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Page 4 of 10
Goleta is the area west of the City of Santa Barbara, roughly from San Marcos Pass Road to the upper end of the South Coast. Again, I have to remind you that directions are confusing in Santa Barbara. The South Coast is actually arranged east to west rather than north to south. So, when I say "west" most people think that it's "north" because "up the coast" is north-south everywhere else in California. See the map and you'll see what I mean.
Goleta is an area which contains the newly formed City of Goleta, the University of California, Isla Vista - the primary UCSB student residential area, and large unincorporated areas of the county. It's also the location of the Santa Barbara Airport, behind the University. Goleta is connected to Santa Barbara by Highway 101. It's normally not more than a 15 minute drive to downtown Santa Barbara even from the far end of the area known as Elwood.
It is a more family oriented area, with many housing areas. It's where our more affordable housing is located. As you get into the foothill areas, there are still large farms and hilltop estate homes.
The main retail shopping areas are along Hollister Avenue, including the City of Goleta's Old Town, the Fairview shopping corridor, and the new Camino Real Marketplace, home of the South Coast's first "big box" shopping center, with a Costco and a Home Depot, restaurants, and movie theaters. There's a well renown luxury resort out near the Elwood area (The Bacara).
The weather mirrors most of the rest of the South Coast. It's cooler and foggier down near the beach and warmer and sunnier toward the foothills. Also, the farther up the coast you go, it tends to be windier along the beach zone. See the Santa Barbara Overview page for more weather information.
UCSB has the most influence over the area. It is the largest employer in the County and has about 22,000 students. The population of Goleta is about 80,000. Here is where you will find the South Coast's research and development industry and high tech businesses. Here as well, growth is regulated, but there are pressures on the area to accommodate new housing and R&D development. The City of Goleta has put a temporary halt to new development in it's boundaries.
There are good schools here. There are two public high schools (San Marcos and Dos Pueblos), and a Catholic high school (Bishop), as well as a junior high school and elementary schools. School information can be found in the Resources page of this Web site. Please check the school district to find which schools service any address in this area.
There are 2 public golf courses here: Sandpiper and Glenn Annie, and 3 9-hole courses: Twin Lakes, Ocean Meadows, and Hidden Oaks. There are some major sports fields located adjacent to the new Camino Real Marketplace. Every weekend you'll find them packed with young families and children playing Little League, softball, and soccer. UCSB is a major host of AYSO games. There are parks such as the Monarch Butterfly Preserve, Tuckers Grove, and Stowe Park.
Historically, Goleta was the site of the highest concentration of Chumash villages on the South Coast. There were about 1,500 people living on sites around the Goleta Slough, which then was a deep water bay. The name "Goleta" comes from the Spanish name of a smaller of sailing galleon. Legend has it that Juan Cabrillo came ashore here in the late 1500's. Now the bay has become silted and marshy. The remainder of the slough is now a preserved salt water marsh studied and extensively monitored by the University.
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