Santa Barbara
California
Downtown is 15 to 20 minutes from Santa Barbara Municipal (SBA) in Goleta, so a long weekend loses little time to the road. Montecito is a little farther, on the east side of town.
Airports.
- SBASanta Barbara Municipal in Goleta, about 15 to 20 minutes from downtown
- SMXSanta Maria, about 65 miles north, with an 8,000-foot runway
- CMACamarillo, about 45 miles southeast, with no takeoffs between midnight and 5 a.m.
A 6,050-foot runway
The main runway at SBA, by the water a little west of town, is about 6,050 feet. We’ll run the performance numbers for a larger cabin before you fly, and when they don’t work, Santa Maria (SMX), about 65 miles north, has an 8,000-foot runway.
May gray and June gloom
From late May into mid-July, a marine layer often covers the coast. In poor weather, arrivals use the instrument approach to Runway 7. On the thickest days, Camarillo (CMA) or Santa Maria is the alternate.
Santa Ynez wine country
The Santa Ynez Valley wineries are about 45 minutes from SBA over San Marcos Pass. The valley’s own airstrip is under 2,900 feet, too short for most jets.
Heading to Santa Barbara?
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