09/16/96 SANTA BARBARA, THE LUXURY ESCAPE FROM L.A.

SANTA BARBARA, THE LUXURY ESCAPE FROM L.A.

California legend has it that the town of Santa Barbara got its name in 1602 from grateful Spanish sailors who had, after praying to the saint, survived a violent December storm off the coast. These days, Santa Barbara's pleasant climate and its wide variety of diversions for the body and mind make this enclave at the foot of the dramatic Santa Ynez mountains a peaceful spot for a getaway from city life.
About 100 miles north of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is a prosperous community of horse lovers, retirees, and artisans who support a civic light opera, Sunday art expos on the beach, and a wealth of other cultural activities. As for natural beauty, the sunsets alone are worth the trip.
To get there by car, take the Pacific Coast Highway (California Route 1) north through cloistered Malibu and past the wood-frame bungalows of Solimar Beach. For those in a rush, taking Route 101 from Los Angeles shaves an hour off the trip but excludes all the picturesque views along the California coast.
POLO, ANYONE? Routes 1 and 101 reunite at Montalvo. From there, the road hugs the shore until an eruption of lush foliage signals Santa Barbara's approach. On your right is the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, which welcomes the public Sunday afternoons from April through October. Once you've entered town, you may catch a glimpse of one of its highlights: an enchanting and historic Spanish mission.
Luxurious accommodations are plentiful, but none are better than those at the El Encanto Hotel (805 687-5000). Rooms and cottages range from $180 to $1,190 a night, and indulgences include shiatsu massage in your room and, on the court, advice on your serve from the resident tennis pro. Dinner on the patio overlooking the ocean is both delightful and delicious. A three-course meal, without wine, can run $40 per person. Be sure to visit the central gardens and their lily pond stocked with Japanese carp.
The mission, a 10-minute walk from the hotel, is a must. Completed in 1786, it's one of California's best-preserved missions and remains an active parish. The frescoed interior features an altar surrounded by walls of warm yellows and reds lit by sunlight streaming in through two side doors. The altar is backed by wooden statues of the saints, including a carving of Saint Barbara that dates back to the 1700s. On the ground are stone plaques bearing the names of early missionaries buried in a crypt below. Off to the side lies the tomb of Garcia Diego, the first Bishop of California.
The self-guided mission tour starts at the gift shop and costs $3. Children under 16 are free. Along the route are courtyards, reconstructed priests' chambers, the church, and its small graveyard. The tour gives a sanitized history of the region, especially the destruction of the native Chumash Indian culture. But it's worth the admission to see the planted grounds and recreated mission kitchen, a large stone room dominated by an expansive fireplace. The cemetery outside is shaded by a giant fig tree. Near the exit is a burial plaque for Juana Maria, an Indian girl whose life provided the story immortalized in the award-winning children's classic, Island of the Blue Dolphins.
Santa Barbara's main thoroughfare, State Street, is fully stocked with shops, restaurants, and neon-lit cinemas. Stearns Wharf and the beach are great for walkers, who may catch a glimpse of pelicans skimming the ocean's surface.
THRILLS AND CHILLS. Sunday is a great day to stroll along the Cabrillo Boulevard beachfront, where hundreds of local artists and artisans display and sell their work. Or rent a pair of inline skates and head over to pretty Las Palmas Park. Beginners beware: One hill en route ends at an intersecting street, with scant room for error. Hiking trails abound, and boats can be rented at the Santa Barbara Sailing Center. For maps and advice, the visitors' center (805 965-3021) is located at the corner of Cabrillo and Santa Barbara Streets.
Where the mountains meet the sea, Santa Barbara is a very easy place to spend a few days and more than a few dollars.
EDITED BY AMY DUNKIN By Nanette Byrnes