Cliff Dr, East Mesa

Cliff Drive is the main street on the Mesa, leading all the way from Arroyo Burro Beach on one end (where Hope Ranch begins) to Castillo Street and downtown Santa Barbara on the other. Along the way, it passes Elings park, the Mesa shopping center and Santa Barbara City College. There are some homes along the way, but since Cliff Drive is part of California Route 225, it is a very busy street and not the best place to live for families. On the other hand, Cliff Drive is the commercial hub for the Mesa, with the neighborhood's best restaurants and almost any amenities you could ask for: groceries, drug stores, copy shops, coffee shops, etc. It doesn't have everything; you'll most likely end up driving to either upper or lower State Street at some points, which can be really frustrating. Down on the south end, Arroyo Burro Beach is a world-class, cliff lined, white-sand beach. Part of the beach allows dogs off collar. Of course, since it is a world-famous beach, its crowded pretty much all the time. Towards downtown, Cliff Drive becomes City College territory, passing by the College campus and a number of apartment complexes that house students.