore.  The beach in Summerland is very popular with walkers, dog owners and their dogs who get to run all over the place, horses during the specific times they are allowed and swimmers because the water is usually very calm.  It's hard to imagine that Summerland's beach was full of oil platforms and drilling piers in the early 20th century but it was (see picture of Summerland Beach circa 1900). 

Summerlands business district runs along a stretch of Lillie Avenue and consists of restaurants, antique shops, a wine tasting room, Cantwell's Market and a few other interesting shops. A Summerland restaurant that is very popular with the locals is The Nugget.  The Nugget is known for their Patty melt sandwiches, homemade chili and sweet potato fries but everything is good there.  The walls are covered with interesting old pictures and famous people that have eaten there including Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. 

Venture a few blocks past Summerlands business district to the North and you will find that the backside of the hill has some of the most beautiful country found anywhere.  Multimillion dollar estates, citrus and avocado orchards and horse ranches dot the hills and canyons.  There is also a wonderful network of trails that provide public access to this beautiful region maintained by the Montecito Trails Foundation. 

Real estate in Summerland is in demand by those that want to be close to all of the rich cultural activities offered in Santa Barbara next door but like to avoid the hustle and bustle.  The ocean views from many of the homes in Summerland, CA are spectacular and ever changing.  One consideration for those interested in Summerland real estate is the noise from Hwy 101 and the train that pass through town.  Acoustics are a funny thing though.  I have been in Summerland homes with ocean, Island and Santa Barbara Coastline views and barely heard the highway, yet three doors down the noise was much more noticeable.  Every home is different in this respect, they are almost all unique architecurally as well, as most have been built custom with the exception of a few developer built neighborhoods.  Here is a link to all homes currently for sale in Summerland, CA.  If you would like more information about Summerland or Santa Barbara real estate, please contact me at (805) 757-1867.