Eastside
The Eastside is comprised of 2 different neighborhoods that adjoin one another along the Milpas corridor of Santa Barbara, and then an area below that borders East Beach. The Lower Eastside neighborhood is mainly a mix of commercial and industrial uses, with a few scattered residential pockets here and there. With prices ranging from around $600,000 to $1.5 million, it offers some attractive options for development. The neighborhoods above the Lower Eastside have some commercial and industrial uses, but the majority of it is single family homes, duplexes, triplexes and small complexes. A large portion of the existing residential structures are simple wood frame cottages. The heartbeat of this area is the Milpas corridor which runs from East Beach all the way up to The SB County Bowl. It is a relatively affordable, diverse neighborhood, home to great food, and local businesses. It is filled with home improvement stores, car dealerships, numerous grocery options, small boutique shops and some of the best Mexican restaurants in town. While the majority of homes are smaller and the area is denser feeling than most areas in Santa Barbara, there are pockets with larger homes…some even with ocean views. Santa Barbara High School is at the top of the hill and the Municipal Tennis Courts are in this area. The Santa Barbara Zoo, ranked numerous times as one of the nation's best small zoos, is a main attraction of the East Beach area. It is located on 30 acres near the ocean and was built on the site of what was known as the Child Estate. Resort-style condominiums, only a stone’s throw from East Beach, are where residents live the Santa Barbara “vacation lifestyle”. East Beach is a gathering place for both locals and out of town visitors. While its gentle waves don't attract many surfers, East Beach is a great place for families to enjoy the water and the sand. Picnickers, sun bathers, skim boarders, and kite flyers all mingle along the long beach. But if anything defines East Beach, it's volleyball. There are fifteen volleyball courts at the far end of East Beach and on any given day they are in steady use. A bike path and sidewalk extend from the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge, along East Beach and is a popular spot for cyclists, joggers and walkers.
