The Location
Welcome to Montecito.
Just east of Santa Barbara, Montecito’s eight square miles are flush with lavish estates, luxe compounds, and secluded manors. Affluent families and individuals call this seaside sanctum home. Built into the oak- and eucalyptus-laden foothills of the Santa Ynez mountains (Montecito means “little mountain” in Spanish), the peaceful town boasts several world-class resorts, top-of-the-line schools, country clubs, and a selection of high-end shops and restaurants.
A pocket of luxury caught between the magnificent Santa Ynez mountains and some of California’s most beautiful coastline.
Its name has become synonymous with wealth, but this serene seaside town isn’t at all about glitz and glamour like its Tinseltown neighbor 90 miles south (and in fact, some citizens decamp from Los Angeles to Montecito for precisely that reason). A town that neatly walks the line between sylvan and stylish, the neighborhood takes pains to remain semi-rural thanks to the active Montecito Association, which has been tasked since 1948 with maintaining its aesthetic beauty. People have been drawn to the area’s temperate weather and natural charisma since the early 1900s, when neighbor Santa Barbara was in its heyday as a nationally famous health resort.
Montecito residents greet the day over french toast at Jeannine’s, a local institution known for its informally elegant breakfast fare, then wander the main thoroughfares of Coast Village Road and the Upper Village to browse boutiques like Jenni Kayne and Maison K, linger at Butterfly or Miramar Beach come midday, then wrap up their evenings with a cocktail on the terrace of the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel.
7 minutes
to Summerland by car
10 minutes
to Downtown Santa Barbara by car
12 minutes
to the Mesa by car