Santa Barbara, Calif--Stearns Wharf is an icon
for Santa Barbara, California, a beautiful beach city on the borderline of
Southern California and Central Coast California. The most
visited landmark in the city offers a unique view of Santa Barbara from the
water looking east. In some California cities a view from the pier offers not
much to look at except for the sea, but in Santa Barbara, you'll also be treated
to something quite special as you gaze to to the lush hillsides framed by
stately palms that line the oceanfront.
Considered one of the northernmost beaches in
the Southern California region, Santa Barbara was voted as
one of the top 10 beaches in the United States by a recent
survey. Estimates of its traffic annual stand around 5
million, give or take a few thousand people, so when
visiting Santa Barbara, be sure to stroll along this wooden
planked structure where cars that drive by make a thump,
thump sound.
Stearns Wharf
is the gateway to State Street, the primary road that contains
the heart of the shopping district with access beginning on the
north part of the city at a Highway 101 exit, then ending at the
base of the wharf where a lovely dolphin fountain welcomes
guests gracefully. It's a site befitting this fun,
nature-loving city that's home celebrities and regular folks.
In fact, we always like
to book one of the hotels along waterfront on Cabrillo
Street overlooking the Santa Barbara beaches and Stearns
Wharf.
Harbor View is an excellent choice for such
vacations.
First built
in 1872, the wharf ranked as the longest deep-water pier between
Los Angeles and San Francisco. During that era, bragging rights
were crucial in pier size and water depth for getting ships to
stop at your location to help promote trade to your town.
John P. Stearns worked in the lumber industry and built the
wharf for this very reason. With a useful wharf, ships could
stop and access the supplies of lumber to be delivered
elsewhere. This was the era in which train tracks were still be
installed and would one day impact the local port trade both in
Santa Barbara and up the coast a short distance in
Casmalia.
When the railroad finally reached Santa Barbara in 1877, Stearns
added an additional spur to the wharf, and later in 1923 that
was abandoned as it was no longer of use. A railroad
logging car on the spur commemorates the wharf's history.
Stearns Wharf
has been rebuilt after several times after fires have damaged
the structure. The most recent event occurred in 1998 and the
damaged area was rebuilt while the rest of the wharf remained
open.
In its
illustrious past, the wharf held many distinctions, not unlike
other piers up and down the California coast. From rum runners
of the prohibition to gamblers on floating casinos and then to
military units standing guard over the coast during World War II
(Santa Barbara was the only location where enemy fire actually
hit land at the beach near Baraca Resort), Stearns Wharf could
tell many great stories if it could talk. During World War II
the Harbor Restaurant was built on the wharf. Opened in 1941, it
is still in business today. There are shops, restaurants and
great fishing off Stearns Wharf. You can drive your car on the
wharf but you must pay for parking which is sometimes limited.
The wharf offers fantastic views, great meals, a maritime museum
and a bit of souvenir shopping for those seeking good,
old-fashioned fun. stearnswharf.org/
Some shops on Stearns Wharf
included these (note - this list will surely become
outdated. Please notify us if you need to be pulled off the
list!)
Captain Don's Pirate Cruises
Char West Fish and Chips
Coastal Treasures
Coastal Winery
Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Harbor Restaurant
Longboards Grill
Madame Rosinka
Mother Stearns Candy Company
Moby Dick Restaurant
Natures Own Gallery
Old Wharf Trading Company
Santa Barbara Shellfish Company
Stearns Wharf Bait & Tackle
The Great Pacific Ice Cream Company
Topside Resort Wear
Ty Warner Sea Center
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